The Tribune

By Canon S. Sebastian

Campbell

Cursillo (the name means “a short course”) is one method of renewal of the church. It has come to us from the Spanish Roman Catholic Church. The purpose of the Cursillo movement is to convert Christians to a deeper relationship with God and to help them understand their individual callings to be Christian leaders. This leadership may be in their work situations, in their family and social lives, in their leisure activities, or within the institutional church. The goal is nothing less than to Christianize the world through the apostolic action of Christian leaders in all areas of human activity. There are three equally important parts of the Cursillo method:

1. The identification of potential environments or social situations to be penetrated by the gospel, and potential leaders within those environments;

2. The three-day Cursillo weekend, which is what most people involved in the movement would describe if you inquired about Cursillo;

3. And the special Cursillo follow-up support system.

As part of the follow up and support system the Anglican Diocese of The Bahamas Turks and Caicos Islands will again sponsor the following events, opened to the general public and particularly to all Cursilliastas (A Cursilliasta is one who attended the three day weekend):

1. Ultreya: On Saturday, November 9 at 7:00pm at Holy Trinity, Stapledon Gardens. An Ultreya is a time of encouragement opened to all Cursilliastas and those hoping to make a Cursillo weekend and to the church at large. It is a time of sharing, singing, praying and encouragement. All are welcome.

2. Annual General Meeting on Saturday, November 16, 8:30am – 1:00pm at Holy Cross. Election of Officers will take place at this AGM.

3. Mass of Thanksgiving will be held on Sunday, November 17 at 3:00pm at the Church of St. Ambrose, Carmichael and Gladstone Road. All Anglicans are especially invited to be present to support this special event.

An experience at a Cursillo three-day weekend can be life transforming, many will testify to this. It is the greatest gift one can give oneself or give to another by way of sponsorship. Our Anglican Diocese has shared this gift with other dioceses within this region. The movement fulfils its purpose best when people return to their regular round of work, family, and parish activities, but now supported by fellow Christians in this specific framework of meetings. Cursillo energizes Christians to be the leaven in the dough, they make ministry happen where they are. The three parts described above, then, must be held together.

Our AGM. and Mass of Thanksgiving are part of the ongoing follow up plan to keep the movement moving.