Discalced Carmelite · 1548-1603
«De mi libertad no tengo cuidado.»
“I am not concerned about my freedom.”
An illustrated journey through her life, from Toledo to Cuerva, in her own words.
She grew up in Toledo, in the palace of doña Luisa de la Cerda, where she met Teresa of Jesus at the age of thirteen or fourteen. She entered the Carmel of Malagón in 1570, and five years later Teresa left her as the first prioress of the convent in Seville. She founded in Lisbon the first Discalced Carmel in Portugal, wrote the Libro de recreaciones and defended the Constitutions of Teresa. She suffered deposition and imprisonment. She died in Cuerva in 1603.
Today the Discalced Carmelites of Seville have asked for the opening of her cause for beatification.
Read her life«Es admirable la sabiduría de Dios, en haber querido que los principios de la perfección fuesen humildes y llenos de trabajos, para que haciendo experiencia de nuestra flaqueza, rindiéramos a su bondad la gloria de nuestros progresos.»
How admirable is the wisdom of God, who willed that the beginnings of perfection should be humble and full of hardships, so that, by experiencing our weakness, we might give to his goodness the glory of our progress.
Pues mi Redentor ha resucitado,
de mi libertad no tengo cuidado.
De verle glorioso estoy yo contenta,
breve es esta vida, y de poca cuenta.
Since my Redeemer has risen, I have no care for my freedom. I am content to see him glorious; this life is short, and of little account.
No tengo cuidado. Easter 1593, in the convent prison in Lisbon.
Read her writings“After four centuries of apparent silence, great interest in our dear Sister María de San José is being felt in various parts of the world.”
Sign a letter of support, in your own name or in that of your parish, community, confraternity or school. You can download it, sign it and send it from this website.
The sisters also ask you to tell them whether you consider her a saint and why, and whether you have read anything about her.
If you have received a favour through her intercession, tell us about it. Every testimony is kept in the archive of the cause.
Report a favourThe prayer to ask for her glorification, to pray every day or to print on a prayer card.
See the prayer
