Last updated 23/11/2009

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ENDORSEMENTS

CURSILLO – What do our bishops say?

OXFORD DIOCESE

Bishop John:

Cursillo is one of God's secret gifts to his Church. It has a wonderful contribution to make in renewing faith and planting joy and gratitude at the heart of the Christian life. I do hope many will come and taste this bubbling spring water and help to re-energise the churches of our diocese.

EXTRACT FROM BISHOP JOHN’S LETTER TO CLERGY July 2009
Living Faith:   I am very glad that we are now beginning to roll out material to support the Living Faith vision and priorities.  Every benefice will have received leaflets, postcards, reminder cards, a DVD, posters and pens, etc.  The website is constantly updated on Living Faith-related people and ideas.  At the Archdeaconry evenings – 6th October in Dorchester Abbey – amongst other things there will be distributed a Bible Study guide and a self-managed Health Check for Churches.  Later there will be material to support the priority of Sustaining the Sacred Centre, ready for 2010.   I have been very encouraged by the number of parishes and deaneries who have said they have already found the diagram and priorities really helpful and have based their planning on the Living Faith framework.  Please remember that this is not prescriptive; it is simply a palette of colours for you to paint with.  All I maintain is that these colours are crucial and that if we use them well we will find the Kingdom growing in our midst.  And it starts with re-focusing on God.

Cursillo:  One “tool” for renewal that fits in very well with the Living Faith vision is Cursillo.  All your bishops have been on Cursillo weekends or are familiar and positive about its contribution to the enlivening of people’s faith.  It centres on a weekend of orthodox Christian teaching which is full of joy and surprises, and I have known it to be revolutionary in the Christian experience of many believers.  I have been part of Cursillo in three dioceses now and in every case have seen it bring people to life spiritually and in their commitment to their church.  If you want a well-tried, widely accepted route to personal renewal for people in your church I do recommend you contact Alison Shaw, Lay Director elect, on 01865 300615 or at lay.director@oxfordcursillo.co.uk and she will send you some material or arrange for presentations to be given in Churches, Chapters or Synods.  It is particularly good if clergy go on a weekend and then become natural ambassadors. Full details of the next Cursillo weekend are on this website..

Bishop Alan (Buckingham):

Lucy and I greatly enjoyed our Cursillo weekend, as an opportunity to focus practically on what being a Christian is really all about — following Jesus in prayer, community and faith in action. We were really impressed by the care that so many people we didn't even know had put into supporting us. You have to give yourself a chance and let yourself be part of the whole experience, and, if you do, the spiritual and personal rewards can be tremendous. I'd recommend it to anybody who really wants to go firm about their faith, and access classical Christian spiritual resources in community.

Bishop Colin (Dorchester):

I recently attended a Cursillo weekend and had a very good time. I was very conscious of and grateful for the prayer support that upheld the weekend, and I am glad to commend Cursillo warmly in the Dorchester Area and in the Diocese as a whole.

Bishop Stephen (Reading):

Cursillo has proved itself to be a marvellous way of renewing the life and vision of Christian people and thereby supporting the work of the church in its mission and ministry in the world. I’m delighted that Cursillo is coming to the Diocese of Oxford and believe it can make a big difference in the life of our parishes.

AND FURTHER AFIELD...

Rowan Williams - Archbishop of Canterbury:

Cursillo has been very powerfully used by God in the renewal of Christians and Christian communities of all styles and backgrounds.  I am deeply grateful for all that has been done through its work.

Idris Jones - Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church:

My own experience of Cursillo has been that it deepened my discipleship and strengthened my faith. As one of the many aids to renewal I commend Cursillo to the whole church and I am pleased to record the great benefit that Cursillo has brought to the Scottish Episcopal Church.

Barry Morgan - Archbishop of Wales:

Developing the Mission of the Church is always a priority.  To do this, individuals and parishes need to be challenged to grow in faith, to develop their individual vocations as ministers of the Gospel of Christ.  The right resources are crucial in helping them to do this.  The Cursillo Movement has, for over 50 years, been a leader in personal and parish spiritual development and makes an invaluable contribution to this work.  I warmly commend Cursillo to you.

John Sentamu - Archbishop of York:

Cursillo is about making disciples; it transforms people’s lives and empowers them for service.  Cursillo is active in most Dioceses of this Province, for which I praise God.

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