COVADONGA, Asturias, Spain.
Seven people chosen to represent the Teresian Association at the 2013 offering to Our Lady of Covadonga gave their testimony in the auditorium of the Museum of the Choir. The offering took place at a Eucharistic celebration on May 26,
Concha Romera, director of the Teresian Association (TA) in Spain, introduced the event. She said: "We came to Covadonga with a cheerful and moved heart, with the excitement of an expected meeting. And in Covadonga, besides witnessing this wealth of the beauty of nature, we feel the welcome of the Santina. She, the Mother, the Lady, is the hostess who welcomed the young and bewildered Poveda. She discovered so many things to him! But above all I would encourage you to keep looking at the reality of today and seek prophetic answers. "
Each representative shared experiences of diverse realities such as hospitality to immigrants, advocacy, publications with a critically-minded approach, integration and education, persevering and loving to all, especially to some of the least, such as people on the streets or living in poverty or marginalization.
Some words were strong, serious, denouncing, and showing struggle and conquest. There were also words of tenderness, vocation, and incarnation. The words of justice were key to the Teresian Association, particularly in this year 2013, following the commitment made at the XVII General Assembly. The TA wishes to deepen and live a strong call to justice, aware that "our actions give testimony of who we are"(P. Poveda, 1928).
Throughout the sharing, which lasted just over an hour, we were very much moved, grateful for the Teresian vocation. The repeated applauses showed our emotion. In each testimony we perceived life and it brought to mind faces, cultures, experiences ... Together these presented the multicultural face, the identity, the soul of a century-old institution, which is always new and comes every year to Covadonga as if it were the first.
Concha Romera, director of the TA in Spain, and Maite Uribe Bilbao, President of the Teresian AssociationMaite Uribe, directora de la Institución Teresiana, cerró el acto con una “llamada a acoger de nuevo la invitación de Poveda de venir a este lugar (Covadonga) para orar, proyectar y contemplar el desarrollo de la Obra”.
Maite Uribe, President of the Teresian Association, closed the event with a “call to welcome the new inviattaion of Poveda to come to this place (Covadonga) to pray, to make plans, and contemplate the development of the Work.”
"The world of publishing and publications, health and the judiciary, the pastoral care of migrants, the interreligious dialogue and culture of peace, and the reality of many young people and children living in the streets, integration, lived in different ways of engagement with the TA, are signs of the development of a charism that, from Covadonga, we want to continue watching and thanking the God of life, "she said.
The following are the TA representatives chosen to present the offering:
Juan Cózar, (ACIT, Eastern Andalusia, Spain) |
Manuela Aguilera (Primary Association, Spain) |
Estrella Macrohon (Primary Association, Philippines) |
M ª Carmen Fernández Aguinaco (Primary Association, USA) |
Laura Vaccaro (Primary Association, Italy) |
M ª Isabel Sancho, (Primary Association, DR Congo) |
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As every year ...
At noon we celebrated the solemn Mass sung by the Choir of Covadonga and D. Fernando Alvarez playing the organ. It was presided by Bishop Jesús Sanz, Archbishop of Oviedo, and concelebrated by the Abbot of Covadonga, Fr. Juan José Tuñón.
After the Eucharist, the TA representatives presented the offering to Our Lady and spoke on behalf of the TA to many faithful present at Mass on Sunday.
Info.IT, from Covadonga