1874
Born on December 3 in Linares (Jaén), a prosperous city city high employment and an intense political life. At the same time, child schooling was insufficient. In this environment grows Poveda who, since a young age, wants to be a priest.
1913
He moves to Jaén where he continues his priestly activity as a Canon of the cathedral. He opens a new Academy, in addition to those already operating in Oviedo and Linares. He offers the leadership of the new academy to young Josefa Segovia Morón (1891-1957), who had completed her studies at the School of Education. He begins publishing the Bulletin of the Academies. He participates in many activities of the diocese and society.
1894
He obtains a scholarship to study at the Seminary of Guadix, where he becomes aware the situation of the poor laborers living in the neighborhood of the Caves, in ignorance and destitution, and he feels the urge to contribute to their human and Christian growth.
He was ordained a priest in 1897 in Guadix. In 1901 he beings his educational and evangelizing work with cave-dwellers; he rented a cave to accompany and be closer to this population, who were denied of all sorts of resources and attention.
In 1902, aware of the importance of education, he builds and inaugurates the Sacred Heart Schools for children of the Caves. He implements the methods of Ave Maria Schools, founded by Fr. Manjón, and uses the most innovative teaching materials. Difficulties to understand this socio-educational activity forced him to leave Guadix and the Schools of the Caves in 1905.
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1921
Appointed Royal Chaplain, he moves to Madrid where he is active in the National Commission against Illiteracy; in Student, Parent, and Professional Women Associations of Education and Teaching. He also supports the University Residence for Women which was operating since 1914. Among his collaborators are Carmen Cuesta, lawyer and first Doctor of Law; Maria de Echarri, journalist and creator of Catholic female unions; Mariana Ruiz Vallecillo, first Director of the Women's University Residence; Isabel del Castillo, one of the first collaborators from Linares...
In 1928 he is commissioned to organize the Association of Catholic Students and Female University Students, belonging to Catholic Action. He promotes the missionary spirit, with the help of Professor Magdalena Martin Ayuso. The number of Teresian Academies continues to increase in different Spanish cities, and in Santiago de Chile with the contribution of Chilean Professor Adela Edwards.
In 1929 he plays a decisive role in the founding of the Association of Catholic Teachers and the Federation of Friends of Education. He also encourages the National Association of Parents, convinced of the importance of different educational agents, especially the family.
Since he was always concerned about the marginalized and the most vulnerable, on May 24, 1930, he joined the “Hermandad del Refugio” (Brotherhood of Refuge) of Madrid to serve the poor, orphans, and the abandoned.
The last stage of his life coincided with the pre-civil war turbulent years, when the clashes at all levels made living in society almost impossible. Religious persecution acquired dramatic overtones and Pedro Poveda was one of the first victims. He was arrested in his own house moments after celebrating the Eucharist and he gave his life for his faith in the early hours of July 28, 1936. He introduced himself saying: "I am a priest of Jesus Christ." His body was found in the cemetery of the Almudena.