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 the faith. The Cursillo movement originated in Spain in the 1940s and continues to be active in the U.S. 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 way as to impact individuals and our surroundings with the Gospel.

A Clergy Cursillo Weekend

The weekend phase of Cursillo for clergy and spouses/partners begins on a Wednesday evening and ends Saturday evening. During these three days, participants live, work,worship, play, pray, eat and sing together. They listen to presentations given by clergy and laypeople who have spent weeks working and praying to prepare for the weekend. The weekend is a combination of workshop settings, meditations, talks and discussion all 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

Instrument of Renewal

The primary thrust of the Cursillo movement is the revitalization 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 fomation 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 one's 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.

A Cursillo weekend 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

Dates: August 20 - 23, 2003
Place: Sacred Heart Conference Center, Newton, NJ
(The event begins around 7:00 pm on Wednesday and is over by 6:00 pm on Saturday. The facility is air-conditioned.)
Cost: $120 per person
(includes air-conditioned lodging and 8 meals)
Scholarship available.

Application forms are available in pdf format by clicking here. The PDF format requires that you have a copy of the Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available as a free download by clicking here:

Questions? Contact The Rev. John Rollins, Community Spiritual Director, 400 Ramapo Avenue, Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442
+ 973-835-2207 +
email: rollins@intac.com