A MOVEMENT FOR CHRISTIAN RENEWAL
THE CURSILLO MOVEMENT
IN THE DIOCESE OF METUCHEN, N.J.
“THE THINGS WHICH YOU HAVE HEARD FROM ME THROUGH MANY WITNESSES YOU MUST
HAND ON TO TRUSTWORTHY PEOPLE WHO WILL BE ABLE TO TEACH OTHERS.”
II Timothy 2:2
The
“. . .I WAS SEARCHING FOR SOMETHING MORE TO LIFE. . . THEN SOMEONE SUGGESTED THE CURSILLO.”
A Three Day: Encounter With CHRIST
THE WEEKEND
Cursillo (pronounced kur-see-yo) is a Spanish word meaning “little or short course”. The Cursillo experience is a short course on Christianity, presented over a three-day weekend (usually from Thursday evening to Sunday evening). The Cursillo in the Metuchen Diocese is held at the Army Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Washington NJ.
The program is filled with practical information which you can immediately apply to your daily life. You will have the opportunity to examine your values and priorities, and you will learn how others have met the challenge of living for God in our complex society. You will bring home a more complete view of Christianity. This is a back-to-basic weekend which can help you better understand yourself, your family, your friends, the church, and Jesus Christ.
THE SUPPORT
After your weekend course on Christianity, you will be invited to become part of a group of friends in your parish or community. These people meet periodically to offer mutual support and understanding. The gatherings are not unlike those of the early Christians, and you will find them a source of both spiritual and social enrichment. The program may include a teaching by a priest, practical experience shared by a lay person, and time for small groups to discuss the challenges in each others' lives.
By participating in the Cursillo, you will follow the same pattern through which Christ led the apostles. . . learning, community participation, evangelization. You will discover how you can serve God in the framework of your present vocation and life situation. You will build new, strong friendships which can enrich your life and that of your family. Most importantly, you will find new meaning in your life as a Catholic and a Christian.
“I WASN'T SURE WHAT THE CURSILLO WEEKEND WAS OR IF IT WAS FOR ME. I FOUND IT TO BE ONE OF THE RICHEST, MOST REWARDING EXPERIENCES OF MY LIFE.”
Who comes to the Cursillo weekend? What happens during those three days? Is it a retreat of a repeat of material you've already covered in earlier religious education?
All kinds of people attend the weekend course on Christianity. . .home makers, barbers, doctors, priests, unemployed, executives, sales people, policemen, psychologists, electricians, secretaries, nuns, bishops, single people, married people, people in their twenties, grandparents. . .everybody.
You will come together with the community to share a series of messages on living. Each hour builds on the next, until you have a more complete picture of Christ's interaction in your life. There will be ample time for prayer and reflection. The Eucharist is celebrated daily. Spiritual direction and the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be available.
The Cursillo is a learning experience, not a retreat. The material you will cover is as old as Christ's message, but probably you have not experienced it in the spirit of community which is the beauty of the Cursillo weekend.
The weekend is conducted by a team of lay volunteers and clergy. Each team member has been carefully selected and rigorously trained to assure you of a meaningful experience.
There are separate Cursillo weekends for men and women and for English and Spanish.
Participants must be at least 21. In the case of a couple, the husband should make the weekend before their wife. Candidates should be free of serious emotional or family problems so that they can fully respond to the message.
You may apply for a Cursillo weekend through a sponsor--a friend in your parish or community who has completed a weekend short course and continues to be active in the Cursillo Movement. May parishes have a Cursillo contact person, please ask your pastor. If you need assistance in locating a sponsor, write to the address shown on this brochure.
Both you and your sponsor will be asked to submit forms. You will also need the recommendation of your pastor. Only a limited number of applications can be accepted for each weekend; do not make plans to attend until your application has been confirmed by return mail.
There is no fee for the Cursillo weekend. If you wish, you may participate in an offering to cover basic expenses.
“. . .THE MOST EXCITING PART HAS BEEN THE RELATIONSHIP WE'VE DEVELOPED AND THE LOVE WE HAVE SHARED WITH OUR NEW FRIENDS. THE CURSILLO WEEKEND IS JUST THE BEGINNING. . .”
The Cursillo Movement was founded by a Spanish bishop in the 1940's, and it has spread worldwide. Hundreds of thousands of Catholics and thousands from other denominations have already taken the weekend short course and have found it a practical approach to Christian renewal.
The Cursillo Movement is present in most Catholic diocese in the
Thus, there is a vast and diverse group of people who have gone before you and who are waiting to support you. You will find that your shared experiences and Christian faith are the basis for deep friendships that reflect Christ's love.
Many people agree that, while the Cursillo weekend is beneficial, its real importance in their lives if the introduction to the support communities, where spiritual growth is nourished.
You, too, will be invited to become part of such a community following your Cursillo weekend. Perhaps you are already participating in its meetings. Before you apply for the weekend, discuss this follow-up program with your sponsor. The weekend's value is reduced if you cannot participate in the support community provides afterwards.
THE CURSILLO OFFERS AN INTENSE SHORT COURSE IN CHRISTIANITY...
Plus a follow-up community to help nourish your spiritual growth.
Should YOU apply for a Cursillo weekend?
. . .YES, if you are searching for a deeper understanding of what it means to be a Christian and a Catholic.
. . .YES, if you want fresh information about the Church and your role in it.
. . .YES, if you are searching for a new meaning or direction to your life.
. . .YES, if you thirst for a closer relationship with Christ.
. . .YES, if you want to get more meaning out of your religious experience.
. . .YES, if you want to be more effective as a Christian leader.
. . .NO, if you have serious personal problems. Emotional or family problems may preoccupy you and prevent you gaining full benefit from the weekend.
“HERE I STAND, KNOCKING AT THE DOOR. IF ANYONE HEARS ME CALLING AND OPENS THE DOOR,
I WILL ENTER HIS HOUSE AND HAVE SUPPER WITH HIM, AND HE WITH ME”
Revelations 3:20