Pedro Poveda in Jaen

On July 3rd., 1913, Pedro Poveda, after finishing his stay in Covadonga, received the appointment of Canon of the Cathedral o Jaen. Up to June 1921, he lived in this city. From here, he transferred his residence to Madrid.

In October 1889 he entered the seminary of Jaen and there he stayed until 1894 when he moved to Guadix to continue his studies.

“I was very sorry to leave Covadonga. But it was a great joy sees the advance of the Work in many places. From Jaen, I could work better for the Work” (P.P. Jaen, 23 May 1915)

He carried out many activities at the service of the Diocese:
As Seminary Professor he pronounced the opening speech of the course 1914-1915 on “The study of Education in the Seminary”.

He was a member of the Provincial Welfare Board and of the Board of Trustees of the Provincial Museum, in representation of the Cathedral Chapter.

While in this city, he obtained the Diploma as schoolteacher in 1915, and in the same year he was designated to the post of Religion Professor at the Teacher Training Schools.

He also was a partner in the Press Association, of the Royal Society of Friends of the Country; Dean of the Academy of Studies, as well as spiritual director of the Catechetical Center for Workers.

When he had just arrived to this city, in 1913, he started the foundation of a boarding residence for future teachers or  “Academia”. Josefa Segovia, a young woman from Jaen who had just returned home from studies at the “Escuela Superior del Magisterio” in Madrid (Teacher Training School), was asked by Fr. Pedro to be the Director of the new Academy.

Some years later, the young first Director wrote:
In the Academy of Jaen, many pedagogical innovations were initiated: Management boards with professors and students, participation of the students in the house activities, lectures, assemblies, excursions.”

The Academy was first located, only for a few months at in Hurtado Street, 24. In the same school year of 1913-1914, it was moved to Moreno Castello Street, and in June 1914, it was established in Juan Izquierdo Street, where at the present is the school “Colegio Padre Poveda. The street now has been given the name of Josefa Segovia.

In this Center, it is kept what we know as the Museum: rooms with the first Tabernacle of the Association (October 165th.1914), as well as pieces of furniture of the study room used by Saint Pedro Poveda and Josefa Segovia.

Close to this Academy and to the Cathedral, in Julio Angel Street, Pedro Poveda had his last residence before leaving for Madrid. A few years ago, the T.A. Association put a commemorative plaque on the front wall of this house, which was the dwelling place of Pedro Poveda.

Another place closely related to the life of Pedro Poveda and the Teresian Association is the Chapel of the Episcopal Palace. There, on the 26 August 1917, the Decree of Diocesan Approval of the T.A. was read.
For Pedro Poveda, this was a very important event in his vivid devotion to the Church:
         “The Work is no longer mine, it belongs to the Church.”
This was his response to thereading of the document.

At this Academy, since 1916, the “Boletín de las Academias Teresianas”, (Newsletter of the Academies) was edited. It had originated in Linares in 1913. Through its pages, Poveda was detailing the specific aspects that he wanted for the Teresian Association mission.

In 1920, he wrote the book “Consideraciones” (Considerations) edited in Jaen, and “Jesús Maestro de Oración”, (Jesus, teacher of prayer) publishedlater – in 1922 – in Cordoba

In the month of May 2006, San Pedro Poveda returned again to the Cathedral of Jaen in the form of painting of him, done by the artist Maria Garcia. It was placed in the chapel of Saint Teresa, where Pedro Poveda used to have his confessionary. Shortly after this, a commemorative plaque marked the seat he used to have in the Cathedral’s choir

There is another Tabernacle, today in the Center Josefa Segovia, donated by the Association on the anniversary of his first Mass. It was the desire of Pedro Poveda to take it to Jaen, where the first Tabernacle of the Teresian Association was.

Today, this Center, the “Colegio Mayor Josefa Segovia”, is a place for celebrations, encounters and other activities for children and adults, in the hope of continuing the mission of the Teresian Association.

CARMEN SERRANO

Updates: 21/04/2007