Linares, Jaén, Spain
On April 27, The President of the Teresian Association, Uribe Maite Bilbao, opened an exhibition commemorating the first anniversary of the presence of the Teresian Association, founded by Saint Pedro Poveda in 1911 in the city of Linares. About a hundred people from different parts of Spain attended the event, including Concha Romera, director of the Teresian Association in Spain.
The display covers one hundred years of presence of the Teresian Association (TA) in the city of Linares (Jaén) at the Poveda Cultural Center of Linares.
Over fourteen large panels collect the most significant moments since 1912, the year that starts the activity of the Academy (second foundation by Poveda) to the present. The exhibit has been divided into three stages: the beginning, the post-Civil War and recent times since the founder's centenary in 1974. There is also a leaflet that summarizes the content of the exhibition.
The event began with a talk by Gregorio Sanchez Raya, one of the leaders of the Poveda Cultural Center. Starting with Poveda’s words, he used comments of the founder regarding the house of Linares that the team responsible for the exhibit had chosen as a reference frame: "Linares. - At last something was done for my people."
He soon noted the importance of Linares in some of the milestones in the beginnings of the TA. In Linares was the first social project, dating back to 1908, and it took place even before the TA itself took shape. The project was known as the "cradle of the Child Jesus," a wardrobe for children of needy families. Other projects were the Academy (which was the benchmark and model for the first who joined the TA) and the Women's Educational Center who could see the light, he said, with the cooperation of women from Linares who understood and supported the Poveda’s idea decisively. Among them were Antonia Lopez Arista and Isabel del Castillo, key figures in the early stages of the Work. He also referred to the Bulletin of the Teresian Academies, which was published in the city for two years and is still published today under the name CRITICA magazine, also celebrating its centenary. He also indicated that in Linares Antonia Lopez Arista and Josefa Segovia made their final commitment to the TA.
He continued by referring to the return of the TA to the city after the forced interruption caused by the civil war. At that time, one of the projects that has identified the work of the TA in Linares is the school "Father Poveda, " which was a first class educational innovation in the city with the introduction of the so-called active teaching methods. The TA continued its social work by offering a soup kitchen and summer camps for the students. Also in the fifties, the idea of the Academy as a center for the preparation of teachers became a reality and it also hosted different educational and religious activities.
He ended his speech with an overview of the philosophy that inspired the creation of the Poveda Cultural Center in the eighties, which followed the legacy of the first Educational Center. He further explained the various stages in the history of this center until today "which has meant so much for education and local culture." A movement of sociocultural education of leisure time was established around it in a few years.
Then, Maite Uribe stressed that the exhibition is, above all, a tribute to Saint Pedro Poveda, to all the people who have made possible the fruits of life of this centenary, to the people of Linares, and to those who are related to the TA and have worked on TA projects in Linares over the last hundred years.
Then, she described the content of the pages of the Book of Foundations in which Pedro Poveda recounts how the Academy was launched and how it developed in his hometown. This was followed by emphasizing the personality of the founder, which, to a large extent, had been shaped by his experiences in Linares. This has been taking shape in concrete actions in many countries of the world, being a pure expression of the faith of Poveda in educators and education, in women's capacities, and in the potential of the laity.
She continued to highlight the convictions that have been maintained from the beginning and that support the thought and action of the TA. She stressed the TA’s faith in all people and in each person, since everyone carries within oneself the wealth of God. This impels the Work of Poveda, from a committed faith, to work actively for human rights. She named some projects where this is evident. She also mentioned some initiatives that facilitate an encounter with God (which will inevitably lead to a commitment to the others). Among these projects are the recent meeting of prayer and meditation for youth that took place in Madrid. Another great conviction has to do with the ability to transform reality through groups, communities and, also knowing that the best way to work for social change is by joining forces with other groups and networking. Here she added some specific projects that exemplify this conviction (Latin American socio-educational proposal; networks of schools, educators, parents; network of European youth; EDIW).
She ended her speech with a reference to the last Assemblies of the TA and the call they made to "live and generate fraternity, ” which is a “prophetic sign of the Kingdom, sustains us, and promotes the mission." “Celebrating life is expressed in gratitude and responsibility. The TA asks for your support and of the society of Linares and commits itself to join our energies for the good we seek,” said Maite Uribe.
The ritual of the opening the exhibition with the ribbon cutting ceremony followed and attendees were able to visit the exhibition. A team of five people (Paquita Feria, Gregorina de la Hoz, Pilar Antiñolo, Herminia Río, and Paqui Olivares) have worked for over a year to make the exhibition possible.
The exhibition, which is permanent, is open Monday to Friday during office hours at the Poveda Cultural Center. For groups is provided, upon request, the opportunity to complete the visit with a tour of the most significant places of the city related to Saint Pedro Poveda and the TA.