OFFICIAL NAME
Adsis Communities
ALSO KNOWN AS
Adsis
ESTABLISHED
1964
HISTORY
The Adsis Communities were founded in Bilbao, Spain, by Father José Luis Pérez Alvarez. The members include men and women from all states of life, and from the beginning it was intended to provide a community Christian presence among young people and the poor. On 30 August 1997 the Pontifical Council for the Laity decreed recognition of the Adsis Communities as an international association of the faithful of Pontifical Right.
IDENTITY
The Adsis Communities (from the Latin verb adsum, being present) bear witness to the loving and liberating presence of God, particularly in the service of the young and the poor. Their work takes careful account of different family, social and cultural situations in which contemporary men and women live, and is strongly missionary in character; it is nurtured by an intense personal and community prayer life that is reflected in the dimension of fellowship, typical of this experience. The educational route followed by the members comprises three stages (calling, pre-catechumenate, catechumenate, focusing respectively on formation in the interior life, formation in community life, and formation in commitment. The specific areas of activity are evangelisation and education in the faith for young people, social work among the marginalised and needy, animating parishes and pastoral care centres entrusted by the Bishops to the Adsis Communities.
ORGANISATION
The main organs of service and government of the Adsis Communities are the General Assembly, which meets every six years and elects the General Moderator, who is responsible for the association and represents it in dealings with the Church and the various Communities; the General Council, comprising the General Moderator and eight General Councillors; the General Conference, which is a forum for meeting, communicating, studying and adopting resolutions, which meets every six years midway between one General Assembly and the next. Membership includes Community Brothers (permanent members and catechumens); pre-catechumens, who are undergoing formation as candidates and associates, who do not live the common life and associate with a community by taking part in its work in different ways; and volunteers and cooperators.
MEMBERSHIP
The Adsis Communities have 1500 members, of whom 510 are Community Brothers, present in seven countries as follows: Europe (2), South America (5).
WORKS
The Adsis Communities manage the Catholic University of Esmeraldas (Ecuador); a Youth Ministry Department; Centres for the advancement of ethnic minorities; vocational training centres for deprived young people; counselling centres for migrants; programmes for infants, children and their families; hospitals and homes for young people; Development Cooperation programmes; cooperatives for fair trade and solidarity with Latin America and Africa.
PUBLICATIONS
Comunión Adsis, an annual magazine; Adsis Cooperación, quarterly; En la Intemperie, a quarterly publication on the pastoral care of young people; Cuadernos de interioridad, a six monthly spirituality publication; Materiales de formación, a six monthly formation publication; Voluntariado Adsis, published quarterly.
WEB SITE
HEADQUARTERS
Comunidades Adsis
c/ Miguel Aracil 54 - 28035 Madrid - Spain
Tel. [+34]91.3732595/3732569 - Fax 91.3866462
Email: csendin@adsis.org