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CURSILLO IN CHRISTIANITY
The
Cursillo in Christianity is primarily a lay movement. It is an instrument
of renewal by which Christianity can permeate, live and grow in today's
world. It proposes no new type of spirituality but a method through which
one's spirituality can be strengthened, lived and shared in all areas of
one's environment.
HOW IT HAPPENS
A
Cursillo weekend begins on Thursday evening and ends on Sunday night.
During the three days the participants listen to the Gospel message,
broken into fifteen short talks. Five are given by clergy and center on
Grace, the gift of God to all persons. The other ten are given by lay
persons who already have made a Cursillo. The talks deal with Christian
study, action, leadership, living a life in relationship with God, the
role of the layperson in the church and similar reflections on situations
encountered in daily living. The talks build on each other.
Each
talk is followed by a period of small group discussions. The teachings of
Christ are presented in an atmosphere of warmth, joy and fellowship. Music
and skits provide entertainment.
SPANISH ORIGIN
Cursillo
( pronounced "kur-see-yo" ) is a Spanish word meaning
"short course" - short course in Christianity. The Cursillo
started in Spain in the late 1940s and spread through out the Spanish speaking countries of
the world. It came to the United States in 1957 when Spanish Air Cadets,
training in Texas held a Cursillo weekend for a group of Spanish speaking men. The first
English language Cursillo was held in 1961 in San Angelo, Texas, and that year,
the movement spread to a dozen other states.
The
movement was introduced in the Metuchen diocese in 2009.
ONCE IN A LIFETIME
A
Cursillo is made only once in a lifetime, therefore it is not considered a
substitute for a retreat. Actually a Cursillo experience makes subsequent
retreats more profitable, and Cursillistas are urged to make regular
retreats. Men and women make separate Cursillos. A participant should be sponsored by someone who has made a
Cursillo.
FOURTH DAY
The
program recognizes the continuing need for support in a Cursillista's
"fourth day" - the rest of one's life. A Cursillista is urged to
join a "group reunion". This is a brief weekly meeting of four
or five fellow Cursillistas. These individuals review their past week,
sharing how Christ has touched them, their Christian achievements or
disappointments, and their progress in the Cursillo method of piety, study
and action.
Ultreyas
(Spanish for "onward") are held monthly. They are reunions of
the Cursillo community at-large and are open to invited guests. They
afford Cursillistas an opportunity to meet, pray and socialize with others
who are dedicated to living a Christian life. They also provide support
for a Cursillista's efforts to bring Christ's message to others in his
environment.
BENEFITS
It
is difficult to explain what the Cursillo does for a person, or what
happens over a weekend. Since each person comes to the Cursillo from a
different place in time and a different relationship with God, it is
understandable that each will respond differently to the material
presented and the experience of community living in a Christian
atmosphere. For some, it is a total turnabout in their lives; for others,
it is a grand awakening; for yet others, it is an enrichment of what they
have already known and have been living. We do not promise anything or
judge anyone - we simply offer the program and rely on the grace of God
and the openness of the individual to produce its benefits.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Cursillos
are held at Centers near Metuchen, New Jersey. For further information contact us at contact@metcursillo.org
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