New Movements: Part VI.

The Cursillo Movement

History

The Cursillo Movement is a movement of the Catholic Church. The Spanish word "cursillo" (pronounced kursee-yo) means a "short course" and is often associated with a three-day weekend course in Christian Catholicism. The movement originated in Mallorca, Spain, in the 1940s when a group of young people dedicated themselves to bringing other young people to know Christ better. It developed as they prayed and worked and talked together, sharing their thoughts about the state of the world and the effectiveness of their efforts to bring the light of Christ to it.

Cursillo was brought to the United States in 1957 and then to Canada few years later. It now flourishes throughout the world.

Purpose

In today's world can Christianity penetrate the many areas of secular life? Can it live there? Can it grow there? Can it transform the world in a way that is more fruitful than in the past and in keeping with the times? The Cursillo Movement thinks so. It proposes no new type of spirituality but simply a method through which one's spirituality may be developed, lived, and shared in any area of human life where there are Christians willing to dedicate their lives to God.

For many years Catholics looked upon evangelization as "something the Protestants did." Today in church we hear a great deal about evangelization, and some of us still automatically think of going out two-by-two, Bible in hand, knocking on people's doors. But in the Cursillo Movement evangelization is approached as a natural act of being Christ-like in each of our daily activities. We realize however that, while most people would like to live their lives in a Christ-like manner, the pressures of the world often make this difficult. The Cursillo movement provides a method, the tools, the mentality, the strength and the support to make this natural type of evangelization possible.

Format

The "short course" begins on a Thursday evening and ends on Sunday evening. Those attending live and work together, and listen to talks given by priests and laity. They share the Eucharist and pray together daily. The priest, who is the spiritual director, and the lay persons who make up the "team", spend weeks working and praying together in preparation. The Cursillo takes careful planning because the time is short and the subject extensive. The titles of some of the talks indicate their content: the ideal, the life of grace, the laity, faith, holiness, study, the Sacraments, evangelization of environments, obstacles to grace, Christian community. Each talk is followed by a discussion period.

Fruits

Evangelizing means the same as proclaiming the Gospel, leavening the environment, living a fundamentally Catholic life, or fulfilling our baptismal responsibility (some people are not even aware that our baptismal responsibility requires us to do something). But we shouldn't let these expressions scare us off. They are just titles of the byproducts of living our lives in a fully Catholic manner. The Movement helps us in developing a deeper understanding of what it means to be fully Christian by being fully Catholic.

The Cursillo is an encounter with Christ, a real meeting with Christ. If that is understood, the power, beauty, and joy of the Movement will be understood.

Further information may be obtained from Mr. And Mrs. Franz Gangl, R.R. #2, Tottenham, ON, L0G 1W0, Tel: [phone], e-mail:[e-mail] web page http://cursillotoronto.com/whatisit.html.

The Focolare Movement 

Ann Wilson 

It started out to be sunny, so a late afternoon shower caught me unprepared one day while waiting for a bus. Much to my surprise, a young man came over to share his umbrella with me. This unexpected act of kindness was my first encounter with Focolare.

It turned out that the young man was a diocesan seminarian and also a member of the Focolare. He enthusiastically told me how he was looking forward to the Christmas holidays when he would go to Rome to join hundreds of other Focolare seminarians from all over the world.

"Where will you meet?" I inquired. "At Castel Gandolfo," he replied. "At the Holy Father's summer residence?" I asked. "Yes," he said. "The Holy Father has given the Focolare the conference centre there for our continued use." This was a little difficult to believe. "He gave it to you? What if he needs it for his own conferences?" "He borrows the facility from us," was the matter-of-fact reply. [1] Needless to say, this impressed me greatly.

The Focolare Movement was born in wartime Italy in the northern town of Trent in 1943. Chiara Lubich, a young teacher twenty-three years old, had privately consecrated herself to God, in virginity. A group of young people gathered around her, drawn by her spirituality. As the war devastated the countryside as well as their dreams and ambitions, these young people searched for something firm and certain for their lives. Christ became their hope and security, God's will their only desire, the Scriptures their guidebook.

In 1944, the young people were seeking shelter in a dark basement during an air raid. They opened the Bible and read by candlelight, "Father ... may they all be one." They had the resonating conviction that this was their primary mandate, or as Chiara writes, "that we were born for that page of the Gospel." The charism of unity is their hallmark to this day.

Today the movement is present in 182 nations and reaches 5 million people, many through a short scripture commentary by the foundress called "Word of Life." Two million are members, some of whom are consecrated "focolarini" and live in community, though they work at regular jobs. The largest number are married with children. As well, there are bishops, priests, seminarians, associates who are religious sisters of other communities, and also people from many different religious persuasions who are attracted to the Focolare spirituality.

The movement seeks to build up the family and to be an extended and life-giving family itself, stressing deep unity, communication from the heart and sacrificial love and sharing. Those who adhere to the movement practise the traditional forms of Catholic piety, with a special emphasis placed on self-denial that a life of unity entails. "Love for Jesus crucified and forsaken is the key to unity" says Chiara. "Out of love for Him, we first embrace the suffering within ourselves and then go beyond it and make every effort to rebuild unity."

The breadth of their apostolate is impressive. There are 19 little "cities" of the movement in various countries of the world, 25 publishing houses producing books and magazines, centres for the arts and media, a school for scholarly disciplines, and an innovative economic program involving 700 businesses which promotes the culture of giving, consideration of people over productivity, and profit sharing. Politicians who participate in the spirituality have given life to the Movement for Unity, promoting the common good and unity across party lines as well as numerous service projects all over the world.

An example of the size of Focolare endeavours was a gathering of 1700 artists in Rome in 1999. There were participants in dance, song, ensemble, and orchestra, who performed musicals, opera, classical, jazz, folk, and modern music. As well, an array of visual arts was represented. The artists embraced the same aspiration: to love and create beauty, to lift us up to heaven.

A local Focolare group holds regular gatherings that include music, prayer, talks on spirituality, and testimonies of how members are struggling to incarnate the Gospel. There are programs for the children and youth which include leadership training. Larger regional and national gatherings are yearly occurrences. There are also meetings where Christian friends of different persuasions are welcomed, and another where those of other religions are invited into the call to unity in the human family. The Focolare have made some firm friendships and spiritual links with, among others, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, and Hindus.

Focolare means "hearth", the fireside that unites the family. Through the spirituality of unity, members seek a radical worldwide spiritual and social renewal in Christ that has no borders.

Footnote:

(1.) I subsequently found out that the Focolare has a long-term arrangement with the Vatican, which still retains ownership. The Focolare made extensive renovations and additions.