Constitution And By- Laws

CONSTITUTION AND BY- LAWS OF THE FILIPINO CURSILLO SECRETARIAT
IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF SAN FRANCISCO

PREAMBLE

Unity of purpose is essential if there is to be a courageous and total service of Jesus Christ through the Cursillo Movement. Individualism halts the advance of the Movement and in fact disintegrates it. The Secretariat unifies the Movement on all levels and indicates the path to be followed in essential matters of practical detail as indicated in the official literature. However, in all questions of importance it listens to the leaders before deciding what should or should not be done.

The members of the Leader's School will be in constant dialogue with the Secretariat. The members of the Secretariat for their part should recall that the Lord, Through His Bishop, has given them a most serious responsibility for the implimentation of the authentic Cursillo Movement in the Archdiocese of San Francisco, Conscious of each one's talents, it should coordinate individual contributions Into a total effort in support of the movement in all its phases - Pre-Cursillo, Cursillo and Post-Cursillo. Making decisions is a formidable charge for the Secretariat. All Cursillistas must support it by prayer and palanca, in guiding the Movement, the Secretariat must be watchful not to create subservience but to build up the whole Body of Christ. The Secretariat must determine the potential of the entire Diocesan Movement so that each person may be led to discover his individual potential and contribute to the building up of the Kingdom of God. This it should do so in love, at the same time demanding a just response from each leader.

The Secretariat should not be dictatorial but must view its authority as one of the service to the total Movement. It must remember that the Movement's direction has been entrusted to it by Christ through the bishop to whom it will have to give an account for this charge. The Secretariat, as a service unit, is not established to be served but to serve those who serve most and best, namely the leaders. In this sense, the Secretariat cannot be thought of except as a group reunion whose apostolic plan is the promotion of the Cursillo Movement itself, programmed and carried out with the Idea of the greatest service to all (Fundamental Ideas, Chap. VII).

Just as on the 3-Day Cursillo, priests bear the responsibility for spiritual guidance and laymen regulate its over-all functioning, so priests and lay members of the Secretariat will co-operate for furthering the aims and objectives of the Cursillo Movement as a whole. (Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity IV; Constitution on the Church IV).

ARTICLES

ARTICLE -I

FILIPINO SECRETARIAT

In the Archdiocese of San Francisco there shall be only one Filipino Secretariat of Cursillos in Christianity, which will be a functional and autonomous organism under immediate direction of the bishop and dependent upon him.

ARTICLE -II

AS A GROUP

As a group, the members of the Secretariat shall guide and coordinate all phases of the Cursillo Movement in the Archdiocese within the pastoral plan of the bishop.

ARTICLE -III-

MEMBERS

Members of the Secretariat shall be appointed by the Spiritual Director based on the names recommended by the members of the existing Secretariat. Only members of the Leaders' School shall be eligible for appointment. Appointments shall be for a 2-year term.

ARTICLE -IV-

LEADERS SCHOOL

The Leaders School is the cornerstone of the Cursillo Movement, the complement and extension of the Secretariat. The school will be its instrument for the realization of its work. The school will supply the Secretariat with teams of leaders technically and spiritually prepared that they may be the ferment of the Cursillo Movement in the Archdiocese, since it is on the leaders that the responsibility rests for vitalizing the group reunions and the Ultreyas the specific means of perseverance In the post Cursillo.

ARTICLE -V

OFFICERS

The Secretariat shall be composed of lay people and a priest advisor whose duties will be:

1. OFFICERS

There shall be a Lay Director, Treasurer and two Secretaries appointed by the Spiritual Director based on the names recommended by the members of the existing Secretariat.

A.

The Lay Director, in consultation with the Spiritual Advisor, will convoke, preside at, direct and prepare agendas for all meetings of the Secretariat. He will do everything possible to promote a spirit of unity not only among the members of the Secretariat but in leaders' school and throughout the whole Archdiocesan Cursillo Movement. He will see to it that each fellow member of the Secretariat fulfills his assigned duties. He will present an annual report and interim reports if necessary to the bishop in the name of the Secretariat. The Lay Director shall serve for two (2) years and for a serious reason may be re-elected for another term of office. He may not serve more than two (2) consecutive terms. The Lay Director shall also be the Director of Leaders' School.

B

The Treasurer shall handle the financial matters of the Cursillo Movement. He will do whatever is necessary to insure that the Movement is financially sound at all times and that local, regional and national financial obligations are met. He will see to it that required books, publications and other supplies, which are needed by the Movement, are ordered and are always available. The term of office shall be two (2) years.

C.

The two Secretaries designated as Recording Secretary and Communications Secretary respectively, whose functions will be interchangeable, will keep the minutes of all meetings and see to it that they are distributed promptly, at least one (1) week before the next scheduled meeting, to all who should receive them. He will see to it that mailing lists are up-to-date and assume responsibility for all mailings sent out by the Secretariat. They will publish the Newsletter quarterly and will perform other duties usually connected with this office. The term of office shall be two (2) years.

2.

There shall be at least one representative for each of the three phases of the Movement.

A.

The Pre-Cursillo Representative shall study and propose to the Secretariat the plan of establishment and extension of the Cursillos in the Archdiocese; maintain a file of all applications; assist all leaders in implementing the Pre-Cursillo phase of the Movement according to the official literature

B.

The Cursillo Proper Representative shall present to the Secretariat names of prospective rectors; help all leaders to carryout perfectly all that is required on the 3-Day Cursillo according to the official literature.

C.

The Post-Cursillo Representative shall for the benefit of all Cursillistas promote essential means of perseverance (group reunion and ultreya) and establish fundamental standards for managing the same according to the official literature; work with the Secretaries, publish or distribute pertinent material for the information and orientation of the Cursillistas; gather the necessary statistical data to supply for the Secretariat opportune information concerning the progress of the Movement in the Archdiocese.

3.

Other persons may be added to the secretariat as deemed necessary so that it may accomplish its task of guiding and serving the Cursillo Movement in the Archdiocese.

4.

A priest spiritual advisor shall be appointed by the Bishop. In addition to the general responsibility for the whole Cursillo Movement which he shares with the other members of the Secretariat, it will be his specific responsibility to provide for the apostolic formation of the leaders, to advise the Movement in spiritual matters and to secure the service of the priest to work in the various phases of the Movement in their capacity as spiritual advisors.

ARTICLE -VI

LIAISON

Liaison shall be established and maintained with the National and Regional Secretariats which bodies shall be supported by the. . Cursillo Movement, both spiritually by way of prayer and palanca and materially, by way of financial contributions to the degree required.

ARTICLE -VII

IMPLEMENT

The Secretariat shall implement the cursillo movement in the Archdiocese of San Francisco according to that which is essential and fundamental as outlined in the official literature of the Movement

ARTICLE -VIII

GROUP REUNION

Since the Secretariat is itself a group reunion there shall be sharing of piety, study and moment closest to Christ on the part of each member at every Secretariat meeting.

ARTICLE -IX-

CONTINUUM

In order to insure continuity on the Secretariat, upon official implementation of these By-laws, the initial term of office shall be as follows: the Lay Director, Secretary, Treasurer, Pre-Cursillo, Cursillo Proper and Post Cursillo representatives shall serve for three (3) years. All subsequent appointees shall serve for two (2) years.

ARTICLE -X

AMENDMENTS

Amendments to these By-laws maybe proposed by any member of the Secretariat and may be made, subject to the approval of the Bishop, at its regular meeting by two-thirds majority vote of the entire Secretariat provided the proposed amendment has been submitted to the Secretariat at least one month In advance of the meeting at which the proposed amendment is to be discussed and voted upon.