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1. Cursillo is a Spanish word
meaning Short Course.
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2. It began in Spain in the
Roman Catholic Church in the early 1940's.
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3. First Roman Catholic Cursillos
in USA were held in 1957, in Spanish, and eventually
in English.
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4. Taken up by the Episcopal
Church in the USA in the mid 1970's, and by
the Anglican Church in Canada.
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What
is Cursillo? Cursillo (pronounced Kur-see-yo)
is a Spanish word which means "short course."
A Cursillo in Christianity is a short course in Christianity.
The Cursillo Movment originated in Spain in the 1940's
and continues to be active in the United States and
around the world.
Cursillo
is recognized nationally by the Episcopal Church and
is authorized locally by the Bishop of each particular
diocese. Essentially, the Cursillo Movement provides
a method to focus our Christian lives in such a was
as to impact individuals and our surroundings with
the Gospel. There are threee parts of the total Movment:
Pre-Weekend:
Men and Women are informed about, sponsored, and
prepared to participate in the weekend phase of Cursillo.
Cursillo:
The weekend phase of Cursillo begins on a Thursday
evening and ends Sunday evening. During these three
days, the participants live, work, worship, play,
pray, eat and sing together. They listen to presentations
given by laypeople and clergy who have spent weeks
praying and working to prepare for the weekend. The
weekend is a combination of workshop settings, meditations,
talks and discussions wll woven together in a structured
format. The format is designed to bring the message
that by virtue of our Baptism into Christ, all Christians
share a call to be witnesses of new life in Him. This
message is delivered through
- liturgical
and sacramental action that sharpens and strengthens
our awareness of life in Christ;
- meditations
that help us hear in ever clearer ways the voice
of our Lord calling us to action; and
- talks
that articulate the shape and possibilities of
Christian action.
Fourth
Day: Those who have experienced the weekend phase
of Cursillo are encouraged to participate in small
communities (called Group Reunions and Ultreyas) to
help them continue to grow and be effective in the
renewal of their envirnments through the Cursillo
method.
Instrument
of Renewal: The primary thrust of the Cursillo
movement is the revitaliztion of Christian living
through:
- the
clear proclamation of the Christian message
- the
individual and community witness of people living
out a deep Christian commitment
- the
formation of genuine Christian community within
existing environments (home, Parish, place of
work, etc.)
- the
sending out of Christians to spread the Good News
of the Gospel
Cursillo
proposes no new type of spirituality. Rather, it introduces
a proven method through which ones spirituality may
be developed, lived and shared in today's world. It
concentrates on the person of Jesus Christ and His
teachings and gives a living understanding of basic
Christian truths and a greater desire to serve the
Church.
Cursillo
is not a retreat - in the sense of having the
individual solitude of many retreats. During the weekend,
the Person of Christ and His teachings are discussed
in an atmosphere of community with joy, love
and sharing.
Who
should go to a Cursillo? Those who seek a deeper
understanding of the Christian life and a greater
commitment to Christian action. The Cursillo weekend
is not designed to solve serious personal problems,
e.g. marriage difficulties, alcoholism, emotional
disturbances. Any adult, upon recommendation of his
or her priest, may attend Cursillo.
Click here for
sponsorship information.
