OFFICIAL NAME
Obra de Santa Teresa
ALSO KNOWN AS
Teresas
ESTABLISHED
1938
HISTORY
The Work of Saint Teresa was founded by the Spanish priest José Soto Chuliá (1887-1975) in Malaga, Spain. He had always had a dream of helping priests and seminarians to fulfil their baptismal and priestly vocation. To this end, he saw the presence of consecrated women as indispensable in the life of a diocesan priest. Their spiritual motherhood would sustain the holiness of the priest through prayer, sacrifice and example in domestic service in the parish house.
Don Chuliá communicated this idea to some of his spiritual daughters, and they recognised that this was their vocation. The experience gradually spread throughout the country and in 1960 the Work was canonically established as a pious union in the diocese of Valencia. On 2 February 1996 the Pontifical Council for the Laity decreed recognition of the Work of Saint Teresa as an international association of the faithful.
IDENTITY
The Work of Saint Teresa is a private association of women who make a radical choice for Christ. They undertake to live their baptismal consecration in full commitment by giving themselves totally to the service of Holy Mother Church in the person of the priest. Their patron saint is St Teresa because their founder wanted the members to live by the same spirit that moved that saint to devote her life to the Church and for priests. They do so through their deep interior life which is the foundation and guarantee of their mission. Their interior life is nourished by prayer and daily participation in the Eucharist. Their faith development is nourished by the Word of God, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, the pontifical magisterium, the teachings of their founder, Rev. José Soto Chuliá, and the writings of the saints. The members of the Work carry out their specific mission in parish houses, in priests’ residences and in seminaries.
ORGANISATION
The Work of Saint Teresa is governed by a General Council made up of the Director, Deputy Director, Secretary, Treasurer and members appointed by them. Membership of the Association includes aspirants, temporary members and full members.
PUBLICATIONS
Notes from retreats directed by the founder Rev. José Soto Chuliá.
HEADQUARTERS
Villa Santa Teresa
Calle Carlet, 2
Apartado 175
46900 Torrente (Valencia) Spain
Telephone: [+34] 961550945
E-mail: obradesantateresa@gmail.com; obrasantateresa@gmail.com
