Make a friend, Be a friend, Bring a friend to Christ!!!
On behalf of Jesus and us disciples, thank you for bringing a friend to Christ. It is so important during these times for everyone to develop a personal relationship with Christ and to maintain it on a daily basis.
Cursillo Information Form
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Preparing to be a Sponsor
Most of us come home from an amazing Cursillo, full of enthusiasm, believing everyone we know should make a Cursillo! What next, we ask? As new Cursillistas, it’s important to balance our enthusiasm with the wisdom and experience of a co-sponsor. Become familiar with the responsibilities of sponsorship by referring to the Sponsorship Information Sheet found on our website www.jesusinflorida.com
Sponsorship lasts a lifetime, not just for the duration of the Cursillo Weekend. When you sponsor, you are making a commitment to shepherd a candidate. It’s just as important to prepare yourself as it is to prepare your candidate. Start with prayer.
God calls people to Cursillo; we are His messengers. Potential candidates should be at least 21 years of age and no older than 75 years of age. These ages are a guideline. Most importantly they must believe in God and in His Son, Jesus, because Cursillo is not a conversion experience. Potential candidates do not need to attend church regularly, but it helps if they are open to the idea. They should be aware that Cursillo is a Sacramental Weekend. Ask God for guidance and discernment in identifying potential candidates. A list of names is a great idea.
Consider what’s going on in the lives of potential candidates. Have they experienced the death of a loved one, a divorce, a medical crisis or a period of intense stress within the past year? These situations should be worked through before attending a Cursillo Weekend. Save these names for a later time. What type of family support will a candidate need to be able to attend? Are you able to provide that support? It could be as simple of house sitting, baby-sitting, caring for pet etc.
When considering a couple for Cursillo, it’s customary for the man to attend first. Cursillo can be a life-changing experience; its impact on the sacrament of marriage should be carefully considered. Cursillo can strengthen a marriage when both partners attend and this is recommended. Only one of the spouses attending without the other can have an impact on the marriage because one will grow to a different level with Christ and the excitement of this Cursillo experience would not be shared with the other. Be wary of sponsoring someone you do not know. If you are not acquainted with your candidate’s spouse see if there is another Cursillista that does know them and could serve as their sponsor. Otherwise, take the time to make a friend, be a friend and bring that friend to Christ as their sponsor. Invite the couple to coffee and discuss their beliefs.
Keep praying! Ask God for the opportunity to speak with a potential candidate and to open their heart to the possibility of attending Cursillo. Always speak to your Pastor or your candidate’s Pastor about their attending a Cursillo before speaking to the candidate. They seem to know things about individuals that you may not know and something that may be an obstacle to them attending a Cursillo. Enlist the help of your brothers and sisters in Christ. There may be someone better acquainted with the potential candidate who can mention and recommend Cursillo. Personal contacts are usually best—the telephone is the least effective way to introducing the topic of Cursillo. Expect that it’s going to take some time and repeated exposure to the idea before a person accepts the invitation to apply to attend a Cursillo Weekend. Always go easy; do not nag. Remember you invite and the Holy Spirit is the one that gets them there.
Get to know your potential candidate; make a friend, be a friend and bring that friend to Christ. During casual conversation, as if they have ever heard of Cursillo, and give a brief description of its purpose. You may even want to print out our flyer found on our website www.jesusinflorida.com That is often enough for a first exposure to the idea. Let their response determine your course of action. Be willing to wait if they need time to think about it. DO NOT PRESSURE them. Engage in future conversations when you don’t even mention Cursillo so that the person doesn’t feel stalked.
KEEP PRAYING! When you do extend the invitation (after speaking to your or their pastor), don’t attempt to control the response. If you receive a “no”, respect it. Whatever the outcome, relax. You’ve done your part by planting the seed. Remember God is in Control and His timing is best!
Sponsor Application Form
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