Entering the convent of the Franciscan Poor Clare sisters of Saint Clare of Assisi is a gift of serenity, peace, spirituality, and a supernatural vision. The tranquility and calm are in stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of modern life. In this setting, Sister Luisa Maria welcomes us. She had numerous interactions with Luis Valls, his brothers, and collaborators.

The sister begins to recount her memories when a couple from Alcázar de San Juan, aware of the precarious situation the convent was facing at that time, decided to place an ad in the newspaper that read, “SOS: our convent is sinking, please help us.” Shortly afterward, two people showed up to inquire: Luis Valls and his brother Pedro. At that time, they introduced themselves only as “bank employees.” Once they understood the situation, they left with a promise, “You will hear from us soon.”

This began a long-term supportive relationship for the congregation, which continued for many years through various foundations. Luis Valls would invite them to lunch once a year to hear how they were doing and what they needed. The sister recalls, “always with tremendous simplicity,” adding, “Sometimes he came with his brother Javier, and other times with his brother Pedro.”

Sister Luisa Maria emphasizes that the assistance came in the form of loans, not outright gifts, and states, “We repaid every last cent in small amounts but without interest.” These loans were used to renovate the convent and later for other needs, such as an automatic embroidery machine, essential for their work and survival.

Throughout the years of friendship and dealings with the nuns, the only favor Valls ever requested was to “pray for Luis Valls and his works.” He wanted their prayers and insisted that the aid remain anonymous, confined within the convent walls.

The sister, originally from Albacete and residing in Murcia, shared an anecdote that reflects Valls’s “delicacy and affection for others.” He visited her when she was hospitalized in Madrid, saying, “If I’ve heard that one of my dear sisters is ill in Madrid, how could I not come to see her?” This gesture deeply impressed both the patient and the other sisters accompanying her. It demonstrated great humanity from the president of one of the country’s most important banks. The sister summarizes by saying, “his charity was tremendous; he was an instrument of God.”

Sister Luisa Maria ends her account by praying for Valls himself, asking that “he continues to intercede for our vocations.”