Ultreya and Group Reunion
The Ultreya is the gathering of the Friendship Groups – the Reunion of the Group Reunions. The Groups and their members participate in it for the same reasons they go to the Friendship Group Reunions: to share what everybody and every Group lives. They do not go there to acquire knowledge nor to receive instructions.
If the purpose of the Ultreya were to be an educational or organizational one, it would not have the “universal” aspect that so clearly characterizes and defines it. If that were the case (i.e. educational and organizational) it would be better to divide into groups from similar professions, or environments or other defining characteristics. Instead, and consistent with what Cursillo has maintained from the very beginning, the aim is to simply provide the opportunity for each and everyone to share their experiences so as to sustain and motivate the pilgrim mentality of conversion. As such the larger and broader the structural base of the Ultreya is, the more effective and efficient it becomes.
The genuine Ultreya is one of the few places and occasions where the person who is in the process of conversion can really see that he can be the best without being better than the others. This unique and evangelical sensation can be attained by those who are becoming fully human and fully Christian. The Ultreya should show and prove, through its method and proper atmosphere that while a human can always become more fully human and more fully Christian, we can never become more than what we truly are, children of God.
To avoid the vital and essential character of the Ultreya from turning into mere fireworks, into a show rather than an abode, it is essential that it be supported and strengthened by a School of Leaders. The most important thing to keep in mind is that the primary and essential role of the School of Leaders is to support the Ultreya in their area. One of the main tasks of the School of Leaders is to ensure that the Ultreya is accomplishing its purpose. The Ultreya should be discussed by the leaders during the School sessions to determine if the person leading the Ultreya fulfilled their task, was the witness rollo what it should be, were the responses (echo) in keeping with the mentality, were the new Cursillistas there, did they seem comfortable, and what measures can be taken to improve the Ultreya? Instead of finding innovative things to introduce to ‘liven’ it up, the School of Leaders should study and discuss the different elements that are part of an authentic Ultreya and look for ways to improve those.
By cultivating and nurturing true interpersonal relationships, and the warmest of them all is friendship, within all of life’s circumstances or environments, we create the vertebrae and the ferment, or leavening, that is needed to move the Precursillo of today to the Postcursillo of tomorrow, when all things shall be restored to Christ and the Kingdom of God that is already amongst us will be revealed through friendship and love in all of its glory.
Copyright © 2009, National Cursillo Center. All rights reserved.
De Colores! ~ National Cursillo Website
