Diocesan Pastoral Plan

The Cursillo in Christianity is a movement of the Roman Catholic Church that is committed to spreading the Gospel message utilizing a specific method and strategy.

Vision Statement

The Cursillo Movement, an agent of change, serves as a catalyst for the Christian transformation of society’s moral and ethical values. This is accomplished through a unified national, regional and diocesan effort.

Strategy

The Cursillo Movement will focus on the role of laity to evangelize everyday environments. The Movement will form lay groups to help in the ongoing conversion of the individual and community to live what is fundamental for being a Christian.

Pre-Cursillo

Pre-Cursillo

Purpose

1. To target environments

2. To select candidates

3. To prepare and mentor sponsors

4. To prepare candidates

Pre-Cursillo

Objectives

1. To target environments

A. To study diocesan environments in accordance with the Leaders Manual, page 179.

· Catholic parishes in the Tulsa Diocese

· The Spanish speaking community

· The advertising field,

· The academic community,

· The communications field,

· The medical profession and

· The political field

B. To select those environments which have a dynamic influence on society.

2. To select candidates:

A. To identify the influential people that are agents of change within each selected environment.

B. To insure that all candidates satisfy the basic requirements to participate in the 3-Day Cursillo Weekend.

3. To prepare and mentor sponsors

A. To support each candidate following the process described in the National Cursillo Movement’s Sponsor Booklet.

B. To effectively communicate to sponsors and candidates prior to the 3-Day Cursillo Weekend.

C. To provide a support and mentoring system to aid sponsors in effective sponsorship

4. To prepare candidates

A. To provide personal contact to each candidate from :

i. Sponsors

ii. Cursillo leaders

Pre-Cursillo

Recommendations

1) Target the Spanish speaking community in Eastern Oklahoma to develop a Spanish Cursillo movement.

1.a: Identify leaders to start Spanish speaking Cursillo Movement to penetrate and evangelize this community.

1.b: Spanish leader brought onto Secretariat for consistency and direction.

2) Further develop the Pre-Cursillo section and team. Develop a set of tools such as standard letters to assist sponsors and candidates prepare

3) Formation of Pre-Cursillo. Start with Cursillo leaders then team members then entire Cursillo community.

3.a: CLW 1 & 2 workshops conducted by Region 8 Service Team

3.b: Other formation opportunities as they present themselves

4) Communicate roles and responsibilities of sponsors.

4.a Send letters to all sponsors informing and reminding them of their function and responsibilities

4.b Establish in each parish a local mentor for sponsors to support and assist sponsors

5) Develop communication letters to candidates and sponsors prior to a Cursillo 3-Day Weekend.

6) Pre-Cursillo section head and/or member of Pre-Cursillo team will provide an update at School of Leader meetings and Secretariat meetings.

The Three-Day Cursillo Weekend

The Three-Day Cursillo Weekend

Purpose

1. To continue the education and training of the candidates in order for them to become evangelizers

2. To change each person from within, or bring about the renewal of mind and spirit

3. To help people to discover and fulfill their personal vocations

4. To provide a transition from the Pre-Cursillo to the Post-Cursillo

The Three-Day Cursillo Weekend

Objectives

1. To provide an atmosphere that is conducive to the “metanoia” experience necessary to develop Christian evangelizers, utilizing the new 3-Day Manual and other pertinent literature.

2. To provide each individual with the tools and the method to fulfill their baptismal responsibilities as well as an opportunity to fulfill their role as laity set forth by Vatican II and to share an awareness of a personal relationship with Christ.

3. To further enhance the candidates’ understanding and application of Post-Cursillo tools of Group Reunion and Ultreya, which will assist them in the Christian transformation of their environments.

The Three-Day Cursillo Weekend

Recommendations

1. The Cursillo Movement will follow the guidelines in the 3-Day Manual.

1.a: The 3-Day Weekend section will compare existing weekend schedules and content/activities with recommended schedules and content/activities and make a recommendation on any changes to move toward a more authentic Cursillo weekend.

2. The Team Coordinators and the Core Team (rollistas/table ministers) will be living an authentic Fourth Day by regularly attending Ultreyas and a member of a small friendship group.

2.a: The Team Coordinators and the Core Team should also be attending the School of Leaders on a regular basis, so that they are properly formed in the Cursillo Method, properly formed in the proper content of all of the Rollos for the weekend, and properly formed in the format of an authentic Cursillo 3-Day Weekend.

3. The 3-Day Weekend team will establish and maintain an organized inventory of all supplies necessary for a weekend at the Cursillo retreat center.

3.a: A storage room at St. John the Evangelist Church in McAlester will be the storage area for all of the supplies for the weekend and will be kept organized and stored in proper containers.

3.b: An inventory will be conducted by each Team Ministry Head at the conclusion of each 3-Day Weekend and it will be turned in to the 3-Day Weekend Section Heads.

4. Formation of the 3-Day Weekend. Start with Cursillo leaders, then team members, and then the entire Cursillo community.

4.a: Conduct training at the School of Leaders and at Team Meetings.

4.b: Give Training Tapes (from National Encounter) to Coordinators and Assistant Coordinators to form them in how to choose their Team and how to conduct an authentic 3-Day Weekend, so they can form their Team at their Team Meetings and during the weekend.

4.c: CLW 1 & 2 workshops conducted by Regional 8 Service Team will be conducted for Cursillo Leaders and all interested Cursillistas.

5. The 3-Day Weekend team will provide the Team Coordinator and each Team Ministry Head with all necessary formation (tapes, books, Cursillo literature, etc.), instructions, information, and files needed to conduct the weekend, including the Weekend Schedule and Candidate Application, modified for the upcoming 3-Day Weekend, and the Weekend Roster that will be used to update the Cursillo Database after the weekend.

Post-Cursillo

Post-Cursillo

Purpose

1. To provide the opportunity and necessary tools to allow Christians to accomplish what is required of them by virtue of baptism.

2. To pursue in greater depth the relationships discovered, initiated, or deepened during the Cursillo weekend, those relationships known as “the four encounters” – the encounters with oneself, with God, with the community, and with the world.

3. To facilitate the penetration and transformation of environments through and for Christ.

4. To nurture the Cursillistas in persevering while living out their Fourth Day.

Post-Cursillo

Objectives

1. To bring about the Christian transformation of each Cursillista and the environments to which they belong using Christian community and the method of the tripod (Holiness, Formation and Evangelization). [what is fundamental for Christian Living]

2. To provide each Cursillista with a means of ongoing support and perseverance.

3. Support Cursillistas to find their own unique positions in the Church and in the world (their own environments) where they can fulfill their Christian life.

Post-Cursillo

Recommendations

1. Establish and develop vibrant community through Ultreyas.

1.a. Sustain and develop existing Ultreyas at:

· St. Mary’s on first Friday of the month

· St. Benedict’s on third Friday of the month

· Muskogee

· McAlester

· Idabel

1.b. Provide assistance and prayer for the development of new Ultreyas located in Cushing and other communities that can sustain a vibrant Ultreya with spiritual direction.

1.c. Review of Ultreyas (Grand and Regular) with School of Leaders to evaluate recommendations for improvement.

1.d. Develop an Ultreya Team comprised of the Post-Cursillo team, representatives of small friendship groups, Cursillo Leaders, and Spiritual Director to plan Ultreyas and conduct personal contact during Ultreyas to support and help the Cursillista in forming or joining a small friendship group.

1.e. Hold Ultreya Team Meetings (as needed) to select Witnesses, select Scripture themes, and help distribute Ultreya duties (Greeters, Refreshments, Babysitting, Music, Clean up, etc).

2. Focus on the formation of more small friendship groups in the diocese to support the individual conversion process and evangelization efforts.

2.a. Maintain a database of existing groups including group location, time, members, and contact person.

2.b. Support of 3-Day weekend and transition into 4th day.

3.a. Follow-up communication with new Cursillistas to invite to Grand Ultreya and encourage belonging to a small friendship group.

3.b. Follow-up communication to Table Ministers for assisting new Cursillistas in their fourth day.

3.c. Follow-up communication to Sponsors for assisting new Cursillistas in their forth day.

4. Formation of Post-Cursillo. Start with Cursillo leaders then team members then entire Cursillo community.

4.a. CLW 1 & 2 workshops conducted by Region 8 Service Team.

Ultreya Magazine Living Faith subscriptions.

5.a. Provide a 6-month subscription to new Cursillistas after weekends.

School of Leaders

School of Leaders

Purpose

1. To maintain the effectiveness of the Cursillo Movement in the Tulsa diocese.

2. To provide ongoing education, training and spiritual growth for the leaders of the Cursillo Movement.

3. To intensify the living of what is fundamental to being a Christian – in each one of its members, in the Movement as a whole, an in the environments where the members live and work and have leadership influence.

School of Leaders

Objectives

1. To provide a gathering of Christians who have set out in search of Holiness and who are finding their way by following and imitating their one and only Teacher: Christ.

2. To provide a community of Christians whom, united in the atmosphere of a Group Reunion, seek every day to become more centered, more committed, and more united.

3. To provide a response to “the call to growth and continual process of maturation, of always bearing much fruit”.

4. To strive to have members possess one mentality.

School of Leaders

Recommendations

1. The Movement will conduct regular School of Leaders meetings within the Diocese.

1.a: Today, the SOL meets the first Thursday of month at St. Benedict’s Church. The Movement will evaluate frequency of meetings and the need to start satellite schools with the diocese.

2. The Movement will follow the recommended format for SOL and will implement “Programming a School of Leaders” for content, formation and consistency.

2.a: Leaders Prayer, Reunion, Doctrinal talk, Technique talk, reports from Precursillo, 3 Day and Postcursillo section heads and team efforts.

3. The Secretariat will make arrangements with the Region 8 Service Team to conduct Cursillo Leaders Workshop I &2 to enhance formation of SOL and Cursillo community in general.

3.a: Dates will be set. If possible, we will explore the possibility of joint workshops with OKC movement to maximize efforts and expenses of Region 8 service team.

4. The SOL will arrange retreats for spiritual direction, community building and formation.

4.a: Leaders retreat held in June 2001. Dates will be set for future retreats and make arrangements with spiritual advisors and use to both recruit new leaders but also provide formation to the community about the Cursillo movement, it’s method, purpose and strategy.

4b. SOL will schedule a “Fourth Day retreat for entire Cursillo community once per year.

5. The SOL will work hand in hand with the Secretariat to continuously strive toward an authentic Cursillo Movement as directed by National Secretariat and implement the recommendations of the Diocesan Pastoral Plan.

5. a: The SOL will identify environments within the diocese and apply the Cursillo method to penetrate and evangelize.

Spirituality

Spirituality

Purpose

1. To foster growth in our capacity to live in, with and through Christ.

Spirituality

Objective

1. To nurture a desire for a person to seek his/her own form of spirituality among the many available, since the Cursillo Movement does not adopt a specific form of spirituality.

Spirituality

Recommendations

1. There will be a spiritual advisor present when possible at Ultreyas to provide an opportunity for spiritual direction to Cursillistas.

1.a: Spiritual direction will be part of format for all Ultreyas.

2. A retreat for spiritual direction, formation and community development will be scheduled for entire Cursillo community.

2.a: Dates, content and recommendations will be the responsibility of the School of Leaders.

3. Strive toward the majority if not the entire community united in prayer and palanca for the effectiveness of the Cursillo movement.

Communication

Communication

Purpose

1. To effectively communicate the mission, vision, strategy, activities and needs of the Cursillo Movement.

Communication

Objective

1. To provide a consistent, effective and authentic message to the public about Cursillo and a means to communicate with the Cursillo community in the Tulsa Diocese.

Communication

Recommendations

1. Media

2. Eastern Oklahoma Catholic publication (EOC)

3. Website/Internet

4. Parish bulletins

5. Newsletters (Summer/Winter issues)

6. Email (including Prayer Requests)

7. Increase Ultreya Magazine subscriptions

Financial

Financial

Purpose

1. To provide financial stability for the Cursillo Movement in the Tulsa Diocese.

Financial

Objective

1. To have the funds necessary to accomplish our goals.

Financial

Recommendations

1. The Treasurer of the Secretariat will provide a financial statement of the Cursillo Movement and present at Secretariat meetings.

1.a: A detail summary will be provided by Treasurer to evaluate and make prudent decisions regarding the funds held by the Movement.

1.b: The movement will remain a self-supported and fiscally responsible group within the diocese.

2.c: The movement will provide support to the TEC (together encounter Christ) group.

1.d: The movement will support St. John’s church to provide proper maintenance of Cursillo facilities.

2. The Secretariat will support all Diocesan and National policies and programs regarding financial practices.

2.a: The Secretariat will explore the funding necessary to build and maintain a Diocesan Cursillo Retreat Center in the future.