Mission Statement
To make a friend, be a friend, and bring our friends to Christ. Vision Statement To enable the person to be fully Christian who, in turn, transforms their environments to be more Christian as a living tripod of piety, study and action. |
What does Cursillo offer? A method to seek & develop Christian: Spirituality Mentality, Activity & Community. A way to: Discover, Form, Sustain, and Unite people who desire to love Christ and His Church. The purpose of this community is to give strength and support to each other in order that each person may continue to grow in faith and develop their particular gifts of ministry.
What is a Cursillo? Your Cursillo journey begins with a three day weekend experience designed to take everyday people and teach them how to be Christ to the world. Maybe Pope Paul VI said it best: Take a Christian, or a handful of Christians who, in the midst of their Own community, show their capacity for understanding and acceptance, their sharing of life and destiny with other people, their solidarity with efforts of all for whatever is noble and good. Let us suppose that in addition, they radiate in an altogether simple and unaffected way their faith in values that go beyond current values, and their hope in something that is not seen, and that one would not dare to imagine. Through this wordless witness, these Christians stir up irresistible questions in the hearts of those who see how they live. Why are they like this? Why do they live this way? What or who is it that inspires them? Such a witness is already a silent proclamation of the Good News, and a very powerful and effective one. Who should try Cursillo? The Cursillo is designed for Christian adults 25+ years old, who desire to strengthen their faith, who want to be closer to Christ, and who want to bring Christ to those around them. Any person who seeks spiritual growth, and who is emotionally and spiritually healthy will be deeply impressed and pleased with the Cursillo experience. What is the format? Cursillo weekends begin on a Friday night, and go until Monday evening. It consists of twenty to thirty men or women The weekend is led by a team of lay people, clergy and religious sisters, who give a series of talks, and who guide the weekend activities. The Cursillo is essentially a learning experience. While we do offer periods of reflection and silence, we also have plenty of songs, laughter, discussion, prayer and liturgies to make it a most enjoyable experience. There is nothing dull about a Cursillo weekend. It is a joyous experience in the fundamentals of our beautiful Catholic faith, where everyone learns by sharing within a living Christian Community. What is expected of participants? To be open and willing to respond to what you experience, to share your feelings with others, and to allow them to share theirs with you. To make a genuine effort to discover where you are and where or how you can grow in your Christian life. To feel secure in the knowledge that you are accepted where you are and as you are, and to know that a specific response is not expected of you. To be curious enough and thirsty enough for spiritual exploration and nourishment to acknowledge a need to commit a weekend of your life totally to Christ. What does it cost? Cursillo is a non-profit movement. The cost for the weekend is $125. This is used to cover weekend costs and the retreat center. All Cursillo workers do so on a totally voluntary basis. While there are basic costs, no one should avoid Cursillo due to the inability to pay for the weekend. You need only make your financial situation known on your application, and the cost will be covered by others who believe enough in Cursillo to give generously. When are the Cursillo weekends held? We ideally have 2 Cursillo weekends in the Diocese of Springfield each year, one for men and one for women. When we receive your application we keep it on file, and notify you a couple of months prior to the weekend. If you cannot make that particular date, we keep your record on file and notify you of each weekend until it is convenient for you to attend. Applications are processed in the order that they are received. What should I do if I am interested? For applications, or more information, contact: Pre Cursillo at [email protected] Spiritual Director: Deacon Wendell Pennell [email protected] Co-Lay Directors: Sue LaMondia s[email protected] Tom LaMondia [email protected] The Cursillo Committee / PO Box 1207 / Holyoke, MA 01041 |