A group of 65 people coming from several Educational Centers and Social Projects of the eleven countries where the TA is present in America, participated, including the experience of the summer courses in Cuba.

The president of the Teresian Association, Maite Uribe, accompanied this Seminar along with two other members of the Governing Council: Cecilia Padvalskis and Dolores Peralta. Also present were Irma Carballo, a member of the Secretariat of Centers of Spain, and Pilar Cachofeiro, from Intered, NGO that always supports this proposal, as well as the six members of the PSE (Spanish acronym for Socio-Educative Project) Commission.

Maite Uribe said: “we are here to look at the progress that the PSE is making regarding human promotion and social transformation. These are difficult times, dramatic, uncertain. Times that challenge and present opportunities and which help us to move forward.”

Education and Evangelization

This Seminar is integrated in the 19 - 24 Planning developed for the Proposal that speaks about Evangelizing, Democratizing, Caring, Hope and Dialogue.

Two theologians Sandra Arenas and Andrea Sánchez Ruiz Welch who participated in the round table of "Evangelization and Education: Current Challenges", offered us some elements to place the issue in today’s ecclesial moment and within the spirituality of incarnation. As a task, what must be reconsidered to help the freshness of the Gospel flow more freely?

Then several Round Tables were formed:

• one about the Pastoral Perspective in Educational Centers,
• another about Social Projects,
• and a third one on Evangelization and Formation of Educators.

In five groups, 23 communications were shared regarding various evangelization and pastoral experiences with different sectors of girls, boys and young people, women, reading promotion with a traveling library, different social sectors and multiple experiences of social commitment. The aim was to place Evangelization within the total development of the person, the defense of human rights and of course as a process of humanization in the encounter with their own vocation as educators.

Accompany processes

It is important to point out the creativity of this lay vocation in order to accompany processes, so that the experience may emerge, to favor social commitment, as well as the accompaniment of people especially women in situations of marginalization and impoverishment who find their liberation in the defense of their rights; also as an accompaniment to educators in various realities,  including the rural areas.

The repository was presented in order to have access to the information generated from the proposal, remembering that the page is available so that all those interested can request registration. ACCESS FROM HERE.

Inseparable from Ethics

One of the participants commented, “I do appreciate that as young teachers, we have been given a space, that the new educational trends have its place in the Teresian pedagogy and charisma. They have made me feel respected and valued. ”

Some also pointed out learnings that come from “knowing a little better the socio-educational and political realities of the participating countries, the deepening and differentiating the concepts of evangelization and pastoral approach; learning more about the fundamentalist approach. I have reaffirmed the idea that Christian evangelization is inseparable from Ethics”.

The atmosphere of the encounter was animated by very creative prayers and liturgical celebrations, each one prepared by the different participating countries. The four elements were present, together with our dreams and our commitment. e We had, of course, our festive celebration of cultures with lively participation of each country and always sharing some typical sweets or small gifts. We had very much in mind the Synod for the Amazon. We conclude with a mantra composed by Leandro that became very popular and goes like this: “Esperanzar siempre, camina más, Sin soltarse las manos. Y resistir”.  “Always hope, keep on walking hand in hand and never give up."

The teachers of the Educational Centers of Chile went out of their way to generate the warm atmosphere that we reached in the meeting and for that we want to express a big Thank you!

Text: Yolanda Cecilia Villalva.
Photographs: Sergio David Fontecilla.
Translation: C. Zabalegui and R. Cameron.