Expansion an presence of the Teresian Association

Poveda’s ‘good idea’  first came into being in1911 in Oviedo, Northern Spain. It wasn’t long before it spread to other cities.

Soon after Pope Pius XI approved the Association in 1924, the first members left for Chile in South America in 1928. Six years later, while Father Poveda was still alive, the Association was established in Rome in 1934.
After the Founder’s death in 1936, the Association continued to grow through the energy of his close collaborator and first President of the Association, Josefa Segovia Morón. The cause for her beatification has been introduced.

When she died, in 1957, she left the Teresian Association established in the following places:

Spain (1911), Chile (1928), Italy (1934), Argentina (1938), Uruguay (1939), Guinea (1941), Bolivia and Peru (1943), Portugal (1945), England (1948), the Philippines and Mexico (1950), Jerusalem and Venezuela (1952), France (1953), Dominican Republic (1954), United States and Germany (1955), Belgium (1957). In Josefa Segovia’s last meeting of the Governing Council a decision was made to begin the Association in Japan.

After 1957 the Association expanded to Japan (1959), Ireland (1960), Colombia (1961), Taiwan (1963), Zaire, (today the Democratic Republic of Congo) (1964), Guatemala (1971), India (1973), and Jordan (1985).

Today as an international organization, the Teresian Association has consultative status in the Economic Social Council of the United Nations, ECOSOC

The Teresian Association exists in eight European countries.
Through foundations, cultural associations and NGOs, it runs development projects at continental and international levels. Members network among themselves and with others in their work so that the mission is served by associated action.  Some of these groups are: the Forum for Entrepreneurs, University Residence Activities (ARUIT), University Lecturers and Researchers, Health Professionals, Culture and Thinking,  as well as youth organizations in several countries which link up with each other.

Spain is where the Association first began and where most members are found. Members exist in all of Spain’s regions, with a significant presence in schools and universities. The T.A. runs a number of schools that implement Pedro Poveda’s educational ideas.
It also runs university halls of residence and ‘Colegios Mayores’. Other areas of activity include: in-service and development for educators, an educational book store, a publishing house, a large number of publications and a variety of projects in cities or rural areas. Hundreds of trained professionals carry on Poveda’s mission on an individual basis in state and private institutions.
 
In May 2002, the Chair of St Pedro Poveda was established at Salamanca University. The lectures address the faith-culture dialogue and the spirituality of priesthood, two main concerns in Poveda’s thinking. An annual journal publishes these lectures.
The Chair has also set up a bibliographical resource on Pedro Poveda in the library of the Theology Faculty.

The T.A. is also established in Italy, Portugal, France, Belgium, Germany, England and Ireland. The T.A has a few corporate enterprises and a number of professionals in schools and universities.

PRESENCE IN AFRICA

The Teresian Association first came to the African continent in 1941, during Josefa Segovia’s lifetime. Today there are a number of members in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon.

In Kikwit,  Republic of Congo, the T.A. has built the Victoria Diez Centre for young people, students and educators. It offers facilities for the holistic development of women, and is a place of study, reflection and exchange. Its goals include:  promoting gender equality between men and women, and providing activities through which young people can learn how to participate, become co-responsible and respect the common good. They also learn to analyse the social situation and to dialogue on issues of faith and culture.
Its facilities include a library with 2,800 books, a study room which receives an average of 30 daily visits and has over 200 paying members.
Its student residence houses 25 students that come to Kikwit from other regions to study.

In Kinshasa members work at the University on an individual basis. As an Association they organise activities in public libraries and work in adult on-going learning programmes. They run youth programmes and the project Bana-na Poveda for street children. The project offers support, Christian formation and education for life, games, and family re-insertion under supervision.

In Equatorial Guinea members work in human development programmes
in educational centres, adult training workshops,  public education and socio-cultural centres. In the area of health they run a diagnostic laboratory providing clinical analysis, serving a population that could not  otherwise access  such a service.

In Cameroon the T.A. presence is relatively recent. It already offers members possibilities in education and programmes to support women and street children.

SOUTH AMERICA

The Teresian Association in S. America has a presence in universities, state centres and healthcare. Some members are involved with others in Christian communities and in managing social projects.

The first members arrived in Chile in 1928. Since then the T.A. has spread to twelve countries: Chile, Uruguay, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, The Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mexico, the United States and Canada.

In these countries it runs 14 schools and 16 Social Projects, including two Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), one of which publishes the magazine Nuevamerica. These activities carry out the mission of the T.A., expressed in what is known as the: Propuesta Socioeducativa desde América Latina, (Socio-educational proposal from Latin America) which synthesises Pedro Poveda’s main educational ideas.

The social projects express the TA’s preferential option for the poor, which is a Gospel characteristic fundamental to the Povedan charism. They also provide experiences of democracy in action, which will hopefully encourage democratic attitudes in society.

In July 2002, as part of the T.A. ‘Platform’ (linking group) for S. America, a commission was set up to develop Incarnation Spirituality from the Latin American perspective. It has drawn up a document offering elements for dialogue between T.A. spirituality and American theology. It will present the writings of St. Teresa of Avila in the context of the Latin American continent. This endeavour aims at presenting the spirituality of the T.A. enriched by theologies emerging from Latin America and the United States.

In the United States, the T.A. is present in six states. Its members work in universities, public and private schools, healthcare, Catholic publications and in the pastoral work of local dioceses.

ASIA

The Teresian association in Asia runs a variety of educational projects in six universities and 9 development projects.

In 1950 the first T.A. members arrived in Manila, Philippines. Since then, the T.A. has extended to the main islands of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
In Manila the T.A. has a university residence and a school. It also runs St. Pedro Poveda College and has another university residence in Iloilo. In Tagaytay it has a spirituality centre, the Poveda House of Prayer, and there is another in Cagayan de Oro called ‘Covadonga’,  offering cultural and spiritual events.

Members carry out their mission in universities, colleges and a variety of projects and enterprises. They have developed an updating programme for teachers called “The Educator’s Formation Programme”, inspired in St Pedro Poveda’s educational ideas. Filipino members of the T.A., together with a number of Spaniards, have pioneered the Association’s presence in other Asian countries.

In the Holy Land (Palestine, Jordan and Israel) the T.A. presence dates from 1952.
It runs a university residence in Bethlehem, entrusted to it by the Latin Patriarchate. Members also run Pontifical Mission libraries in Amman and Bethlehem. They also teach languages in Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv.

In Japan the T.A. has had a presence since 1959. Members work in universities and high schools in Tokyo and Nagoya. They have run a university residence in Nagoya for many years.

In Taiwan the T.A. presence dates from 1963 and members now work in three cities on the island: at the Universities of Taipei and Taichung, while in Tainan they run a university residence. They also collaborate with the local church.

In India the T.A. has been active since 1973. Members collaborate with the local church and also teach at various universities and secondary schools.
The T.A. is present in the areas of Gujarat, Mumbai, Pune, while in Honavar in the Shantinagar region the first church under the patronage of St. Pedro Poveda is to be found. The SARPI project (Society for the Advancement of Rural Peoples in India) in Honavar receives funding from the Social Fund of the Teresian Association and the NGO InterRed. The project includes the following activities: a two-year training course for women village animators, a hostel for these same students, a pre-school, a school for special needs children and a library.

INFO-IT

Updates: 21/04/2007