We recently experienced a wonderful, uplifting event where Cursillistas prepared and served dinner to about 100 young men, ages 18 to 21, at St. John Vianney minor seminary. We attended mass with the seminarians, served dinner, then gave a short talk about

Cursillo with witnessing by Cursillistas including what Cursillo has meant in their lives and sharing an example of Piety, Study, and Action that they did in their small group. The seminarians asked many practical questions and Father Becker explained how important Cursillo can be to charge up and deepen the faith life of a parish.

Afterwards, many seminarians spent time talking to several of us about people they know -- parents, grandparents, etc. that are Cursillistas and how important Cursillo was to them. Some expressed an interest in making a weekend in the near future. Father Becker requested an email invitation from us he would endorse and send to the seminarians. You may be asked to sponsor a wonderful young seminarian. What a holy and humbling experience!

This Pre-Cursillo event is a great example of reaching out to make new friends. We were immediately blessed by the seminarians’ presence and the presence of the Holy Spirit in the Cursillista witnessing. This is fertile ground. Most times, making new friends is a much longer process with less immediate feedback. But even here, we have been serving dinner as a group for a few years before this most receptive experience. We are called to make friends where we are planted, and it requires a conscious effort to engage someone in a welcoming way, usually several times to deepen the friendship, before you could effectively discuss Cursillo. A holy and humbling experience…..

If you and your group are following the grouping card, you know the action section is about bringing people closer to Christ. The Cursillo method does this through friendship. A friend of ours recently told us about making a new friend and inviting her to small group reunion. The sharing of piety, study, and action became apostolic action in sharing Christ with this new friend, all before the new friend made a weekend. In other words, both “make” and “be”, before “bring”. Holy and humbling.

Consider making time to come to School of Leaders in June where we will explore grouping and focus on the action part of grouping. Everyone has lots to share on piety and study. We are good at spotting close moments, listing our visits to chapel and extra masses, and sharing a bit about our bible study, or how a recent daily reading touched our lives. But how are we doing in reaching out to make and be friends as part of our action plan?

God bless you friends!

Larry & Jeanne Bendzinski