Mirrored after the intimate faith communities of the early Christians, members of the  Cursillo movement seek a closer relationship with Christ by encouraging each other to be witnesses of Gospel values, said Peter Roth, the lay director of the diocesan chapter of Cursillo.
The lay ecclesial movement builds friendships and community to grow in faith and bring others to Christ. After attending a three-day Cursillo retreat, participants gather weekly in small groups to encourage each other to strive to grow in holiness and courageously live out their faith.
The members help each other deepen their spiritual life through the discussion of piety, by taking action, and through study to “form our minds so that we become more educated about the Church and God, and to bring about the Kingdom of God in our environment,” Roth said.
The mission of the three-day retreat, in a sense, continues with weekly group reunions that afford members the opportunity to pray, discuss faith matters and examine how they are evangelizing the world. The groups are small, ranging from two members to about 10, said Roth.
The idea of community is integral to the movement and to the Christian life, said Roth. When he joined the movement in 1984, he “realized that evangelization is not just for someone to do alone, but with friends,” he said, noting that Jesus sent out His disciples two by two.
During their weekly discussions, members often ask themselves, “How do I spread the Gospel to others and bring them closer to Christ?” said Roth.
For Rob Doerschner, being a member of the Cursillo movement gives him a sense of accountability because every week he shares his “daily faith journey” with the two other members of his small group. It gives him the opportunity to reflect on his week and contemplate the ways he has “tried to be Christ-like and how Christ has been present to me.” Doerschner, a parishioner of St. Mary of Sorrows in Fairfax, has looked forward to the weekly meetings since he went on his Cursillo retreat in 1984.
“It’s not a one time thing,” he said. Rather, “it’s a journey of continuing conversion,” and the weekly reunions help him on that path. “It’s a spiritual shot in the arm.”
The lay movement originated in Mallorca, Spain in 1939, by a group of young men inspired by the Holy Spirit and under the guidance of their bishop. They started the Cursillos de Cristiandad, which means courses in Christianity. The movement spread through Europe and gradually to other parts of the world. Cursillo made its way to the United States, and the diocese of Arlington formed a chapter in the ’60s.
Last Saturday, members of Cursillo from around the diocese gathered for an ultreya — a Spanish word of encouragement — for an evening of prayer, a guest speaker and fellowship.
In essence, the movement encourages its members to live the faith and know that there are others who are striving for sanctity, and that “We’re not in this alone,” said Roth, a member of St. John Neumann Church in Reston.
Before joining Cursillo, Jack Finnerty was a “one hour a week” Catholic, who attended Mass on Sundays and carried on with his life without God for the rest of his week, he said.
Finnerty had a non-existent prayer life. He never read the Bible or even picked up a spiritual book. Since joining the movement, Finnerty has become a daily communicant, and has an active prayer life. His weeks include bringing Jesus in the Eucharist to those who are homebound and cannot attend Mass. He has grown closer to Christ through his involvement with Cursillo, he said.
After being away from the Church for 35 years, Melanie Rigny eventually found her way back to her faith through the witness and example of devout friends. When she made the decision to return she realized there were many “holes” in her faith. Although her heart was in it, she did not fully comprehend the faith, she said. However, that has changed exponentially since joining Cursillo less than a year ago, said Rigny, a parishioner at St. Charles Borromeo in Arlington.
“I have a whole new flavor and depth to my faith,” she said. Through studying the faith and being able to ask questions many of those “holes” have been filled. The weekly reunion groups, which Rigny refers to as prayer groups, have given her a sense of calm in her soul. “It taught me a lot about the power of prayer”
Learning from the members of her small group has been “inspirational,” she said, especially how they each live their faith in their respective lives. Regardless of age or background, Rigny said, “all of our differences melt away when we are talking about our moments closest to Christ during the week.” Through the Cursillo movement, she is able to know and experience that “we are one in the spirit.”
The upcoming Cursillo retreat weekends will be held for men on Sept. 6-9, and for women on Oct.11-14. For more information call 703/283-4603.

Henrietta Gomes can be reached at hgomes@catholicherald.com .

(c) Copyright 2007 by Arlington Catholic Herald