The Cursillos in Davao

THE CURSILLOS IN CHRISTIANITY IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF DAVAO 1964 – 2014

(compiled, researched and written by Bong Baldoza MC #188)

8 th of a series

In Davao, the Movement began to take hold on the 24th to the 27th of July 1964 when PME Fathers Rev. Rolland Hebert and Jean-Bernard Bazinet together with some laymen, Atty. Jose Libron and Mr. Benjamin Bautista of the then Prelature Nullius of Davao were invited by the late Msgr. Lino Gonzaga, DD., then Bishop of Palo, Leyte to participate in the First Cursillos in the then Prelature of Cotabato.   The said Cursillos was held at a Retreat House in Tamontaka, City of Cotabato.  

Arriving in Davao, these inspired men organized and recruited candidates for the first Cursillo in Davao.   Thus, with the Grace of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Cursillos In Christianity in the local Church of Davao started in September 17-20, 1964  with Men’s Cursillo No. 1 held at the Redemptorists, Mount St. Mary’s Monastery in Bajada, Davao City.   Bishop Lino Gonzaga, DD., is the Spiritual Director assisted by Fr. Rolland Hebert, PME., as the Assistant Spiritual Director.   The Rector is Atty. Ramon Torres with Atty. Jose O. Libron and Mr. Calixto Palma as the Vice Rectors while Fr. Jean-Bernard Bazinet, Mr. Jose Larraga, Mr. Benjamin Bautista and Atty. Flaviano Cainticas acted as Professors.

Men’s Cursillo No. 2 followed in November 27-30, 1964 held in the same venue with Fr. Rolland Hebert, PME., Spiritual Director and Bro. Jose Libron, Rector and first President of the Movement.  From then on until Men’s Cursillo No. 38, all Cursillos was held in Mt. St. Mary’s Monastery.  The rest of the Men’s Cursillos, starting Men’s Cursillo No. 39 was held at the MIC Cursillo & Retreat House.

In 1965, on the occcasion of the the First International Congress of the Cursillos In Christianity held in Cebu City during the Fourth Centennial of Christianity.   The then Prelature of Davao sent the biggest number of delegates headed by Fr. Rolland Hebert, PME., and Atty. Jose O. Libron.  There they met for the first time one of the founders of the Movement, Most Rev. Juan Hervas, DD., at that time Bishop of Ciudad Real, Spain.  And in June of 1966, Fr. Rolland Hebert, PME., participated in the Second World Congress of the Cursillos in Rome.

Seeing the conversion of the men who had undergone the Cursillos, several women, most of whom are wives of the those men, joined Women’s Cursillo No. 1 in 1967.   It was held at the MIC Cursillo & Retreat House at F. Torres Street, with Doña Aurora Aquino as the first rector.   And the rest is history.  From that time on until today Cursillo classes for men and women are held at the average of four classes per year. Now it is being held in different venues considering the cost of seminar and retreat facilities.   The latest Women’s Cursillo No. 161 was conducted on November 28, 2013 to December 1, 2013 at the Nazareth Retreat House in Ulas, while the latest Men’s Cursillo No. 206 held at the Mo. Ignacia Healing Center in Langub, Maa was conducted on August 22-25, 2013.  More are coming in the succeeding years.

And, in an effort to strengthen Cursillo leaders in the archdiocese in terms of ‘living Christ’ as individulas and being a community, and directing, supervising, promoting and regulating the Cursillo Movement, the School Of Leaders (SOL) and the Archdiocesan Secretariat of the Movement were institutionalized during the 48th Anniversary and Grand Ultreya in September 2012.   This was officially pronounced by Davao Archbishop himself, the Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D., when he launched the “GUIDELINES OF THE SCHOOL OF LEADERS AND OF THE SECRETARIAT IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF DAVAO”.

Obedient to the mandate of the Archbishop as enunciated in the “Guidelines”, the First Diocesan General Assembly was called and held at the PM Sister’s Retreat House, Catalunan Grande in November 2012.   35 attendees expressed willingness to be part of the School by writing a Letter of Commitment to the Movement addressed to the Spirirtual Director.  And in the following month, 25 of the 35 cursillistas who expressed their commitment were formally accepted as part of the Cursillo’s SOL.

September 22, 2013            , on the occasion of the 49th Anniversary & Grand Ultreya, the Golden Jubilee Celebration of the Movement’s existence in the Local Church of Davao was officially launched as per Circular Letter No. 25, series of 2013 of the Archbishop.  It declares September 22, 2013 to September 2014 as “Cursillo Golden Jubille Year” in the Archdiocese of Davao with the theme: “Living Christ: Yesterday… Today… Tomorrow…”.   The Secretariat decided that the culminating event will be on September 19-20, 2014.  Cursillistas from other arch/diocese/s will be invited to grace this momentous event.

Lessons In History

The existence of the Cursillo Movement  today is God’s grace and ways.  It is a product of leaders working as a team, not just of lay faithful but of the clergy as well,  – praying together, sharing their life in Christ together, and studied, planned, acted and evaluated what they had done together.  And together formed a community that dedicated themselves to the work of God.  It is a story how God loved and touched the lives of individuals and taught them as a community how to work for Him in an effective way, in a way that bears fruit. (e.g. John 15:1-10).