A Basic Overview of Purpos e , Mentalit y , and Method of Cursillo

1. ABasicOverviewof Purpose,Mentality,and MethodofCursillo PresentedbyCefAguillon NationalEnglishCoordinator RegionXI SpringEncounter Fresno,CA–April12, 2014

2. Purpose • TosavesoulsandtobuildChristianitythatgiveslifeto theentireworldthroughevangelization. • Toreachouttothosewhodonothavearelationship withChristandhisChurch–thefaraway. • Tohelptheperson,throughfriendship,discoverhis possibilitiesandaccepthislimitations. • Tomakeourfriends,friendswithChrist. • ToenlightenthepersonthatGodinChristloveshim. • ToaccelerateChristianityin theworld! Cef Aguillon, NationalEnglishCoordinator

3. Mentality • Mentalityanswersthewhyof Cursillosin Christianity. Itis theunderlyingreasonofwhy we do whatwe do in Cursillo. • Mentality,therefore,is nothingmore than a platform of ideas, values, and beliefsfrom which we think (mind), wewant (heart),andwe act(will). • “Cursillosin Christianityconsists of proclaimingthe best news of the best reality: thatGod, in Jesus Christ, loves us; communicatedby thebest means; whichis friendship;and directedtowardsthe bestof each one; which is the person; his capacity of conviction,decision,and constancy.”(Eduardo Bonnín,Leaders’Manual) Cef Aguillon, NationalEnglishCoordinator

4. Method Cef Aguillon, NationalEnglishCoordinator

5. Method • TheMethodof Cursillosconsists of three distinctphases; Precursillo,CursilloWeekend, andPostcursillo.These phases,like levelsestablishedin relationshipsoffriendship are intimatelyinterwoven. • Thewordmethodcomes from two Greekwords: meta meaningbeyondandodosmeaningpath, and literallymeans a path to go beyond. • Therefore,the CursilloMethodprovidesa path for the personto go beyondwherehe is to whereGodwants himto be. Cef Aguillon, NationalEnglishCoordinator

6. One Method,Three Phases • Precursillogeneratesthe CursilloWeekend! Precursillo • CursilloWeekendgenerates thePostcursillo! ONE METHOD • Postcursillogeneratesthe Precursillo! Cursillo Weekend Post Cursillo GENERATES Cef Aguillon, NationalEnglishCoordinator

7. Precursillo ThePersonissearching. .. Cef Aguillon, NationalEnglishCoordinator

8. Precursillo • It’saboutthePerson! • Person mattersto Cursilloand the Church. • Person isthe primaryinstrumentfor transmitting the Good News to others. • It’saboutChrist! • The sponsor’s witnessof the life and teachingsofJesus. • “Come andsee” (Jn1:46) • It’saboutFriendship! • Friendshipbetween the personand Christ, and eventually with others. • If thereis Friendship, thereis a Relationship! Cef Aguillon, NationalEnglishCoordinator

9. Precursillo • PersonalContact • Theperson-to-personproclamation of theGospel remains valid andimportant.(Pope Paul VI) • Cursilloplacesemphasison this technique. • AuthenticWitnessofLife • “Thepresent century thirsts for authenticity.” (Pope Paul VI) • “Thefirst meansof evangelizationis thewitnessof an authenticallyChristian life.”(Pope Paul VI) • "Modern manlistensmorewillinglyto witnessesthan to teachers,and if he does listento teachers, it is because they are witnesses.”(Pope Paul VI) • What is your witnessabout inthe Precursillo? • RealPalanca • Prayer, sacrifice,works of mercy. (Mt. 6:1-6, 16-18) Cef Aguillon, NationalEnglishCoordinator

10. Precursillo • SponsoringisanimportantroleinCursillo. • Educatingsponsors in their roleis essential. • New Cursillistasshould be educatedin this role a.s.a.p. • Make afriend,beafriendandbringyourfriendtoChrist! • Notnecessarilyto Cursillo! • Focus is the relationship between theperson and Christ. • Friendship essential in all 3 phases. • Thecriterionforcandidateselectionisessentialtoachieving thepurposeofCursillo: • Thosewho should go • Thosewho can go • Thosewho should notgo Cef Aguillon, NationalEnglishCoordinator 10

11. Precursillo • Studyoftheenvironmentisaboutstudyingtheperson. • Environment isdefined asthe personand his circumstances. • Environment refers tothe person, notthe structure! • Thesponsor/friendisrequired: • toknowthe person – howcan I help youif I don’tknow you? • to placethe person– put his talents inthe service of Christ. • to enlighten the person– by witnessingto theTruth. • to accompanythe person– to accompany my friend is not only important,butessentialin all 3 phases of Cursillo. • In otherwords,ifyouknowyourfriend,youwillknow: • how he thinks, what he wants, and how he acts which correspondto • hismind, hisheart, and his will. Cef Aguillon, NationalEnglishCoordinator

12. CursilloWeekend ThePersonisencountering... Cef Aguillon, NationalEnglishCoordinator

13. CursilloWeekend • It’saboutthePerson! • Opportunity to encounteroneself. • Image andlikenessof God, treat with dignityand respect. • Intelligence,freedom,and freewill,avoid manipulation. • It’saboutChrist! • Opportunityto encounterChrist. • Christ (Eucharist)central focusofthe Weekend. • It’saboutFriendship! • Friendshipwith self, Christ, andothers. • The threeessentialencounters. Cef Aguillon, NationalEnglishCoordinator

14. CursilloWeekend • PersonalContact • Teamwith candidates. • Study of the person continues to understand circumstances. • AuthenticWitnessofLife • "Modern man listensmorewillinglyto witnessesthan to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses.”(Pope Paul VI) • What is your witnesswhen you serve on teamor give arollo? • Are you a teacheror a witness? • RealPalanca • Morningand NightPrayer, dailyEucharist,4th Day Community prayers,national and international prayers. Cef Aguillon, NationalEnglishCoordinator

15. Cursillo Weekend • TheteamselectedfromaSchoolofLeadersmustbe: • preparedtechnically through regularattendanceat School where we studythe Charism of Cursillo and help each other livewhat is fundamentalthroughprayer, study, friendship, and livingas a Christian community. • preparedspirituallythrougha life of piety,study, and action • which leads to a life in grace. • in orderto be readyto deliverthejoyfulproclamation of being Christian! • TheteamproclaimssomeGospelrealitiesthrough: • Kerygma -Word andtestimony of life.Teamgivespersonal witnessthat it is possibleto liveand share what isfundamental to being Christian througha lifein grace. Cef Aguillon, NationalEnglishCoordinator

16. CursilloWeekend • Cursillo seekstofacilitate: • a hungerfor Christ in the person • the encounter of thefreedomof each personwith the Spiritof God • in orderto help thepersondiscoverthat Godin Christ loves • him unconditionally! • Cursillo isaninvitationtoexperiencetherealityofthetriple encounterwith: • Self • Christ • Others Cef Aguillon, NationalEnglishCoordinator

17. CursilloWeekend • TheteamdeliverswhatisessentiallyChristian, • steps back, and allowsGod’s grace towork in each person. • Iftheteamfulfillstheirrole, • the candidates willattribute their conversionto God’s grace,not • to the rollista,rector,best meal, song,or letter. • ThewitnessingattheClosing • willbe a goodindicatoras to whetherthe new Cursillistas captured themessageand whetherthe teamdeliveredthe message! Cef Aguillon, NationalEnglishCoordinator

18. Postcursillo ThePersonisfollowing... Cef Aguillon, NationalEnglishCoordinator

19. Postcursillo • It’saboutthePerson! • Eager to inviteothers to Cursillo! • The desire to love and be loved is huge! • What if there isnoone to accompany him in his 4th Day? • It’saboutChrist! • The personwants to show Christ his love throughaction. • It’s not so much aboutdoing but aboutbeing. • It’saboutFriendship! • Friendshipwith self, Christ, and others must continue! • The threeessentialencounterscarryover into Postcursillo. Cef Aguillon, NationalEnglishCoordinator

20. Postcursillo • PersonalContact • The personal contact must continue between thesponsor, team leaders, andnew Cursillistasto show them theway. • AuthenticWitnessofLife • Teamleaders andsponsors witness to new Cursillistasat Group Reunion and Ultreya to show how they arelivingwhat was said during theCursilloWeekend. • RealPalanca • Acontinuation of prayer,sacrifice, and worksof mercy is essentialfor thenew Cursillistasbeginning their 4th Day. Cef Aguillon, NationalEnglishCoordinator 20

21. Postcursillo • TheCursillistaiscalledtobethegoodnewstoothers throughalifeofPiety,StudyandActioninhisdailylife bylivingtheGospelrealitiesdiscoveredontheWeekend. • TheCursillistaiscalledtocontinuediscoveringand deepeningfriendshipsineachofthethreeencounters discoveredontheWeekend. • TheCursillistaisnowinastateofprogressive conversionandis‘evangelizing’and‘beingChristian’whereGodhasplacedhim;inhiseveryday environments. Cef Aguillon, NationalEnglishCoordinator

22. Postcursillo • Theworldcanbecomemorehumanandtherefore, moreChristian,bythelinkageoffullyaliveChristian friendswhohelpeachothertomaximizetheirpotential bylivingtogetherthelifeofgrace.Thislinkageis achievedthroughfriendshipintheGroupReunionand Ultreya. • TheCursillistaisnowacceleratingChristianityinhis family,neighborhood,workplace,inhismoveable squaremeter,throughalifethatproclaimsthebest newsthatGodinChristlovesusandiscommunicatingit joyfully throughthebestmeanswhich is friendship! Cef Aguillon, NationalEnglishCoordinator

23. In Conclusion . . . Purpose–TosavesoulsandbuildChristianity–evangelization! Mentality –TheGoodNewsisthat God inChristlovesme. Method–Precursillo,CursilloWeekend,Postcursillo–Pathto gobeyond. Person–Instrumentfortransmittingthe GoodNewstoothers. Christ–TheGoodNewsthat everyone should knowandbelieve. Friendship–Bestmeans tocommunicate God’s lovetoothers. PersonalContact–One-to-one;beingpresentto eachother. AuthenticWitnessofLife–HowIlivemyChristianlife/faith. RealPalanca–prayer,sacrifice, worksof mercy. Cef Aguillon, NationalEnglishCoordinator

24. TheCursilloMovement’sPurpose,Mentality,&Method inLight ofitsCharism PURPOSE:Tosave souls andstructure (vertebrae)Christianityintheworld. MENTALITY:CursillosinChristianityconsistsofalivingproclamationofthebestnewsofthebestrealitythatGodinJesusChristlovesus,communicatedto as manypeopleaspossiblethrough thebest means which is friendship! PRECURSILLO(Before) It’saboutthePerson! It’sabout Christ! It’sabout Friendship! Personissearching PersonalContact Authentic Witness ofLife RealPalanca Sponsoring is acriticalrole.Education and trainingisessential.SponsorChecklistsarenot effectivein educatingSponsors. Make afriend,beafriendandbringyourfriend to Christ; notnecessarily toCursillo! Candidate selectioncriterion essentialto achieving Cursillopurpose. It’sabout developinga relationship thatwillturn intorealfriendshipin all 3phases–Precursillo, CursilloWeekend,&Postcursillo. Studyof environmentis aboutstudyingthe person.Environmentis definedas “the person and hiscircumstances”thatis, each person’s sphereof influenceat thisexact moment. TheSponsorisrequired: -toknowthe person, -toplacethe person, -toenlighten the person, and -toaccompanythe person! In other words,ifyou knowyourfriend,you will knowhowhethinks,whathewants, andhowheacts which correspondto hisintelligence,his heart,and hiswill. CURSILLOWEEKEND(During) It’saboutthePerson! It’sabout Christ! It’sabout Friendship! Personisencountering PersonalContact Authentic Witness ofLife RealPalanca TheteamselectedfromSchoolof Leadersis preparedtechnically&spirituallyto deliverthe joyfulproclamationof beingChristian! TheteamproclaimsGospelrealitiesthrough Word and testimonyof life; amessageof living&sharingwhat isfundamentalto beingChristian– itispossible tolivea life in grace. POSTCURSILLO(After) It’saboutthePerson! It’sabout Christ! It’sabout Friendship! Personisfollowing PersonalContact Authentic Witness ofLife RealPalanca EachCursillista is calledtobea“livinggospel” throughalife of piety,study and actionin the normalityof his dailylife. Tolive Cursilloistolive the Gospel! In theFourth Day, the Cursillista iscalledto continuediscoveringanddeepening friendships in each of thethreeencounters discovered on the Weekend. TheCursillomessageisreceivedaccordingtothe dispositionof each person. Candidatesareaskedfortheirenthusiasm,self-surrender,&spiritof charity. TheCursillistaisnowin astate of progressive conversionand is‘evangelizing’and‘being Christian’whereGodhas placed them;in his everydayenvironments. Cursilloseeksto facilitateahungerforGodand the encounterof thefreedomof eachperson withthe Spiritof Godto helpthemdiscover that Godin Christloves themunconditionally! Theworldcanbecomemorehuman and therefore,moreChristian,bythe linkageof fully aliveChristianfriendswho helpeach other to maximizetheirpotential bylivingtogetherthe life of grace.Thislinkageis achievedthrough friendshipinthe GroupReunionandUltreya. Cursillofostersthe personbecomingfullyaliveby means of threefundamental encounters:withSelf,with Christ, and withOthers. TheCursillistaisnowacceleratingChristianityin his family,neighborhood,workplace, in his moveablesquaremeter,througha life that proclaimsthebestnewsthat Godin Christloves us andcommunicating itjoyfully throughthe best Theteamprovides what isessentiallyChristian, steps back,and allowsGod’sgrace todo the rest! If the teamfulfillstheirrole,thecandidateswill attribute theirconversionto God’sgrace,notto therollista,rector,bestmeal,song,orletter. means which is friendship! Cef Aguillon, NationalEnglishCoordinator 24

25. Precursillo ONE METHOD Post Cursillo Cursillo Weekend GENERATES Cef Aguillon, NationalEnglishCoordinator 25