PUENTE, LUIS de la, Venerable. – Jesuit, ascetical and mystical writer, born at Valladolid on 11 November 1554, died there on 16 February 1624.
Having entered the Society in 1574, he was professor of philosophy at León and of theology at Salamanca and Valladolid; but, soon relieved of teaching on account of his precarious health, he devoted himself entirely to spiritual direction and to the composition of his works, which earned him that universal esteem that has not yet faded.
He wrote: Meditaciones de los Misterios de nuestra Santa Fe (2 vols., Valladolid 1605), in which, beginning with the end of man and the last things and continuing with the life of Jesus Christ up to the Ascension, he concludes with contemplations on the divine attributes. It is the most complete series of meditations, admirable for the depth of its theology, the clarity of its exposition, and especially for the deeply moving concluding prayers for each point; it circulated in innumerable editions and versions, including recent ones, and was used by many saints, and to it one always returns as to a virgin source. These were followed by: Guía espiritual (there 1609), which teaches the manner of meditating and of attaining contemplation and divine visits, even extraordinary ones; De la perfección del cristiano en todos sus estados (vols. I and II, there 1612–13; vol. III, Pamplona 1616); Directorio espiritual para la Confessión, Comunión y Sacrificio de la Misa (Siviglia 1625). More closely connected with mysticism are the two biographies: Vida del p. Baltasar Alvarez (Madrid 1615), in which, rather than the life of that spiritual master of his, he sets forth the entire path toward holiness, accompanied by spiritual gifts; Vida maravillosa de la ven. virgen Doña Marina de Escobar (completed later by p. Pinto Ramirez [V. SOMMERVOGEL, CHARLES, VI, 833), published at Madrid in 1673), a soul favored with extraordinary graces; and the biblical commentary: Expositio moralis et mystica in Canticum canticorum (Colonia 1622). One may also cite: Tesoro escondido en las enfermedades (posthumous, Madrid 1672) and Memorial, diario spirituale, published thus far only in part under the title: Sentimientos y avisos espirituales del ven. p. L. de la P. (Siviglia 1671, edited by p. Tirso Gonçalez).
The cause of beatification of L. de la P. was introduced in 1667, and the heroic nature of his virtues was proclaimed in 1759.