The Region XI Spring Encounter was held in Fresno on May 3-5, 2019. Over 200 Cursillistas from the different ethnic groups of Region XI, including 3 representatives from Hawaii, attended the conference. Representing the Filipino Cursillo Movement of San Diego were 16 brothers and sisters; and I was fortunate to be one of them.
The Encounter opened early evening on Friday, May 3rd, and ended around noon on Sunday, May 5th. The main topic of the Encounter was the “Step by Step Rector’s Guide by Eduardo Bonnin Aguillo”. The workshop presented the way to conduct the Three Day Cursillo weekend based on the original notes of Eduardo in Spanish. Emphasized at the day-long workshop on Saturday, May 4th, was nothing new is being introduced. What may seem “new” are things that were not clearly captured when the notes on the Three Day Cursillo weekend were translated from Spanish to English. Somehow these things that were lost in translation remained undiscovered all these years. Another point explained by the presenters of the workshop is the new translation in English is now being introduced to the Cursillo Movement worldwide. Not only here in the United States of America, but in all countries where the Cursillo Movement exists. It was reported that Canada started implementing the prescribed changes to the Cursillo Weekend a year ago.
More than the workshop what made the Conference meaningful to me was seeing and inter-acting with Cursillistas in Region XI. Brothers and sisters from the English, Hispanic, Vietnamese and Filipino Cursillo groups of the different dioceses of California and Hawaii descended at the conference facilities of the Diocese of Fresno. Their positive energy struck me as soon as I entered the Chapel of St. Anne on Friday evening for the opening prayers and talks. I felt and absorbed their energy as I looked around. From the chapel we were ushered to the dining hall/conference hall for group reunion. I was blessed to have shared with a Hispanic brother from Los Angeles and a Vietnamese brother from San Jose. It was pure joy to hear how they are living their Catholic faith. As I told these two brothers, I like attending events like this Encounter because hearing from Cursillistas like them give me inspiration and hope to continue striving to live an authentic Christian life.
I pray for God’s grace to be able to attend future Region XI encounters.
By Brother Nelson Salazar