Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Fides) - “You are the deanery of truth and the power of communion” Pope John Paul II said to members of the Movement Cursillos of Christianity during an audience in St Peter’s Square in 2000. Deanery as a service to the truth through the power of communion. Four years have passed since those words and the joy of being in communion with the Holy Father was confirmed again yesterday, 11 June, during the ceremony for the consignment of the Decree of Canonical Recognition at the Pontifical Council for the Laity.
Among the movement leaders present Monsignor Ubaldo Speranza who, besides being spiritual Director at the seminary in Fermo, is one of the heads of the Movement in Italy. “The consigning of the decree yesterday” Mons. Speranza told Fides, “confirmed the path taken in 1949 in Mallorca when young members of Catholic Action formed a group to give new impulse and vigour to their faith. The aim was to live in every environment of daily life as Christians. Christians among people, Christians with the man on the street ”.
“Our efforts never aimed for doctrinal updating, but rather a striving to carry Christ in every day live in all the environments of life. We want to help every man and women we meet to rediscover a longing for God”.
The Movement’s method is simple and what it proposes is friendship. Not primarily rules to follow, or a doctrine to learn, but an encounter with people who live the faith in their life and are willing to live it in communion. “Our method” Mons. Speranza continued, “consist of three steps. First the person enters a stage of pre-evangelisation in which he approaches our reality and is introduced to a friendship where he comes to realise that faith is a reality which can exist in every day life. Then there is the second stage which we call “the three days”. This is an invitation to spend three days of retreat with us (three days of courses) during which we help participants to encounter Jesus Christ and this comes about through the presentation of what is fundamental to the Christian faith, that is, Christ, the Church and the life of grace. This presentation comes about above all through meeting with the experience of people who have already lived this encounter. The third is a stage of maturation in which the Cursillos come together in groups in order to help each other to fulfil the daily mission to live the Gospel in every environment of their existence”.
Therefore a mission in every area of life and on all human frontiers we might say. But the frontiers reached are not only human they are also geographical if we think that the Movement is present in 50 countries with more than 1 million members. “In the whole world”, Mons. Speranza concluded “there is the same thirst for Christ. We have no works of charity or missions. We are simply with the people, we accompany them in their existence and help them live that which their daily life asks of them, keeping in mind Christ, keeping in mind that the power of communion among Christians can evangelise every environment ”. (P.L.R.) (Agenzia Fides 12/6/2004 - Righe 37; Parole 549)
