My weekend of Cursillo

I know you are used to hearing me ramble on about movies on Monday, but I needed to take a step back and regroup after my weekend retreat, and share my thoughts while they are still fresh.

I will state up front that one of the amazing things (as well as maddening!) is that for those who have made a Cursillo, what happens on this three day weekend is a BIG SECRET! This is not for any sinister reason, but just to keep from spoiling any of the magic and the surprises from potential candidates. So per my unwritten oath, I can't provide specifics.

Cursillo is an International Christian movement that was created originally in the Roman Catholic Church, but has been adopted by many different Christian denominations since its beginning. It originated in Spain, and became such a powerful instrument that it spread worldwide, with elected offices and an official corporate organization. So the story goes, on one of the first Cursillo weekends in Spain, a group of men were coming back from their weekend when their bus broke down. Filled with the Holy Spirit, the men started singing a traditional folk song called De Colores, changed it a bit to reflect the joy of their weekend, and has since become the theme song of the movement. The song talks about roosters, cluck-hens and babe-chicks (which we chose to think of ourselves this weekend - ha!), which is why you will see these symbols in conjunction with the movement.

Generally, married couples attend these retreats, but there were singles there as well. The men go one weekend, then about two weeks later, their wives attend. In our case, my husband went last October, but I couldn't go until the spring. So my poor husband had to keep his mouth shut for a great deal longer than most men. And when you leave, all you want to do is talk about how incredible the experience was. So I give him credit!

The weekend is run by a team of people who have been through Cursillo, and the movement is their passion and their mission. They provide you the practical tools you need, as an adult, to renew your faith and live a Christian life. There are emotional stories...people overcoming unbelievable obstacles, baring their souls to show us that through God's love anything is possible. There is music. There is prayer. There is laughter. You are split up in teams that soon become your extended family. I found it almost inconceivable that THIS much love could be present among a group of women who were all strangers on Thursday night (especially after we all slept on bunk beds in the same room and shared the same bathroom!). You also are shown, in the most tangible way possible, how many people (some you know, and some you don't) are praying for you while you are away. It is simply overwhelming.

I am a type A person, and I have my life planned out for every minute of the day. I had to let that all go. I had no phone contact with my family. I never knew what time it was. The team worried about that for us. I didn't know when I was waking up, or going to sleep, or eating. This, people, was bizarre, but was important for the weekend to work. No noise, no distractions, singular focus. It was liberating.

I've had other spiritual epiphanies in my life. I was not born a Catholic, so I went through the RCIA program before my husband and I had children, a long preparatory process to become a Catholic. I was confirmed by the Bishop at Easter Vigil, and was as high as a kite afterwards. But that euphoria fades over time. The beauty about Cursillo is that they subscribe to weekly "grouping", monthly meetings, and various other vehicles to keep that feeling alive.

I don't know if any of you out there have ever experienced Cursillo. If you have not, I would encourage you from the bottom of my heart to seek it out. While it is officially supported by the Catholic Church, there are other denominations that host these weekends as well that have a similar structure. Google it and see if there is an active movement in your area. It is a gift. One that I promise you will never regret!