We are Christians, men and women committed to living the values of the ‘Good News’ of Jesus Christ in our family and working life.

We form an association in the Catholic Church called the Teresian Association, founded by St Pedro Poveda in 1911. For him St Teresa of Avila modelled a way of being that was both admirably human and totally God-centred, which is why he chose the name.

As people who seek to be attentive to needs around us, we want to build a more just and caring society. We are inspired by the prophetic insight of Poveda for lay people at the start of the 20th century. He taught, through the way he lived and worked with them, that to achieve their potential they needed to reach out, work together with each other and live in solidarity.

• in bringing faith to our culture and today’s multi-cultures
• in the conviction that education can transform lives and societies
• in appreciating  every human value
• in reaching out to those in difficulty
• in approaching life with a contemplative attitude
• Ready to ‘start by doing something’
• Committed to being gentle and non-violent.

The Association offers a style of Christian presence according to the qualities that Poveda advocated for those who worked with him:

• Faith in Jesus Christ as a fundamental choice.
• Prayer as the only power we can ultimately rely on.
• On-going acquisition of knowledge as an indispensable tool.
• Courage to proclaim Gospel values without being intimidated
• A presence like the yeast, salt and light of the Gospel.

Poveda was inspired by the life of the early Christians, taking them as a paradigm for the quality of presence he envisioned for those who worked with him. Living in a pagan society, the early Christians worked with everyone for the common good yet without hiding their faith. They lived by the Word of God, celebrated the Eucharist and lived a life of solidarity and sharing.

The Teresian Association is a Catholic Private Association of the Christian Faithful, of Pontifical Right. It associates only lay people - men and women- who commit themselves to live its mission and spirituality. All members abide by the same statutes.

Besides registered members there is a wide movement of alumni, collaborators friends and youth organisations who follow the inspiration of Poveda’s charism, its mission and spirituality.

The ‘good idea’ as Poveda used to call it, came into being in 1911 in Oviedo, Northern Spain. It soon spread to other cities. This new lay vocation in the church received diocesan and civil approval in Jaén, Southern Spain, in 1917 and, the perpetual approval of the Holy See in 1924. Four years later members established it in South America, (Chile, 1928) and Italy (1934).

Today it is present in thirty countries on four continents.

To become a member a person must:

• Discover that God is calling them to live their Christian baptismal promises under the inspiration and guidance of St Pedro Poveda’s charism.
• Follow a process of discernment and formation guided by the Teresian Association.
• Accept a commitment to Christian Life and mission according to one’s individual calling within   
     the Teresian Association.  For some this calling may include a commitment to make oneself 
     totally available and to give one’s energies and resources for the mission and needs of the
     Association.

Organisation: The Teresian Association is governed by an international Governing Council and President. It has other governance structures at local level, as well as advisory bodies of a national and international nature.

Projects and corporate enterprises run by the Association are financially supported and managed by their legal entities and by voluntary contributions of members.

INFO-IT

Updates: 21/04/2007