Cursillo (pronounced
‘kur-see-yo’; meaning small course) is an apostolic movement in the Catholic
Church which started in Mallorca, Spain in 1944 and has been active in the
Diocese of Ogdensburg since the 1960s. The purpose of Cursillo is to form
effective lay Christian leaders and disciples of Jesus Christ through an
intensive short course presented over a three-day weekend.
Cursillistas (pronounced 'cur-see-is-tas'; those who have participated in the three-day Cursillo
weekend) then continue deepen their relationships with Jesus by gathering
regularly in small groups. Through these small groups and sharing the practices
of prayer, study and apostolic action, friendships deepen, members are held
accountable to grow in their relationships with Jesus and each other. This
faith cannot be contained. Cursillo’s goal is to renew the Faith of the Body of
Christ by bringing His message of love to our family, friends, coworkers and
neighbors in the places where we work, live and worship, so that they too, may
follow Jesus.
If you would like to
get a feel for what Cursillo is about, we encourage you to "come and
see." You are most welcome to join us for an Ultreya (ull-tray-ya
meaning “onward”), a monthly regional prayer-and-fellowship gathering of small
Cursillo groups. Currently, there are three Ultreyas:
NORTH COUNTRY CURSILLO ULTREYAS
Massena Region Ultreya (formerly Brasher
Falls): Last Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm, St. Mary’s
Social Hall, 11 Sycamore Street, Massena, NY
Contact: Marika Donders at 315-393-2920 ext.
1380 or mdonders@rcdony.org
Peru Region Ultreya (Formerly Plattsburgh Region): 2nd Thursday
of the month starting February 10, 2022 at St Augustine Church,3030 Main
Street, Peru, NY 12972.
Contact
Dwane Bast at 518-643-2162 dwane@adkcoffeeroasters.com
Watertown Region Ultreya: TBA
Contact:
Normally, there are two
Cursillo weekends each year, one for men, and one for women. The next Cursillo
weekends are tentatively scheduled as follows: Women’s Weekend - November
17-20, 2022, Men’s Weekend - May 11-14, 2023
A Cursillo Weekend is an encounter with self, Christ and others. It is three days of joyful living and sharing, experiencing and learning a simple method to know God better and develop more fully as a Christian. The purpose of the weekend is to provide the tools for daily Christian living. Cursillo begins on a Thursday evening and ends Sunday evening.
During the three days, participants hear talks given by priests, deacons and lay persons, and may participate in discussion with others in small groups. The Eucharist is celebrated each day, and there is time for personal prayer and reflection, Sacrament of Reconciliation and fellowship. The weekend reviews the basics of Catholic faith with an emphasis on how you may live it more effectively in your own life.
Since each person’s circumstances in life are different and each has a unique relationship with God, the Cursillo weekend is a deeply personal experience and, as such, can’t be fully described. It must be lived and experienced first-hand to appreciate.
Below are links to the fillable PDF Candidate Application
form. Candidates should complete the candidate section of the Candidate
Application, print it, and give it to their parish priest to complete. Mail the completed form to the address at the
bottom of the form or contact the pre-Cursillo coordinator at neatonmichael@yahoo.com. If you are
interested in becoming a candidate but do not have a sponsor, please complete
the application and indicate that you will need a sponsor. The Cursillo Team
will assist with finding a sponsor in your area.
Sponsors should complete the Sponsor Application and read
the Sponsor Commitment carefully. If you have any questions about sponsoring,
please contact the pre-Cursillo coordinator at neatonmichael@yahoo.com.
In order to make a
Cursillo Weekend, each candidate must have a sponsor. If you have questions, or
would like to be sponsored, please contact the pre-cursillo coordinator at neatonmichael@yahoo.com.
The Secretariat is
the administrative arm of the North Country Cursillo and meets quarterly in person and other months
or as needed virtually via MS TEAMS.
2021/2022 Officers:
Lay Director: Dwane Bast: dwane@adkcoffeeroasters.com or call 518-643-2162
Secretary:
Treasurer:
School of Leaders Chair: Cathy Witkowski cathywitkowski@charter.net
Pre Cursillo Coordinator: Michael Neaton: neatonmichael@yahoo.com
Post Cursillo Coordinator: Marika Donders mdonders@rcdony.org
Weekend Coordinator: Linda Manchester grammyegkn@yahoo.com
Palanca Coordinator: : Patricia Jenkins patty.jenkins6852@gmail.com
Members-at-Large:
Darcy
Fargo dfargo@rcdony.org
Kathy Kirschner kkirschner@twcny.rr.com
Robert Manchester manch815@gmail.com
Spiritual Advisor: Rev. Al Hauser
