by Father Pedro Angucho
On June 20, with great joy and a spirit of Christian fellowship, more than 1,400 people gathered at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, to participate in the annual Movimiento de Cursillos de Cristiandad Region I Outdoor Ultreya Pilgrimage.
The day brought together Cursillistas and non-Cursillistas from over 35 parishes in the Diocese of Brooklyn — including families, youth, and friends — who answered the call to experience a day of encounter, prayer, and fellowship centered on Christ.
The program began with the recitation of the holy rosary, followed by the opportunity to receive the sacrament of reconciliation.
Afterward, participants celebrated Mass together, renewing their faith and their commitment to living out the Gospel in their daily lives.
During the Ultreya, participants shared testimonies and faith experiences, finding the encouragement needed to persevere in their Christian journey during the “Fourth Day.”
“I feel right at home because I am with the heart of the Diocese of Brooklyn — the Movimiento de Cursillos de Cristiandad of Brooklyn and Queens,” said the recently retired Msgr. Sean Ogle, former vicar for clergy and consecrated life in the Diocese of Brooklyn, who celebrated the Mass.
In her Charla (Ultreya Talk) titled “Charism and Mission,” Guadalupe Roldan, who attended Cursillo #677 in 2014 as a parishioner of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Astoria, shared the following: “The charism of the Cursillo movement is to proclaim God’s love and to form Christians who are conscious, convinced, and committed, evangelizing their environments.”
For the first time at the Ultreya de Campo (Outdoor Ultreya), I shared a special message with the Cursillistas, telling them that “the movement’s strategy is not merely to organize retreats; rather, it is to form Christians who are convinced and committed — aware of their baptismal vocation — so that they may be leaven for the Gospel in this world.”
I told everyone that I hope the Ultreya “helps us renew our mission, strengthen our evangelization strategy, and seek apostolic tactics to respond faithfully to the charism we have received.”
I concluded by noting that the charism reminds us who we are, the mission reminds us why we exist, and hope reminds us where we are heading: “Ultreya means Onward! Christ is counting on you, and I am counting on his grace! ¡De Colores!”
Beyond the numbers, the gathering reflected the essence of the movement’s charism: fostering personal encounters with Jesus Christ and nurturing vibrant faith communities where authentic friendship becomes an instrument of evangelization.
At the conclusion of the gathering, the pilgrims returned home spiritually strengthened, carrying with them the commitment to continue bearing witness to God’s love in their families, parishes, workplaces, and communities.
I am thankful for the participants, deacons, and priests who made this day of grace and ecclesial communion possible.
¡De Colores!
Father Pedro Angucho is the spiritual director of the Movimiento de Cursillos de Cristiandad.