By Tim Crow

Twenty members of the Atlanta Cursillo movement journeyed to Orlando, Fla., last week for a regional reunion (called an “Ultreya”) attended by 150 representatives from Georgia, Florida, Alabama and the Carolinas.

Father Richard Kieran, spiritual director of the Cursillo movement here and a member of the regional secretariat, led the Atlanta contingent and gave an address to the delegates on the “urgency of renewal.”

In his talk Father Kieran scored the “lukewarm quality of the majority of parishes and dioceses today.”

“The church stands on crumbling foundations instead of on the bedrock of saving faith.”

Father Kieran then called for a spiritual renewal of the church and a re-dedication to its mission of leading men to salvation.

In demonstrating the effectiveness that a handful of renewal-minded people can have, Father Kieran spoke of recent developments in Monroe, Ga.: “A renewal has taken place in Monroe because of the vision of one couple. Before there was a parish in Monroe, when the priest visited once a week, this couple dedicated themselves to building a genuine Christian Catholic community there. They saw to it that leaders in the community were renewed in their relationship with God. Today 50 percent of the Catholic families in Monroe are deeply committed to living for God. They have gathered the others into a wonderful Christian community.”

Father Kieran then stressed the role of the Cursillo movement in Catholic Church renewal. “The genius of the Cursillo movement is that it offers a proven strategy for renewal,” he said.

The three-day ultreya featured prayer sessions, seminars with national Cursillo leaders, small-group meetings and entertainment by the 80 members of “Life Unlimited,” an Orlando youth group who sang, danced and shared religious experiences with the delegates.

The principal concelebrant of the closing liturgy was Bishop William Borders of Orlando, region spiritual director.

Father Kieran and Bob Dotson of Atlanta were appointed to a regional working group of representatives.