kateri (6)

'we were then inseparable, until death
for God had given us to one another

to encourage each other on the spiritual journey
under the guidance of the Jesuit fathers

together we worked hard and prayed
and guided one another in our practice
of mortification and prayers'

'we went out into the forests
and into the fields together

and avoided meeting
with other girls and women

so as to evade unimportant matters
that would turn us aside from our devotions

we spoke only of God
and things pertaining to Him'

'many times we went deep into the forest together
so as to tear our shoulders with willow shoots as a penance
which I had been doing alone

we consecrated ourselves entirely to our Lord
with much courage, and lived in innocence

doing all that we could to satisfy for our sins
and for the love of God

Mary Therese and I both agreed never to mary

I dedicated my virginity to God
and Mary Therese her perpetual widowhood

and we kept those vows secret
with permission of our confessors'