NOT FROM THE RECTOR

CURSILLO
(KER-SEE-YO)

We carried a Cursillo item on these Web Pages around June this year.
The item was submitted to me by a friend and colleague Elizabeth Woodford.
At the time Cursllo was new to me.
Elizabeth described it as a ‘Short course’
for committed Church members
to examine where they stand in their spiritual lives
and to discover how they can be used for the Lord’s work
in the ordinary circumstances of their lives.

The movement started just after the end of the Spanish wars around 1936/8
and was intended to be a pilgrimage of some 70,00 people to Compostella.
Arrangements were stood down until after WW2.
So good was the pilgrimage that it was made into an intensive short course,
that' s what Cursillo means,
lasting three days,
The first such course was held in Majorca in 1949.
The movement spread to Latin America and up into the USA.
It came to Britain in 1981 and has spread almost worldwide.

CURSILLO IN CHICHESTER

Cursillo is introduced into a diocese
only with the express permission and approval of the Diocesan Bishop.
At present the movement is in nearly thirty dioceses in Britain.
During the last three years
it has been started in eight dioceses including Chichester.
A group worked for nearly three years on its' introduction
and the first weekend was held in March 2000.
In Chichester the Bishops regard the movement
as part of the mission strategy of the diocese.
There have now been four
Cursillo weekends in the Chichester diocese.

The forth, ‘Chichester Cursillo #4'
took place over the weekend 20th to 22nd September.
As I had shown interest,
Elizabeth sponsored me for the weekend with my wife
and one other person from the Lavant Parish
and we had our Cursillo with some 20 other Christians from the Chichester diocese.

WHAT HAPPENS ON A WEEKEND

Each weekend is different depending on the mix of folk attending.
There is a lot of talk, prayer, learning, singing,
a great deal of fun and most important
the very evident presence of the Holy Spirit.
The purpose of the weekend reflects that of the original pilgrimage to Compostella
to refresh and renew people in their Christian Faith
and to enable them to reach out in apostolic mission
and subsequently to know the mutual encouragement
and support of deep fellowship in small groups.
The weekend offers a potential for growth,
and experience of the love and grace of God
and quite wonderful fellowship.

 We found the weekend inspirational somewhat tiring,
( We were out of practise )
but a real “ kick start”
into new spiritual experience..

Some of the details ( history etc. ) above were taken from a document written by Barry Ranger

To get more details e-mail me.Editor
Or
Go to the  Chichester Cursillo Links web pages.
(Remember to click back to return).
Or
Elizabeth Woodford

Click if you would like more details

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