FOLLOW-UP & INVITATION KEEP YOUR CURSILLO ALIVE By Tom Leavens
At a recent Men’s Cursillo Team meeting, I shared that I became part of the Cursillo Community over 44 year ago and that my Christian Awakening experience has stayed with me everyday since. I owe that to the friends I made, the weekends I worked on as team, and my commitment to a friendship with God. This weekend was so transformative and life changing for me—why wouldn’t everyone want to experience it?
When I started my first full-time job after college, I worked with someone who made a Christian Awakening weekend as well. She told me that she loved her Christian Awakening, but she was disappointed in the follow-up opportunities afterwards. I was defensive because I viewed everything St. Paul’s as “perfect.” I knew that there were monthly Ultreya gatherings and other weekend retreats with Cursillo themes. How can the work of the Cursillo Community continue to strengthen and invite? It’s through follow-up and invitation.
Both the Women’s and Men’s Cursillo groups have instituted powerful follow-up programs. The Women’s Cursillo gather for Moments With God sessions that involve fellowship and prayer. The Men’s Cursillo Follow-Up sessions have the same format. The locations are based on availability, so the flyers and emails about them are important to note.
The other essential task for others to learn about Cursillo is INVITATION. I have invited many friends and family members to make a Cursillo weekend and, fortunately, they have trusted me to go. But the best way for others to learn about the Cursillo experience is to invite them to the Cursillo Community events. Moments With God and the Men’s Follow-Up sessions are available to everyone—there is no need to have made a Cursillo to attend. The same goes for reunions, Ultreya gatherings, prayer groups and other special events (like the Communion Breakfast and the Men’s Christmas Dinner). Please invite the people in your life to experience our wonderful community so they learn about what we know!
There are so many opportunities for our Cursillo Community to strengthen our lives in God’s friendship over the next few months. You have the power, the ownership, to choose who you want to include in your journey. What would it be like to share Cursillo with everyone in your life? Why wouldn’t I want everyone I know to experience this life changing weekend and live it everyday? Please be moved to share this invitation today and everyday!