From the Rector…
Last week, I had the privilege of participating in The Best Cursillo Ever! At least… until the next one.
One of my favorite parts of Cursillo is the rollos—short talks offered by both clergy and laity on core Christian themes such as faith, piety, study, action, and community life. These talks are deeply personal, often filled with stories that are both intimate and inspirational. They remind us why we’re all on this journey together—and that we can only make it through life together.
Many of the stories shared glimpses into how the Body of Christ sustained and encouraged the speaker through times of struggle. We heard about tornadoes, family estrangement, and even the heartbreaking loss of a child. These stories were moving not only on a personal level, but also as reflections of Christ’s light and love. They left those of us listening feeling hopeful and connected.
That’s the beautiful truth about Cursillo: it works because people are willing to be vulnerable. They open their hearts in ways we don’t often experience at work, at home, or even at church. At Cursillo, people let their walls come down—even if they start rebuilding them once they get home.
Why is it easier to be vulnerable there? Because compassion, not judgment, is the starting point. People share from a place of compassion, and others listen with the same spirit. Instead of evaluating whether someone did the “right” thing, we remember that we’re all beloved children of God who want to be free from suffering, fear, and anger—and to live into joy and peace. When we hear each other’s stories from that place, it transforms how we see and engage with one another.
That kind of compassion can be hard to find outside the retreat setting. It takes intentional effort to lead a life grounded in compassion. Many of us believe we’re compassionate people—until the restaurant gets our order wrong or we’re stuck in a long pharmacy line. We make snap judgments and often offer little grace to change our opinion of others. Perhaps that’s because most of us don’t lead with compassion.
But when we do lead with compassion, everything changes. We become less defensive, more open. We stop defining people by how they differ from us and start noticing what connects us. We stop measuring others by success or failure and begin to see that, just like us, everyone wants to be free from suffering, and everyone longs for peace and joy.
To live from a place of compassion is to recognize our shared common humanity and to treat one another with the loving-kindness that God shows each of us. This kind of love delights in our very being—it lifts us up rather than tears us down. It takes practice and intentionality to center our lives on that kind of compassionate presence.
If you’d like to nurture that way of life, consider joining our upcoming Cultivating Compassion Class, held Wednesday evenings from 5:30–7:00 PM for six weeks starting June 18. For more information or to register for the class contact [email protected].
Light and Life,
Candice Frazer+