Cursillo

[KimberlyAnn0218]

There are no forced hugs, ever at all.
But there are other things that I didn’t understand there, and I still don’t understand it.
There really is no need for all the secrecy in Cursillo. If they would have told me
that I would have 5 minutes in the shower for my alone time, once every 24 hours I would never have gone.
There was not one moment of the day or night when I was not with others. I peed with others, I ate with others, there was no privacy to dress even. 8 women crowded around a sink trying to brush teeth and comb hair and YUCK!
I had not one minute to myself. I’m a widow and I live alone, I cannot sleep in a lit room or in a room with 7 other people… I haven’t slept with anyone in my room for 30 years… (widowed at age 28) and I gotta tell you, people are NOISY when they sleep. One gal had to have a light on. I have to have total dark. ARGH! I was ready to go over the edge by Saturday evening. I left at 8pm and they were just then having their dinner… AT 8PM??? After that dinner there were still several more talks. Way too tight of a schedule for me.
And the stupid horrible posters and being graded by the priest and deacon and it was so humiliating. And being treated like a criminal when I had to have an escort to go to my room to get a couple of advil. Demeaning. If they thought I was a thief, they should have just denied my application.
Why can’t people go outside? Why are all the windows sealed up with paper? (the windows were VERY high and the cursillo people were the only people there, no need to worry about prying eyes) Why could we not know what time it was? Why all the carbs for food? Why all the secrecy?

I

This is not how it was done at mine in April. Yes, you spend time together, but the Crsillo pamphlet explains that you are working/sleeping in COMMUNITY.

I went outside SEVERAL times, unescorted–even went toa gas stattion to get my favorite soda

Did you ask for alone time? People can’t read your mind

Our windows were carefully covered at areas for PRIVACY

We knew what time it was at all times

Re:Carbs–Seriously I am really sick of hearing this weird plot of highs or whatever from carbs. I just appreciated not cooking.

Re: proctors escort us to an from places–well, they wanted to make sure no one needed anything or was having any difficulties

Bottom line- It sounds lijke this was not for you

Re: the grading–are you sure they were graded?

It sounds to me like this wasn’t for you. I highly recommend the Cursillo from my diocese.

No plots there. Just Christians.

 

[KimberlyAnn0218]

I agree, The Cursillo Movement has enriched the lives of thousands of Catholics, but there are other ways to enrich your faith. I had a life changing experience there , and so did many of my close friends and family. That being said, I understand that Cursillo is not for everyone. The percieved ‘secrecy’ that is is perpetuated is genuinely intended as to not ruin anyone’s experience by giving them any preconceived expectations.

Absolutely–this is it, bottom line

 

[maryjk]

by the way gh4, by leaving at 8pm on Saturday…you missed the best and most enduring and rewarding part of Cursillo. Again, you’ve got to give a little and participate to reap the rewards 10 fold. It is not intended to be a weekend luxury getaway, it’s intended to renew your faith by changing the way you live you life as a Genuine Catholic…not by being comfortable in the wordly lives we live, but by following the way, truth and life of Christ.

I really don’t get it. Why won’t people stop pushing?

She went, she didn’t like it. Why can’t people leave it at that?

Cursillo isn’t for everyone. It isn’t like Confession, a sacrament that everyone should participate in. It is an option for those that enjoy or would grow from a charismatic group.

 

[DebChris]

I really don’t get it. Why won’t people stop pushing?

She went, she didn’t like it. Why can’t people leave it at that?

Cursillo isn’t for everyone. It isn’t like Confession, a sacrament that everyone should participate in. It is an option for those that enjoy or would grow from a charismatic group.

One of the points made in the Cursillo handbook is that Cursillo and the Charismatic Renewal are two very different movements of the Holy Spirit. It is true that many Cursillitas are or become Charismatics, but not all are. It is not a Charismatic weekend. There is no overt expression of the Charismatic gifts. Cursillo is a lay movement coming out of Spain that began in 1949. Participants vary from the very traditional to the very liberal, from those who are well versed in the Faith to those who have been poorly catechized. It is the poorly catechized that the Cursillo weekend is meant to reach. It is poor catechises that led to the development of Cursillo. Cursillo is for those who want to learn more about the Catholic Faith and to grow in that Faith.

 

[maryjk]

One of the points made in the Cursillo handbook is that Cursillo and the Charismatic Renewal are two very different movements of the Holy Spirit. It is true that many Cursillitas are or become Charismatics, but not all are. It is not a Charismatic weekend. There is no overt expression of the Charismatic gifts. Cursillo is a lay movement coming out of Spain that began in 1949. Participants vary from the very traditional to the very liberal, from those who are well versed in the Faith to those who have been poorly catechized. It is the poorly catechized that the Cursillo weekend is meant to reach. It is poor catechises that led to the development of Cursillo. Cursillo is for those who want to learn more about the Catholic Faith and to grow in that Faith.

Cursillo may not claim to be part of the Charismatic movement. But of everyone I know that has participated, not one would consider themselves traditional. All would claim to lean toward being Charismatic.

Grow maybe, learn about the Catholic faith, I don’t know. I have been told many times, in person and here on this thread that the talks given are basic, more Catholicism 101 than in depth learning. Or is that wrong?

 

[gh4]

This is not how it was done at mine in April. Yes, you spend time together, but the Crsillo pamphlet explains that you are working/sleeping in COMMUNITY.

I went outside SEVERAL times, unescorted–even went toa gas stattion to get my favorite soda

I watched and listened to them tell people “YOU CAN’T BE OUT HERE, YOU HAVE TO RETURN INTO THE ROOM” They never gave a reason.

Did you ask for alone time? People can’t read your mind

Yes, I was told that I had to remain in the meeting room

Our windows were carefully covered at areas for PRIVACY
The windows that were covered required a ladder to do so, they were way above my 5’2" self, probably 7 feet high. There was NO ONE else at this retreat center other than the cursillo people. The only reason I can think of is that they didn’t want us to see time passing in the light of day

We knew what time it was at all times

I asked, was told not to worry about it.

Re:Carbs–Seriously I am really sick of hearing this weird plot of highs or whatever from carbs. I just appreciated not cooking.
I’m not saying it was a plot, but there were ALL carbs for snacks and very little else to eat

Re: proctors escort us to an from places–well, they wanted to make sure no one needed anything or was having any difficulties
Oh for the love of all that is Holy, I am almost 60 years old, I can walk to my room without an escort and would be most happy to tell you if there was something wrong. I am in excellent health.

Bottom line- It sounds lijke this was not for you
Yes indeed, I agree

Re: the grading–are you sure they were graded?
When the priest holds up a card with a 7 on it, and the next table he holds up a card with a 9 on it, and then the next table a 6, yeah, that was grading like they do when they give the results for skating competition or diving competition at the olympics.

It sounds to me like this wasn’t for you. I highly recommend the Cursillo from my diocese.

No plots there. Just Christians.

 

[gh4]

by the way gh4, by leaving at 8pm on Saturday…you missed the best and most enduring and rewarding part of Cursillo. Again, you’ve got to give a little and participate to reap the rewards 10 fold. It is not intended to be a weekend luxury getaway, it’s intended to renew your faith by changing the way you live you life as a Genuine Catholic…not by being comfortable in the wordly lives we live, but by following the way, truth and life of Christ.

So say you. If I had stayed, I’m pretty sure I would have ended up screaming at people to just shut up! Noise 24 hours a day is not my idea of luxury at all.
1 toilet and 1 sink shared between 8 women is not luxury.
Sleeping on a thin bunk bed mattress in a bunk bed is not luxury.
Eating with plastic utensils on paper or foam plates is NOT luxury.
AND, I didn’t expect luxury.
I gave a lot. I sat through hour after hour of long talks with no breaks in between.
I drew the stupid and ignorant posters. We never discussed the topics, we were too concerned with the dang poster and the time restraints and the grading.
I went to mass and participated. I went to confession. I tried my best to participate
in a good way.
Obviously had I known more about this weekend, I would not have attended or if I had decide to attend, I would have known what to expect.
If I were ever to consider going to any retreat, I would do the following.

1. I’d take a watch and just hide it if necessary.
2. I’d take 3 meals a day of my own food and all the snacks I would need and my beverages.
3. I’d make sure I drove myself. This would be non-negotiable.
4. I would make sure that they understood that I would need at least 2 hours each day of alone time. This could be a hour in the afternoon and an hour at bedtime but minimum of two hours. 4 or 5 hours each 24 hours would be better.
5. I would insist on a room alone.
   And if they wouldn’t agree to the above, I would not go, period and bottom line.

I’m sure lots of people LOVE Cursillo. My sponsor (who was on the giving team) says that Cursillo changed her life. That’s wonderful. Really, I’m very happy for those who love it, I don’t and I’m not the only one who doesn’t. Maybe it is control issues, but my bottom lines were 24hour a day noise and the food and being treated like a 2 year old.

 

[gh4]

And why am I telling you all this in this thread? Over and over ad nauseum?

Because I believe that Catholics would be better served by the Cursillo IF they were aware of what Cursillo is EXACTLY and what they do during the weekend and what was expected of them during that weekend.

That’s all.

 

[FCEGM]

. . .

Grow maybe, learn about the Catholic faith, I don’t know. I have been told many times, in person and here on this thread that the talks given are basic, more Catholicism 101 than in depth learning. Or is that wrong?

You’ve got it right, Mary; it presents very basic Catholicism. I’m sure the experience is a good and helpful one for many; for me it was like nails scratching a blackboard.

 

[ringil]

Why can’t people go outside? Why are all the windows sealed up with paper? (the windows were VERY high and the cursillo people were the only people there, no need to worry about prying eyes) Why could we not know what time it was? Why all the carbs for food? Why all the secrecy?

I

I believe much of what you have posted here has been dispelled earlier in this thread.

Your post is quite intense. What is your agenda here?

 

[KimberlyAnn0218]

Cursillo may not claim to be part of the Charismatic movement. But of everyone I know that has participated, not one would consider themselves traditional. All would claim to lean toward being Charismatic.

Grow maybe, learn about the Catholic faith, I don’t know. I have been told many times, in person and here on this thread that the talks given are basic, more Catholicism 101 than in depth learning. Or is that wrong?

I went to Cursillo and I am a traditional Catholic who is not very comfortable with the Charismatic movement–but I don’t put people down or condemn it.

FYI…I spontaneously hugged someone at Cursillo–no one made me do it.

AGAIN- this is not for everyone, it is not required. You can be a faithfilled Catholic without it and God loves those people who didn’t get that mountain-top experieince every bit as much as those who did. Period.

 

[KimberlyAnn0218]

You’ve got it right, Mary; it presents very basic Catholicism. I’m sure the experience is a good and helpful one for many; for me it was like nails scratching a blackboard.

I had heard that “catholocism 101” in reference to Cursillo as well. That was not the case in the Cursillo I went to. It focused on taking what you know and applying it in your life, the lives of others, and your parish.

 

[gh4]

I believe much of what you have posted here has been dispelled earlier in this thread. Your post is quite intense. What is your agenda here?

I guess that is how intense my pain over that weekend still is to this day. It will take a very long time to get over it for me.
And I think a lot of my questions haven’t been answered.

No real agenda. Or maybe my agenda is to get rid of the mystery that has been woven around the word cursillo and the weekend. ??? I really don’t know.

Certainly nothing nefarious.

 

[gh4]

You’ve got it right, Mary; it presents very basic Catholicism. I’m sure the experience is a good and helpful one for many; for me it was like nails scratching a blackboard.

Oh yes, you hit it right on the head of the nail. I would also say somewhat boring as well.

 

[KimberlyAnn0218]

I guess that is how intense my pain over that weekend still is to this day. It will take a very long time to get over it for me.
And I think a lot of my questions haven’t been answered.

No real agenda. Or maybe my agenda is to get rid of the mystery that has been woven around the word cursillo and the weekend. ??? I really don’t know.

Certainly nothing nefarious.

Ok, here it is: the secret is 1)if you told people about what the major activitty of Day 1 is they woudl never come, it sounds too boring–they need to experience it all the way to the end. 2) The special suprises that you get ( no, they are not gifts, money, or in anyway buying your faith)–they would be spoiled,

If you were affected that negatively you should talk with someone about it. Either they have strayed from the “formula” of the weekend or you just need to talk it out with someone.

 

[DebChris]

Cursillo may not claim to be part of the Charismatic movement. But of everyone I know that has participated, not one would consider themselves traditional. All would claim to lean toward being Charismatic.

Grow maybe, learn about the Catholic faith, I don’t know. I have been told many times, in person and here on this thread that the talks given are basic, more Catholicism 101 than in depth learning. Or is that wrong?

Charismatic and traditional are not mutually exclusive. To further discuss the Charismatic Renewal, however, would be to stray from the topic. Cursillo predates the Charismatic Renewal. It predates Vatican II.
As stated previously, Cursillo developed in response to poor catechesis. It is a basic course in Chrisianity. Regardless of our spiritual development, we do often need to return to the basics in order to continue our development. By way of analogy, even accomplished musicians practice scales.
Our Catholic Faith is in essense a simple Faith that can be summed up in the Nicene Creed. Yet it there is also a depth to our Faith that can never be fathomed. Our journey lasts a lifetime. After the weekend, Cursillistas continue to meet together for a “fourth day” or lifetime formation. Individually we delve deeper into our Faith and share what we have discovered. Perhaps, we found a new devotion; or maybe we struggle with balancing our prayer life and other daily obligations. We are all part of the Body of Christ, the Church. We are part of a community and do not journey alone.
Cursillo gives many people a new way of looking at our Faith. They move from the intellectual to the experiential for the first time. God is no longer a concept. God is alive. He is real and He wants an intimate relationship with each one of us.

 

[gh4]

Ok, here it is: the secret is 1)if you told people about what the major activitty of Day 1 is they woudl never come, it sounds too boring–they need to experience it all the way to the end. 2) The special suprises that you get ( no, they are not gifts, money, or in anyway buying your faith)–they would be spoiled,

If you were affected that negatively you should talk with someone about it. Either they have strayed from the “formula” of the weekend or you just need to talk it out with someone.

You are correct. It is busy and some of it you DO have to just experience. But a lot of the “mystery” stuff just isn’t. AND IT WAS BORING. Sorry, it just was.

The"surprises" you speak of weren’t much at all. Mostly stuff copied and from no one in particular.

Actually I have talked to my priest about it, and I’m a LOT better now than I was a month ago! I still can’t talk about it verbally without crying.

 

[gh4]

Charismatic and traditional are not mutually exclusive. To further discuss the Charismatic Renewal, however, would be to stray from the topic. Cursillo predates the Charismatic Renewal. It predates Vatican II.
As stated previously, Cursillo developed in response to poor catechesis. It is a basic course in Chrisianity. Regardless of our spiritual development, we do often need to return to the basics in order to continue our development. By way of analogy, even accomplished musicians practice scales.
Our Catholic Faith is in essense a simple Faith that can be summed up in the Nicene Creed. Yet it there is also a depth to our Faith that can never be fathomed. Our journey lasts a lifetime. After the weekend, Cursillistas continue to meet together for a “fourth day” or lifetime formation. Individually we delve deeper into our Faith and share what we have discovered. Perhaps, we found a new devotion; or maybe we struggle with balancing our prayer life and other daily obligations. We are all part of the Body of Christ, the Church. We are part of a community and do not journey alone.
Cursillo gives many people a new way of looking at our Faith. They move from the intellectual to the experiential for the first time. God is no longer a concept. God is alive. He is real and He wants an intimate relationship with each one of us.

There was nothing at all charismatic in our cursillo. My sponsor is not nor is her husband charismatic at all, not even a little bit.

I would have been unable to attend any meetings after cursillo as they are held nearly 100 miles away.

I think most of the deacon and priests talks were almost exactly the same as the ones Fr. Corapi did a few years ago. We had a parish “class” on most of those lessons, so hearing it again from another priest and deacon was just repeating what I’d heard last year. And most, if not all, of it was geared towards the married couple.

 

[DebChris]

There was nothing at all charismatic in our cursillo. My sponsor is not nor is her husband charismatic at all, not even a little bit.

I would have been unable to attend any meetings after cursillo as they are held nearly 100 miles away.

I think most of the deacon and priests talks were almost exactly the same as the ones Fr. Corapi did a few years ago. We had a parish “class” on most of those lessons, so hearing it again from another priest and deacon was just repeating what I’d heard last year. And most, if not all, of it was geared towards the married couple.

When I first learned of Cursillo, it was no longer available where I lived at the time. I can see where the large Ultreya meetings may be a 100 miles away. There are also small reunion groups of 6 to 8 Cursillistas that meet weekly. These meetings would be close to home.
I do not remember the talks at my Cursillo being geared toward married couples more than singles. It could be the speakers were using their own marriages as reference points for discussing relationships in general. Scripture does often use a marriage analogy when talking about our relationship to God.
Personally, I have not been to a reunion or Ultreya in months. Cursillo is very active in my home diocese making it easy to find a group. If I remember correctly, it was actually the group that found me. My sponsor, who later moved, invited me to join her group.
Life changes, and I also have moved. I reside in the Middle East most of the year. My overseas parish does not have Cursillo. It does however have a large Charismatic community as well as several Legion of Mary groups. As a member of HOLD (Handmaids of the Lord), which is a part of Couples for Christ (CFC), we meet in household on a regular basis. Meeting in household would be similar to Cursillo reunions. There are more members in a single household then a Cursillo reunion group. Meetings are longer than the typical weekly hour of Cursillo reunions. Sometimes we gather with our SOLD (Servants of the Lord) brothers. There are also larger gatherings with the various groups within CFC and national conferences (It’s a very small country) in which we get together with other groups that comprise CFC. Some members of CFC are also Legion of Mary members. Naturally, talks given during CFC conferences focus on family relationships and strengthening the marital bond.
Curstillistas need not be Charismatic. It does not bother me that many of the talks I might hear during conferences or while on retreat repeat what I have already heard before. Different speakers may well shed a different light on the same topic. Jesus told his disciples He would remind them of what He had told them. Perhaps, I occasionally need this reminding.

 

[1catholic1]

I really am truly sorry you had a bad experience. There is a definite reason for the day and a half of relative “discomfort”. Its to teach us that we should put all of our trust in Christ…not food, not bedding, not shelter, not anything in our environment. It’s to teach that we should venture to “suffer” a little more in this earthly life as Christ did so that in our eternal life there will be no suffering. The truth is that you did not attend Cursillo, you only attended the preparatory portion of it. The policy of Cursillo is to recommend that Catholics who may be suffering with moderate to sereve mental illness or addiction seek medical/psychological treatment before attending the weekend. The May the Lord bless you and comfort you as you continue to heal.

By the way, I am a traditional Catholic, active in my Church parish and Catholic School District in a multitude of ministries, work full time, and a I am father of two wonderful sons who through no fault of my own, I have been entrusted the most precious task of raising on my own. My children and I adhere strictly to the teachings of the Magisterium. I do not consider myself a Charismatic.