What is Cursillo and its
history?
Cursillo (Cur-SEE'-yo) - Spanish word meaning "short course". (Short for
"A Short Course in Christian Living"). It began in Spain in the Roman Catholic
Church in the early 1940's. First, Roman Catholic Cursillos were held in the USA in 1957,
in Spanish, and then eventually in English. It was taken up by the Episcopal Church in the
USA in the mid 1970's, and by the Anglican Church in Canada.
Cursillo is a movement of the church. Its purpose is to
help those in the church understand their individual callings to be Christian Leaders. The
leadership may be exercised in work situations, in the family and social life, in leisure
activities, and within the Church environment. Leadership, in Cursillo, does not mean
power over others, but influence on others; all of us need to be aware that we can exert a
positive influence on those around us.
The goal of Cursillo is the goal of the Church: to bring all to
Christ. This is done when informed, trained leaders set out with the support of others
having a similar commitment
Cursillo is patterned on Jesus’ own example. He
searched out and called a small group of potential leaders. He trained them by word and
example and inspired them with a vision. He linked them together and sent them out into
the world to bring the world to Him.
The Three-Day Weekend
- The Cursillo weekend brings together a diverse group of
Episcopalians to share the richness of many modes of worship and to broaden each
one’s appreciation for our Church. Lay people conduct the weekend with two or three
members of the clergy functioning as spiritual advisors. Cursillo presumes that those who
attend are already well grounded in the faith. It is not intended to be a conversion
experience but an enriching and deepening of what is already there. It often provides new
insights into our faith as well as fostering ministry among lay people.
The weekend begins Thursday evening spent in the Chapel with
meditations, discussions, and Compline. Then blessed silence is kept until after the
worship on Friday morning. After breakfast participants are assigned to table groups for
the weekend. The three days are filled with talks and group discussions with emphasis on
the doctrine of Grace, the Sacraments, and the great Cursillo tripod: Piety, Study, and
Action. Plus there is fellowship, singing, good food, and time for privacy, meditation,
prayer, and walks. Eucharist is celebrated each day.
Is Cursillo supported by the
National Church?
Cursillo is a movement of the Episcopal Church, (known as a short course in Christian
Life) under the authority of the Presiding and Diocesan Bishops. The goal of Cursillo is
to bring the world to Christ by empowering adult Christian leaders through the use of a
specific method that is taught as part of a three-day weekend. The method, an evangelistic
tool, enables and encourages Christians to live out their Baptismal covenant to serve
Christ.
What does our own bishop say
about Cursillo?
Bishop Councell gives Cursillo his full support provided we maintain our commitment to
"The Fourth Day". We need as a community to be certain that all our activities
are focussed on making all our environments Christ centered. Many Cursillistas in the past
have simply had a "weekend experience" and then slipped back into the selfish
lethargy of inaction. Remember that as a Cursillista you are to continue to use the three
tools of Piety, Study and Action to "Make a friend; Be a friend; Bring a friend to
Christ". Continue to form and attend Group Reunions and attend Ultreyas.
Who should go to a
Cursillo weekend?
Anyone who wants to renew and deepen their Christian commitment should go with the help
of a sponsor.
Cursillo is one of many renewal movements. Many people have said Cursillo
provides an important learning experience which causes many to feel like newly made
Christians with a purpose and with support.
When are the weekends
scheduled?
2 weekends are planned for 2008:
NJ #22 - April 17th - 20th.
NJ #23 - October 16th - 19th.
Where are the weekends
held?
Currently, the Diocese of New Jersey holds the Cursillo weekends at the Ocean Grove
Camp Meeting Association in Ocean Grove, NJ.
How can I get involved with
the next team?
PLEASE NOTE: We are always looking for people who are willing to serve on team for a
weekend. A team member can be anyone who has attended Cursillo in the past (or any related
renewal movement such as Road to Emmaus). A team member should be a member of a Group
Reunion and a regular attendee at an Ultreya. It is expected that a team member attend the
preparation meetings prior to the weekend (usually a commitment of 6 Saturday mornings,
every other week). In addition each team member is also responsible for the full amount of
the financial cost of the weekend.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BECOMING A CURSILLO WEEKEND TEAM MEMBER CONTACT
US AT: info@njepiscopalcursillo.org
What do I need to know to be a
sponsor?
Sponsors (individuals that have been to the three-day Cursillo weekend and are living
the Fourth Day) identify those Episcopalians who are leading an active Christian life and
are a living witness to their love for Christ, recommending their candidacy for a Cursillo
weekend. They are usually involved in seeing the candidate through the application
process, getting the candidate to and from the retreat center and participating in the
closing ceremony. In addition, a sponsor should see to it that the new Cursillista is
engaging in Fourth Day activities including Group Reunion, Ultreya and Spiritual
Direction.
For a complete guide to sponsorship contact us at info@njepiscopalcursillo.org
Do you have an application
form I can use?
An application may be be acquired through the following link and then printed directly
from your browser.
FOR APPLICATION CLICK HERE.
What is meant by "The
Fourth Day"?
Post-Cursillo is called "The Fourth Day". The Cursillo weekend is not an end
to itself. It is a starting point that lasts the rest of your life. It is a springboard to
a long-range practice of the Baptismal Covenant in the life of the Church called the
Fourth Day. The Fourth Day is composed of three major elements: the Group Reunion,the
Ultreya, and Spiritual Direction.
What is an
"Ultreya"?
The Ultreya, which is usually held monthly, is a "reunion of the group
reunions". It provides support and builds community by allowing the sharing of
communal experiences. All are invited to attend whether you have been on a weekend or not.
Where and when are the
Ultreyas held?
Come join these celebrations of our faith! All are
welcome!
Good Shepherd, Berlin
For more information contact:
Sheila Williams - (856) 768-1317
Holy Trinity, South River
For more information contact:
Ellen Mc Connell - (732) 613-0132
St Thomas, Glassboro
For more information contact:
Lois Robinson - (856) 863-0750
St Davids, Cranbury
For more information contact:
Br. John Baptist - (856) 863-0750
What is meant by "group
reunion"?
The Group Reunion, the heart of Cursillo, is a small group of friends (usually 3-5) who
meet weekly, and who hold each other accountable for their spiritual journey. They report
on their piety, their study, and their apostolic action. A bonding develops that
institutes a strong support group for life.
How can I get connected to a
group reunion?
The SonShine newsletter offers a special service for those Cursillistas who wish to
join a group reunion but just can't seem to get "connected" and for groups that
would welcome new members. Contact the editor with your information via e-mail or regular
mail. sonshineeditor@optonline.net or 14
Winsor Court, Sayreville, NJ 08872
Can I get on the newsletter
mailing list?
Yes, of course you can! Just contact the newsletter editor by e-mail or "snail-mail:
sonshineeditor@optonline.net
or SonShine Editor
14 Winsor Court
Sayreville, NJ 08872
What is "Palanca"?
Palanca is a Spanish word that means, “lever”. Just as a lever enables a
person to move something, which is beyond normal strength, Palanca empowers the
accomplishments of things which would not be possible without the Grace of God.
"Today, perhaps more than ever, it
is necessary to remind ourselves that without God we are nothing, bereft of value, and
incapable of doing anything. We must reaffirm that before anything else, the most
characteristic mark of the Cursillo methodology ties in the whole concept of Palanca
prayers, sacrifices and works of mercy. Palanca must be genuine and offered by communities
and individuals living in union with Christ and each other if the effectiveness of all
other human efforts in the Movement is to be assured. This is to take seriously the
promise of Christ: “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it
shall be opened to you”(Matt.7:7 NAB)"
"It must be understood that letters are not Palanca. Letters are
merely a vehicle in which we convey the actual Palanca being done. Keeping this in mind,
we must realize that Palanca can be done for a particular purpose without having to write
a letter about it. For instance, Palanca can be done for efforts of cursillistas in trying
to utilize the Cursillo method. All of us need Palanca of this type, but it would be
impractical to write letters to thousands of Cursillistas."
Cursillo Leaders Manual, 1998;pg. 135 & 136
How can I submit Palanca
requests to the Cursillo movement in New Jersey?
All palanca requests for Cursillo or other renewal movement weekends may be sent to:
Jim Mc Connell at sonshineeditor@njepiscopalcursillo.org
Tell me about the Servant
Council and who is on it.
The Servant Council is an elected advisory board made up
of Cursillistas who are responsible for the effective administration of the activities of
the Episcopal Cursillo Movement in the Diocese of New Jersey. Feel free to contact any of
the members to pass on items or issues you may wish to bring to the attention of the
Servant Council.
The Servant Council meetings are held throughout
the diocese.
Any Cursillista is welcome to attend!
To find out where and when contact us at: info@njepiscopalcursillo.org
What follows is a list of the people who are
currently serving on the Servant Council.
Diocesan Lay Director
Rich Macauley
714 Cardinal Dr.
West Deptford, NJ 08066
856-423-3133
Diocesan Spiritual Director
Brother John Baptist
114 Deer Creek Road
Plainsboro, NJ 08536
609-936-0149
Secretary
Maureen Beebe
70 Robin Rd.
Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852
732-398-0767
Treasurer
Bruce Cecchini
3 Princeton Ct.
Berlin, NJ 08009
856-768-3294
Music Coordinator
Position Open
Resource Coordinator
Sheila Williams
685 Pestletown Rd.
Waterford Works, NJ 08089
856-768-1317
Fourth Day / Ultreya Coordinators
Rev. Bob Thomas
46 Chestnut St.
Red Bank, NJ 07701
732-892-0048
Maureen Beebe
70 Robin Rd.
Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852
732-398-0767
Pauline Devonish
250 Inza St.
Highland Park, NJ 08904
732-572-4685
Communications
Jim Mc Connell
14 Winsor Court
Sayreville, NJ 08872
732-613-0132
Members at Large
Joe Donnelly
39 Merion Rd.
Marlton, NJ 08053
856-985-6208
V. Dolores (Dee) Mundy
330 Lincoln Avenue
Vineland, NJ 08360
856-696-1138
What is "De Colores"
and how did it start?
De Colores is a children's folk song, giving thanks for the joy of colors in God's
creation. It became associated with Cursillo in the early days of the movement, when a
busload of pilgrims in Spain broke down, and the pilgrims had to walk about 20 miles along
the mountain roads. The pilgrims sang De Colores over and over as they walked, and made
about 70 new verses for the song. Since then it has become one of the traditional songs of
Cursillo
.
Click here for a link
for lyrics to De Colores.