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A booklet published by the National Secretariat, Copyright ©
1995-2003 To explain Cursillo to someone who has never experienced
Cursillo is at best, difficult. Often, for those who have
experienced Cursillo it is still somewhat mystifying. This is not
because the Cursillo Movement is a "secret" organization. The
reason behind the mystery is God. No one can fully explain how God
touches each person in His special/unique way throughout the
various elements of the Cursillo Movement. This booklet cannot
explain the mystery of God. The booklet will; however, attempt to
explain the human aspect behind the Cursillo Movement.
Throughout this booklet you will
find references to concepts that at one time seemed foreign to
Catholics. Evangelization is probably the one that comes to mind
first. For many years Catholics looked upon evangelization as
"something the Protestants did." Today, in Church, we hear a great
deal about evangelization. Still for some of us, we automatically
think of going out two-by two (with Bible in hand) and knocking on
people's doors. Nothing could be further from the truth.
In the Cursillo Movement, we
approach evangelization as a very natural act of being Christ-like
within each of our daily activities. We realize that while most
people would like to live their lives in a Christ-like manner, the
pressures of the world often make this difficult. The Cursillo
Movement provides a method and a technique to provide each of us
with the tools, the mentality, the strength, and the support to
make this natural type of evangelization possible. Sometimes this
booklet will have other statements that are basically the same as
evangelization. Statements such as: 1) proclaiming the Gospel, 2)
fulfilling our Baptismal responsibility (some of us were not even
aware that our Baptismal responsibility required us to do
something), 3) leavening the environments, and 4) living what is
fundamental for being a Christian. We should not allow these
statements to scare us off. These are nothing more than
by-products of living our lives in a fully Christian manner. The
Cursillo Movement can assist each of us in developing a deeper
understanding of what it means to be fully Catholic by being fully
Christian.
THE HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT
The Cursillo Movement is a movement of the Catholic Church. The
name Cursillo is Spanish, meaning short course, and is often
associated with a 3-Day weekend - which is only one aspect of the
Cursillo Movement. The proper name is Cursillo de Cristiandad
(short course of Christianity). There is much more to the Cursillo
Movement than just a 3-Day weekend.
This Movement evolved from Spain,
where it got its origin, in the 1940s. The Cursillo Movement did
not develop by accident. It began when a group of men dedicated
themselves to bringing the young men of their city of Mallorca,
Spain, to know Christ better. It developed as they prayed and
worked together; it developed as they talked together, sharing
their thoughts about the state of the world and the effectiveness
of their efforts to bring the light of Christ to it. On the
natural level alone, the story of the Cursillo Movement is
exciting. It's a story filled with the adventure of new
discoveries and works of outstanding dedication, tragic
misunderstandings and setbacks, as well as impressive patience.
These young men and the clergy who supported them endured many
unpromising situations in the faith that God would work.
But it is even more an exciting
story on the spiritual level. It is the story of how God taught a
group of men how to work for Him in an effective way, a way that
bears fruit. In the late 1940s, the first Cursillo was given and
the Cursillo Movement began. Those who make Cursillo's today would
find much of the first Cursillo familiar. The Cursillo has been
refined and changed somewhat, but today's Cursillo weekend remains
basically the same as those first Cursillo's.
It was, however, no accident that
the first Cursillo was so fully formed that a movement could begin
from that date. The first Cursillo was neither a lucky accident
nor a blueprint which came directly from heaven, but grew out of a
process of development. Nor were the first leaders just a chance
collection of men. They had been working together for some time
trying to bring men to Christ so they could work together to
Christianize the world.
But the Cursillo, on the other
hand, was not just a well worked out human product. It grew in the
climate of spiritual renewal. It was developed by men of prayer
who were seeking to serve the Lord. It was formed by the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit working in men who had dedicated
themselves to bringing others to knowledge of Christ.
The Cursillo Movement came to
birth in the movements of renewal that preceded the second Vatican
Council. Vatican II was such a major event in the history of the
modern Catholic Church that there is a certain tendency to date
everything from the Council. But Vatican II was itself born out of
an effort of spiritual and pastoral renewal that had begun years
before. The liturgical movement, the scriptural renewal, Catholic
Action and other movements of the lay apostolate had begun years
before the Council. Everywhere in the Church, people were seeking
to find ways of "bringing the Church to life in the hearts of men"
(Romano Guardini). The Cursillo Movement came from the work of
such individuals.
The first stirrings of what later
was to become the Cursillo Movement began on the Island of
Mallorca during World War II. The Spanish Civil War had ended in
1939, and the years after the Civil War were a time of ferment in
the Spanish Church. Before the war, a pilgrimage to the shrine of
St. James at Compostela had been planned. This spiritual journey
to the great Spanish pilgrimage center of the Middle Ages would
provide a time for the young men and women of Spain to dedicate
themselves in a renewed way to the work of the apostolate. After
being postponed several times by the disruption of war, it was
finally rescheduled for 1948.
The pilgrimage set a tone. The
spirit of pilgrimage is a spirit of restlessness, of
dissatisfaction with spiritual luke-warmness, of moving onward, of
"Ultreya ." It is also a spirit of brotherhood among fellow
pilgrims who are striving together to reach the goal of a life
fully given to the love of God and man. The pilgrim style has
marked much of the spirituality of the Cursillo Movement.
Preparation for the pilgrimage
gave rise to efforts of renewal in the different Catholic Action
groups in Spain, among them the branch for young men in the
diocese of Majorca. As a result of the preparations for the
pilgrimage there was greater interest in finding an effective way
to work apostolically. The groups responsible for preparations for
the pilgrimage to St. James were the diocesan councils for the
young men's branch of Catholic Action. Catholic Action was the
official organization of the lay apostolate in Spain (and in many
other countries). Most organized efforts of Catholic laity taking
part in the work of the Church were part of Catholic Action (which
was supported and directed by the hierarchy). In Spain, Catholic
Action was divided into the men's branch, the women's branch, the
young men's branch and the young women's branch. The leaders of
the young men's branch on the island of Majorca were the founders
of the Cursillo Movement. Those who first developed the Cursillo
Movement worked together as a team from the very beginning.
They worked as a leaders' team
that prayed together, shared their Christian lives together,
studied together, planned together, acted together and evaluated
what they had done together. Together they worked at the task of
forming Christian life among the young people in Majorca. Out of
their common efforts, something new in the life of the Church was
born. Church renewal, spiritual renewal, pastoral renewal, the
pilgrim style, a pastoral plan, teamwork among leaders - the
Cursillo Movement grew out of all these things. It developed not
by accident nor through a clearly specified plan, but was an
organic development of the efforts of a group of men who had
dedicated themselves to the work of God.
At first, the Cursillo's were
just "little courses" (little course is the literal meaning of the
Spanish word - Cursillo) which were given by the diocesan council
of the young men's branch of Catholic Action. They were given to
members of Catholic Action groups as a way of forming them so they
could become effective apostles.
The first Cursillo in the United
States was held in Waco, Texas, in 1957. The key figures in the
beginning were Father Gabriel Fernandez and two airmen from Spain,
Bernardo Vadell and Agustin Palomino, who were training with the
United States Air Force. Father Gabriel had arrived in Waco in
1955 from Spain where he had made his three days under two of the
founders of the movement, Father Juan Capo and Eduardo Bonnin. The
priest and the airmen were responsible for putting on the first
two weekends in Waco. Airmen Vadell and Palomino were transferred
to Mission, Texas, just after they had completed the second
weekend in Waco. By late 1957, the traveling airmen had put on the
first weekend in Mission. In 1958, they started a center in
Laredo, Texas, and soon after, the movement was introduced in
Corpus Christi.
In 1959, the Cursillo spread
throughout Texas and to Phoenix, Arizona. In August of that year
the first national convention of spiritual directors was held, and
Ultreya magazine began publication. In 1960, the growth of the
Cursillo quickened in the Southwest, and weekends were held for
the first time in the East in New York City and Lorain, Ohio.
Until 1961, all weekends were held in Spanish. That year the first
English-speaking weekend was held in San Angelo, Texas. Also in
1961, first weekends were held in San Francisco, California; Gary,
Indiana; Lansing, Michigan; and Gallup, New Mexico. By 1962,
twenty-five more English-speaking weekends had been held.
In 1962, the Cursillo Movement
came to the Eastern United States. Weekends were held in
Cincinnati, Brooklyn, Saginaw, Miami, Chicago, Detroit, Newark,
Baltimore, Grand Rapids, Kansas City and Boston. In the West, the
first weekends were held in Monterey, Sacramento, Los Angeles,
Pueblo and Yakima.
The movement spread rapidly with
the early centers carrying the Cursillo to nearby dioceses. As of
1981, almost all of the 160 dioceses in the United States had
introduced the Cursillo Movement. The Cursillo Movement in the
United States was organized on a national basis in 1965. At this
meeting a National Secretariat was organized, and a National
Cursillo Office (currently in Dallas, Texas) was established. The
Cursillo Movement has the support of the vast majority of the
American hierarchy. It is joined to the National Conference of
Catholic Bishops through an official liaison in the person of Most
Rev. James S. Sullivan, Bishop of Fargo, and through the Bishops'
Secretariat for the Laity in Washington, D.C.
Today, it is a worldwide movement
with centers in nearly all South and Central American countries,
the United States, Canada, Mexico, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Great
Britain, Ireland, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Yugoslavia,
Australia, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and in
several African countries. The movement is a member of the
International Catholic Organizations of the Pontifical Council for
the Laity in Rome. In 1980, the Cursillo Movement established an
international office, the OMCC (Organismo Mundial de Cursillo's de
Cristiandad), in Santo Domingo to coordinate the three existing
international working groups of Latin America, Europe and the
International English Language Group. The international leaders of
the movement meet periodically to further its work.
At one of these meetings in Rome
in 1966, Pope Paul VI had the opportunity to address the movement.
Among his words of encouragement were the following: "Cursillo s
de Cristiandad, that is the word, purified through experience,
affirmed by its fruits, that today travels with citizenship papers
throughout the world ..." "Whether some methods become obsolete,
whether new manifestations of the Spirit arise, the permanent task
of the layman will continue to be the infusion of Christianity
into life through the encounter and personal friendship with God
and in communion with his brothers. The layman, upon forming
himself in Christianity, reforms his mentality and conforms his
life to Christ's image by means of faith, hope and charity; acting
with complete responsibility he transforms the temporal structures
in which he is immersed, guided in his action by the glance of
Christ he continually tries to remake the world according to God's
plan and design ...." "We know that in your plan of spirituality
and apostolate in the Cursillo Movement the 'Sensus Ecclesiae'
(mind of the Church) is the guiding light that orients you ...."
"Beloved sons and daughters: Our
soul is so oppressed by the vision of the evils which afflict the
Church and mankind. But permit us to express our overwhelming joy
that, at this moment, floods our soul before the immense chorus of
your manly faith in Christ, your fidelity to the Church, your
fervent loyalty to this Chair of Peter and to the ministry of the
Episcopal hierarchy."
"Cursillo s de Cristiandad!
Christ, the Church, the Pope, are counting on you!" Pope Paul VI,
First World Ultreya, Rome, May 28,1966 In 1980, Pope John Paul II,
addressing the first National Italian Ultreya in Rome said, "Your
movement, which recently celebrated its thirtieth anniversary,
devotes itself to drawing forth from Christians a commitment to
live lives consistent with their faith whether individually or as
a community - and to bring this ferment to the environments where
you live."
"You have discovered anew the
explosive truth of the evangelical message: God, Father of all,
comes to us as we encounter him in Jesus Christ to reunite us
through the grace of the Spirit in one family which is the
Church." "In her, we are truly able to experience even now the
love which will be the inexhaustible fountain of eternal joy in
heaven. Here then is the synthesis of all of Christianity. This is
the news that all human hearts hope for without realizing it.
Therefore dedicate yourselves more and more to being tireless
apostles in your environments."
"My apostolic blessing goes with
you as a pledge of this divine grace which enables you to live
forever."
WHAT IS THE CURSILLO MOVEMENT?
Cursillo literature cites several different definitions for the
purpose of the Cursillo Movement. While the wording (definitions)
may vary, the idea is the same. This is due, in part, to the fact
that the purpose of Cursillo is multi faceted. No one definition
can truly explain what Cursillo is. However, all the definitions
can give a much richer meaning to the purpose of Cursillo.
- One definition states: "The
purpose (or goal) of the Movement is to make Christian community
possible in neighborhoods, parishes, work situations and other
places where people live the greater part of their lives. It
makes possible for anyone in the world to live a Christian life
in a natural way."
- Another definition lists the
purpose of the Cursillo Movement as: "The leavening of
environments with the Gospel." In other words, changing the
places we spend time by being Christ-like in our thoughts,
words, and actions.
- Still another definition
states: "Since it is a movement of the Church, the Cursillo
Movement has the same apostolic purpose as the Church herself.
And the Church, as Pope Paul VI told us, exists to evangelize."
- There is yet another
definition that describes the purpose as such: "The Cursillo
Movement is a movement of the Church which by means of its own
method makes it possible for people to live what is fundamental
for being a Christian, and to live it together; it helps people
discover and fulfill their personal vocations, and it promotes
the creation of core groups of Christians who leaven their
environments with the Gospel." These "core groups" are now
referred to as "Environmental Groups."
As mentioned earlier, while the
wording of these definitions may differ, their ideas are the same.
The Cursillo Movement is focused to help each of us fulfill our
baptismal responsibility: to go forth, as apostles, and proclaim
the Gospel. We can no longer afford to sit passively by and "hope"
that the world comes to know Christ. We must make a conscientious
effort to "tell" the world about Christ. The Cursillo Movement
provides us with the necessary tools for fulfilling our baptismal
responsibility along with the training for using those tools. In
determining the purpose of the Cursillo Movement, it is important
that we focus on two important aspects. The first aspect: We are
communal people. The second aspect: We are teamwork people.
WE ARE COMMUNAL PEOPLE
By our very makeup (which was conceived by God), we need
relationships (interaction of two or more persons). A relationship
of husband/wife was required to bring about our conception. A
relationship of mother/child was required to bring about our
birth. Our growth from newborn to adulthood is filled with
relationships in school, family reunions, Church, vacations, etc.
When we enter into the working environments we find ourselves
thrust into completely new relationships. Neighborhoods can also
provide various opportunities for relationships.
Social/Civic/Political involvement(s) most definitely depend upon
relationships. Therefore it is part of our nature to be part of
various communities in our everyday life.
WE ARE A TEAMWORK PEOPLE
Early in our youth, many of us came to understand the value of
teamwork. Even if one was not involved in a formalized sports
program, most were involved in some form of team competition
during P.E. (Physical Education class) at school. We also learned
the value of studying together in an attempt to improve our
grades.
For those that serve (or have
served) in the military, they realize that the purpose of Basic
Training is to de-emphasize the individual and emphasize the team.
Besides all these examples of teamwork, Christ gave us the
encouragement to work as a team: "Again, [amen,] I say to you, if
two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to
pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where
two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the
midst of them." (Matthew 18: 19-20).
BACK TO THE TITLE
The purpose of the Cursillo Movement is to bring about a
change in the environments. The Cursillo Movement is a deliberate
act to bring Jesus Christ into the world. Cursillistas (those that
have gone through the 3-Days and are living the Cursillo method)
become agents for change in their families, work situations,
neighborhoods, social gatherings, etc. Cursillistas are the part
of the Christian community (communal) that links together with
others (teamwork) to bring Jesus Christ to the world.
DURING THE CURSILLO WEEKEND
OVERALL
Each day of the Cursillo Weekend begins with Morning Prayers
and ends with Night Prayers. Mass is celebrated daily (except
Thursday). Each participant should be aware that, since prayer is
such an intricate part of the Cursillo Movement, there will be
other Cursillistas that will be continually praying and offering
up sacrifices - for the success of the Cursillo Weekend. There
will be proper nourishment provided and also adequate rest
periods. Those that have special needs, such as a particular diet
or physical needs, will be attended to properly.
THURSDAY NIGHT
This is a time to get to know each other and to have an overview
of the Cursillo Weekend. This is also the retreat phase of the
Cursillo Weekend, which is designed "To awaken the moral
consciences of the participants, beginning with an analysis of
their own lives and causing them to desire to encounter God." The
retreat phase (done in silence and ends Friday morning after Mass)
includes three meditations and "The Way of the Cross." The
meditations are: 1) Know Yourself, 2) The Prodigal Son, and 3) The
Three Glances of Christ (this is given Friday morning).
FRIDAY
The focus of Friday should be to help each participant to have
a better understanding of themselves. Friday should help them
discover what motivates them in different situations.
During this day the participants
will hear five presentations. Three presentations will be given by
members of the laity and they are: 1) Ideals, 2) The Layperson as
the Church in the World, and 3) Holiness. The other two
presentations will be given by the Spiritual Directors and they
are: 1) Grace and 2) Faith. While the presentations provide the
participants with information and witnessed experiences, it is the
table discussions (following each presentation) that prove to be
one of the real dynamics of the Weekend. The sharing, which takes
place during the table discussions, provides the participants with
an opportunity to share their own insights about the presentation.
Furthermore, the participants have the opportunity to hear how
other participants perceived that same presentation.
After each presentation and table
discussions, the participants will draft a written summary of the
presentation and table discussion. Later the participants will
have an opportunity to graphically illustrate their ideas of the
presentations and table discussions. That evening, each table
group will share their summaries and graphic illustrations with
the other participants and team members.
SATURDAY
The focus for Saturday is to combine that fully realized self
(that they learned about Friday) with a wonderful and loving God.
Saturday helps the participants to understand the current
relationship that they have with God and should spawn a desire for
a still deeper and fuller relationship with God.
The schedule for Saturday follows
the same format as Friday. Again, there are three laity
presentations entitled: 1) Formation, 2) Evangelization, and 3)
Leaders. As with Friday's schedule, there are also two Spiritual
Director presentations entitled: 1) Sacraments, and 2) Obstacles
to a Life of Grace. Table discussions again play a very dynamic
role in generating various insights concerning the presentations.
The summaries (of each presentation) and the graphic illustrations
are shared with all, just like on Friday.
SUNDAY
The focus for Sunday is the understanding of ourselves, our
relationship with God, and how we can help Him in fulfilling His
Will. We learn what environments we belong to and how we can
affect those environments.
The same format is used on
Sunday, except there is only one Spiritual Director presentation -
Christian Life. There are the usual three laity presentations,
which are: 1) Study and Evangelization of the Environments, 2)
Christian Community, and 3) Group Reunion and Ultreya.
Sunday night at the Clausura
(Closing), the participants come face to face with the larger
Cursillo Community that has been so supportive during the entire
weekend. It is during this meeting that the participants enter
this Cursillo Community.
AFTER THE CURSILLO WEEKEND
The Cursillo Movement realizes that it will not be an easy
task for us to try to bring Christ to our environments. Therefore,
the Cursillo Movement has two very important tools to assist each
of us. These tools are the Group Reunion and the Ultreya.
GROUP REUNION
The Group Reunion is a small group of Cursillo friends that meet
on a regular basis. The purpose of this meeting is to share with
one another the growth that has taken place within each of us. We
share our spiritual growth as well as our growth in becoming a
person who strives to bring a Christ-like attitude to our
environments. This meeting is referred to as a Friendship Group.
As we make attempts to bring
Christ into our various environments, we will sometimes become
frustrated. The group Reunion also provides the continual support
we need in order to persevere as a part of God's plan.
ULTREYA
The Ultreya (Spanish word meaning Onward) is the larger Cursillo
community. It is the time for the members of the Group Reunions to
meet with members of other Group Reunions. The Ultreya is also
beneficial in providing the support and encouragement that each of
us needs.
PENETRATING ENVIRONMENTS
The Cursillo Movement helps each of us to understand what our
various environments are. Furthermore, it helps us develop a plan
to change those environments.
CONCLUSION
We, as laity in the Church, can no longer take our role
lightly. The future of our society is in our hands. We must
realize that we, as individuals, can have a great impact on our
society. More importantly, we can have an even greater impact when
we find other individuals that are ready and able to accept the
challenge.
Throughout history, great things
have happened because individuals decided to do more than was
"expected." In the Catholic Church we refer to some of these
individuals as saints. It has been said that Mikhail Gorbachev in
ending Communist control was inspired by the Polish Solidarity
Movement leader, Lech Walensa. Walensa was himself inspired by Dr.
Martin Luther King who was inspired by Rosa Parks, a black woman
who refused to sit in the back of the bus.
In the introduction, we referred
to the mystery of God. How else can we explain the events that
shape our world? In the past, the Cursillo Movement was primarily
thought of as a source of individual spiritual growth. Today, we
must realize that this individual spirituality is just not enough.
Today, we must add to that spirituality. Our society needs us to
be apostolic. Our Church needs us to be apostolic. Our world needs
us to be apostolic. But most of all, our Lord wants us to be
apostolic. Let us strive to be Christ-like. He chose individuals
to become "fishers of men." Should we do any less?
Who to contact if you are
interested?
Kurt Lawrence (518) 587-3612 or
klawrence@stclementschurch.com
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