BY-LAWS FOR THE CURSILLO SECRETARIAT OF THE DIOCESE OF TULSA

 PREAMBLE

The purpose (or goal) of the Movement is the leavening of environments with the Gospel. This leavening of environments strives to make Christian community possible in families, neighborhoods, work situations and other places where people live the greater part of their lives. It attempts to make it possible for anyone in the world to live a Christian life in a natural way.

The ultimate goal of Cursillos in Christianity is that on the Day of Judgment there may be more saints. This can be accomplished if the purpose stated in the preceding paragraph has been achieved.

Its immediate purpose is to provide an understanding and conviction concerning what is fundamental for being a Christian. The Cursillo Movement strives to strengthen individuals so that they might live out that understanding and conviction, supported by Christian community life.

Unity of purpose is essential if there is to be a courageous and total service of Jesus Christ through the Cursillo Movement. Individualism halts the advance of the Movement and in fact disintegrates it. The Secretariat unifies the Movement on all levels and indicates the path to be followed in essential matters of practical details as indicated in the official literature. However, in all questions of importance it listens to the Cursillo Leaders before deciding what should or should not be done.

The members of School of Leaders will be in constant dialogue with the Secretariat. The members of the Secretariat for their part should recall that the Lord through his bishop, has given them a most serious responsibility for the implementation of the authentic Cursillo Movement in the Diocese of Tulsa. Conscious of each one’s talents, it should coordinate individual contributions into a total effort in support of the Movement in all its phases; Precursillo, Cursillo and Postcursillo. Making decisions is the difficult process and responsibility assigned to the Secretariat. All Cursillistas are urged to support the Secretariat by prayer and palanca. In guiding the Movement, the Secretariat must be watchful not to create subservience but to build up the whole Body of Christ. The Secretariat must determine the potential of the entire Diocesan Movement so that each person may be led to discover their individual potential and contribute to the building up of the Kingdom of God. This it should do in love, at the same time demanding a just response from each leader.

The Secretariat should not be dictatorial but must view its authority as one of service to the total Movement. It must remember that Christ has entrusted the Movement’s direction to it, through the bishop to whom the Secretariat will have to give an account for this charge.

The Secretariat, as a service unit, is not established to be served but to serve the entire Cursillo Movement. In this sense, the Secretariat cannot be thought of except as a Group Reunion whose apostolic plan is the promotion of the Cursillo Movement itself, programmed and carried out with the idea of the greatest service to all. (The Fundamental Ideas of the Cursillo Movement, Chapter VII).

Just as on the 3-Day Cursillo, priests bear the responsibility for spiritual guidance and laity regulates its overall functioning, so priest and lay members of the Secretariat will cooperate for furthering the aims and objectives of the Cursillo Movement as a whole. [1]

ARTICLE I – In the Diocese of Tulsa there shall be only one Secretariat for the Cursillos in Christianity which will be a functional and autonomous organism under the immediate direction of the bishop and dependent upon the Lay Director and Spiritual Advisor.

Note: Where other language groups are present in the Diocesan Movement, adjustments need to be made in the bylaws for adequate representation and for helping meet bilingual and bicultural needs.

ARTICLE II – As a group, the members of the Secretariat shall guide and coordinate all phases of the Cursillo Movement in the Diocese of Tulsa within the pastoral plan of the bishop, and Cursillo Movement.

ARTICLE III – Members of the Secretariat shall be nominated by the School of Leaders and selected by the Secretariat, with the approval of the bishop, for a three (3) year term. Only members of School of Leaders shall be eligible for appointment.

ARTICLE IV – The School of Leaders is the cornerstone of the Cursillo Movement, the complement and extension of the Secretariat. The School will be its instrument for the realization of its work. The School will supply the Secretariat with teams of leaders, prepared technically and spiritually, so that these leaders may be the ferment of the Cursillo Movement in the diocese. After all, it is upon the leaders that the responsibility rests for vitalizing the Group Reunions and the Ultreyas, the specific means of perseverance in the Postcursillo.

ARTICLE V – The Secretariat shall be composed of lay people and a priest advisor. The following are their duties:

1. Members – There shall be a Lay Director, Spiritual Advisor, Chairperson of the School of Leaders (one for English, Spanish and other languages as necessary), Chairperson of the Precursillo section, Chairperson of the Cursillo section, Chairperson of the Postcursillo section, Treasurer and Secretary who will be chosen by a simple majority vote of the members of the Secretariat.
   1. The Lay Director, in consultation with the Spiritual Advisor, will convoke, preside at, prepare and direct agendas for all meetings of the Secretariat. The Lay Director will do everything possible to promote a spirit of unity, not only among the members of the Secretariat, but in School of Leaders and throughout the whole Diocesan Cursillo Movement. The Lay Director will see to it that members of the Secretariat fulfill their assigned duties. In addition, the Lay Director will insure an annual report and interim reports as necessary will be provided, to the bishop with the approval of the Secretariat. The Lay Director is also responsible for determining and scheduling necessary Diocesan, regional, and national workshops. The Lay Director shall serve for three (3) years and for a serious reason may be re-elected for another term in office. The Lay Director may not serve more than two (2) consecutive terms.
   2. The Spiritual Advisor oversees the spiritual needs of the Secretariat and the Movement. The Spiritual Advisor, who is appointed by the bishop, maintains a link between the Movement and the Bishop’s Office. To insure proper spiritual assistance to the Movement, the Spiritual Advisor is responsible for acquiring other priests, vowed religious, and deacons to assist with the Doctrinal Talks, at the School of Leaders, the spiritual sessions during the Cursillo Weekends and the Spiritual Advisor’s role during the Ultreyas. The Spiritual Advisor should continually challenge the other Secretariat members to discern all their activities. We must always strive to seek God’s Will instead of our own.
   3. The Chairperson(s) of the School of Leaders will convoke, preside at, prepare and direct all activities relating to the School of Leaders. Upon the recommendations of the Secretariat, the Chairperson of the School will determine the Doctrinal and Technique presentations, and presenters, for the School.  The Chairperson of the School will ensure that all the essential elements of the School are maintained, for continual growth of its participants. 2
   4. The Chairperson of the Precursillo insures that the Movement maintains its focus on the various environments within the diocese. Continual efforts must be exerted in order to identify key environments and the influential people within those environments. The Chairperson of the Precursillo further insures that proper procedures are in place to insure a smooth transition from the Precursillo to the Postcursillo (by way of the Cursillo Weekend). 2

e.      The Chairperson of the Cursillo insures that every element of the Cursillo Weekend is directed to properly educating the candidates who attend those Weekends. This includes such things as: 1) team selection, 2) team preparation, 3) overseeing the facilities, 4) comfort (proper nourishment and rest) and 5) necessary supplies. 2

6. The Chairperson of the Postcursillo insures that every cursillista within the Diocesan Movement has the opportunity to grow in their own Fourth Day. This is accomplished by insuring a link between the School of Leaders and all the Group Reunions within the diocese. Furthermore, the Chairperson of the Postcursillo insures that an adequate number of Ultreyas (source of linkage between the various Group Reunions) are in existence within the diocese. 2
7. The Treasurer shall handle the financial matters of the Cursillo Movement. The Treasurer will do whatever is necessary to ensure that the Movement is financially sound at all times and those local, regional and national financial obligations are met. It is the responsibility of the Treasurer to see that required books, publications and other supplies, which are needed by the Movement, are always available.
8. The Secretary will keep the minutes of all meetings and see to it that they are distributed promptly to all whom should receive them. The Secretary will see to it that mailing lists are up-to-date and assume the responsibility for all mailings sent out by the Secretariat. The Secretary will perform other duties usually connected with this position.
1. Chairpersons of the three sections may appoint individuals to oversee committees respective to the work of that section. (i.e. Preparation Committee for the Precursillo section, Procurement Committee for the Cursillo section, Newsletter Committee for the Postcursillo section). The Leaders of these various committees report directly to their respective chairperson. The committee leaders are not members of the Secretariat.

ARTICLE VI – Liaison shall be established and maintained with the national and regional Secretariats which shall be supported by the Diocese of Tulsa Cursillo Movement, both spiritually, by way of prayer and Palanca, and materially, by way of financial contributions to the degree required.

ARTICLE VII – The Secretariat shall implement the Cursillo Movement in the Diocese of Tulsa according to what is essential and fundamental as outlined in the official literature of the Movement.

ARTICLE VIII – Since the Secretariat is itself a Group Reunion, there should be a sharing of Piety, Study and Action.

ARTICLE IX – Amendments to these bylaws may be proposed by any member of the Secretariat. Amendments may be made, subject to the approval of the bishop, at any regularly scheduled meeting of the Secretariat. Passage of an amendment requires a two-thirds majority vote of the entire Secretariat. Proposed amendments must be submitted to the Secretariat at least one month in advance of the meeting to which the proposed amendment is to be discussed. Voting, on the proposed amendment, will take place at the next regularly scheduled meeting following the meeting it was discussed.

ARTICLE X – Following official implementation of these bylaws the initial terms of office shall be as follows: the Secretary, Treasurer, Precursillo, and Postcursillo representatives shall serve for two (2) years. All other members of the Secretariat shall serve for three (3) years. At the completion of the 2-year terms, all members will then be elected to three (3) year terms. This procedure is done to insure continuity of the Secretariat members so that there will always be experienced members present.

ACTICLE XI – Upon the completion of each member’s term, they will accept at least a one (1) year waiting period prior to accepting a position on the Secretariat. As Article V, 1, a & b, the Lay Director and Spiritual Advisor may be extended for one additional term; however, at the end of their term of service, they will also be required to accept the one year waiting period.

ARTICLE XII – Ad hoc committees and pro-tem positions may be appointed following a two-thirds majority vote of the Secretariat members.

 1 (Vatican II, “Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity,” No. 4; “Constitution on the Church,” No. 4)