On 30 April, the Teresian Association received the Gold Medal of the Catholic University of Valencia (Spain) for its contribution to human advancement and social transformation and to mark the centenary of pontifical approval.
The award was received by the vice-president, Maria Rita Martín on behalf of the TA president, Gregoria Ruiz, who was in Chile at the time. The academic ceremony was presided over by the Grand Chancellor of the University and Archbishop of Valencia, Enrique Benavent, and by the Rector, José Manuel Pagán. The conferring of degrees and doctorates took place. In addition, silver medals were presented to both teaching and non-teaching staff who had given 15 or 25 years of service, and awards of recognition were given to those who had retired in 2023.
Connections
Maria Rita Martín expressed her gratitude and spoke of how the mission of the TA and that of the Catholic University have several things in common: being a Christian presence in the world amid the current social and cultural challenges; a commitment to Christian humanism; and dialogue between faith and science in the search for truth and the full development of every person.
The same vision
The Rector of the University, when referring to the Teresian Association, stressed that it too has a vision of education based on love and mercy. He had words of recognition for the women who collaborated from the beginning with the Edetania School, the predecessor of the University of Valencia, and who had contributed new successful and innovative pedagogical models.
Four insights
The Archbishop of Valencia and Chancellor of the University, Enrique Benavent, expressed his gratitude and recognition for the work and efforts of the various award winners. He highlighted the lay character of the Teresian Association and its way of being present in the world.
He said that St Pedro Poveda had “four insights” that are shared by the University: culture as a means to evangelise and transform society; the presence of the Church “in the midst of the world”; openness to new developments in education; and the dialogue-based way of being present in the world of culture, which in some ways anticipated the Second Vatican Council.
Video of the academic ceremony (in Spanish)
Group photo of the Teresian Association present at the event
TA Info.
TA Translation Team.
Video and images, UCV Communication.
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