Letter of the year 2021

In the annual letter addressed to all members, friends, co-workers and family members of the Teresian Association, the TA president, Maite Uribe, proposes that during 2021 we should all join in praying, “Lord, help us to hear the cries of our world with gentle and humble hearts”.

This invocation or theme is presented in the Letter of the Year, a custom since the time of Josefa Segovia. It is a text for reflection and spiritual renewal for people who share the mission of the TA, each according to their personal commitments.

In 2021 the chosen theme is “The Wisdom of Goodness”. It starts from the premise that “only God is good”, as Jesus pointed out to the rich young man who approached him with the desire to “attain eternal life”.

This is a time of vulnerability due to the pandemic, and so the background to the Letter is one of anxiety and uncertainty. It speaks of an attitude of discernment with which we allow the Spirit to lead us, especially in these times of unforeseen and very complex circumstances.

“We cannot do everything, but with the help of the Spirit we can discern where to deploy our personal and collective energies to work, console and support.”

In the third part of the Letter, Pedro Poveda's appeals for “gentleness” are included as this is an attitude that goes alongside goodness. Gentleness is necessary if we are to enter into communication with others through dialogue and acceptance. It is an attitude that leads to “acting with goodness” and to “social friendship” which Pope Francis calls for in Fratelli Tutti.