INTRODUCTION

The Vatican ll Council made it clear that evangelization was an important role for the Church. This subject has taken a prominent place in today’s Church, both for theological reflection, and for implementation of pastoral plans at all levels[1].

A very significant precedent must be highlighted —for its opportunity and later influence— in the Synod of Bishops of 1974 joined to the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi offered by Paul VI. It may be considered that the concept of evangelisation can be considered officially enshrined at this Synod[2].

Currently, the word evangelisation is referred to as “new”. Fernando Sebastian[3] compiled a brief and recent history of the concept new evangelization, which John Paul II minted and began to spread from 9/3/1983 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in a speech to CELAM. Since then this subject has been frequently treated in the Ordinary Magisterium of the Pope, in speeches to bishops from all five continents, as well as in his continuous journeys. The Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles Laici[4] provided a wider and deeper analysis of the new evangelization concept. Finally, the Encyclical Redemptoris Missio constituted the last significant landmark, published to coincide with the  XXV anniversary of the promulgation of the Decree Ad Gentes of Vatican II and fifteen years later the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi.

Apart from this recent history, we might ask whether there were any activities within the Church that had an evangelising purpose. That is indeed the case. I have found it very interesting to follow the background and the initial steps of a Movement, which since its birth had, as its fundamental intuition, the evangelising dimension of the Church.

It is born in Mallorca in January 1949, in religious circumstances accurately described by Monsignor Capmany:

At a historic moment in which apparently there did not seem to be problems of faith in Spain, because everyone manifested themselves as believers, the Cursillo Movement sensed that the basic problem of a Christianity that was not working as a unified force. The problem was the lack of a genuine acceptance of the basic proclamation of faith: an acceptance with clear perception of what constitutes the core of Christian faith, and therefore a clear response to the interpellation of the great event of Jesus Redeemer, and with deep experiences of acceptance and fundamental response[5].

The goal of this work was to cover the history of the preparation and the birth of the first Cursillo of Christianity and to discern whether Cursillo was truly an evangelising Movement. Likewise, we also planned to delve deeply into the doctrinal thinking of the Cursillo in its beginnings with the object of carrying out a theological description of the same, highlighting the key points of its doctrinal approach and providing a critical assessment of its contents.

The work consists of two well distinct parts. First, we studied the brief history of the genesis of the Cursillo. This study involved an analysis of the environments of the 1940s in Spain and Mallorca, together with a description of the recent background, the favourable circumstances, the pilgrimage to Santiago and the birth of the Cursillo. Finally, we considered whether it was an evangelising Movement. Second, we undertook a theological description of Cursillo, analysing its doctrinal foundation, its means and technique, to arrive at the proper theological description followed by a critical appraisal. Lastly, we established some relevant conclusions.

Now, I wish to thank Monsignor Sebastián Gayà for his always cordial counselling and for the material of incalculable value with which he has provided me; Monsignor Josep Capmany Casamitjana for his interest and support expressed; and finally, Dr. Josep Maria Rovira Belloso for agreeing to lead this work; for his constant encouragement and appreciation of its theological teaching.

 

Cerdanyola del Vallès, 25th July 1993


 

[1] As sample, suffice it to highlight the Congress on the evangelizing parish held in Madrid on 11, 12 and 13 November 1988 with its subsequent publication Evangelizing Parish, Madrid 1989; the Pla Pastoral de l´Arquebisbat of Barcelona [The pastoral plan of Barcelona’s archbishopric] 24/9/1992, focuses on evangelization as a priority; the international theological Congress held in Barcelona from 3rd  to 6th of May 1993 in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Faculty of theology of Catalonia, had as its theme: Mission and Incarnation. The Catalan Church and the challenge of its evangelizing work. The Provincial Council of Tarragona also has as one of its priority objectives the subject of evangelization and is thus perceived in the prior questionnaires being worked on in the Catalan Church.

[2] Cf. J. Guiteras, Evangelització [Evangelization], Barcelona 1985, pp. 85-148.

[3] Cf. F. Sebastián,  Nueva evangelization[New evangelization], Madrid 1991, pp. 18-21. From the literature provided by the author, we collect the following sample: Speech to CELAM, 9-III-1983, ASA 75 (1983-I) pp. 775-779; Speech to the faithful in Santo Domingo, 77 ASA (1985) pp. 354-361; Speech to Viedma, faithful 7-IV-1987, ASA 80 (1988-I) pp. 186-193; Homily in Salta, 8-IV-1987, ASA 80 (1988-I) pp. 193-200; Address to the General Council of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, 28-IV-1987, ASA 79 (1987-II) pp. 1320-1322; letter from the Pope to participants in the 15th General Assembly of religious people in Brazil, 11 July 1989; Address of the first session of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, 7-XII-1989, 82 ASA (1990) 763; The Ways of the Gospel. Letter from the Pope to Latin American religious people on the occasion of the V centenary of the evangelization of the new world (26-VII-1990); Letter to the Presidents of the Episcopal Conferences in Europe, 2-I-1986, ASA 78 (1986) pp. 454-457; Speech to the plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council for Culture 13-I-1986, 78 ASA (1986) pp. 655-658; Speech to the Bishops of Umbria, 19-IV-1986, ASA 78 (1986) pp. 1131-1137.

[4] Cf. Christifideles Laici nn. 34 and ss.

[5] J. Capmany, En la línea del kerigma[In line with the kerygma] in "Imágenes de la fe[Images of  faith]", n. 254, (1991) p. 5.

first session of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, 7-XII-1989, 82 ASA (1990) 763; The Ways of the Gospel. Letter from the Pope to Latin American religious people on the occasion of the V centenary of the evangelization of the new world (26-VII-1990); Letter to the Presidents of the Episcopal Conferences in Europe, 2-I-1986, ASA 78 (1986) pp. 454-457; Speech to the plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council for Culture 13-I-1986, 78 ASA (1986) pp. 655-658; Speech to the Bishops of Umbria, 19-IV-1986, ASA 78 (1986) pp. 1131-1137.,

4 Cf. Christifideles Laici nn. 34 and ss.

5 J. Capmany, En la línea del kerigma[In line with the kerygma] in "Imágenes de la fe[Images of  faith]", n. 254, (1991) p. 5.