Christ is the cornerstone of the Cursillo weekend, the basic, essential foundation on which the whole purpose and structure are built. The rollos are the building blocks. And love is the cement. The three days can be briefly summarized: Friday—The Day of Call to Grace; Saturday—The Day of Call to Christian Leadership, and Sunday—The Day of Instruction in the Cursillo Method. On Friday the candidates are asked to examine their lives, all the little goals they’ve set for themselves, and to see if, when pasted all together, they reflect back to the Candidates the image of people truly living out a Christian ideal. They’re told that God is calling them to a life of Grace, a life of Piety, a life in real communion with Christ. The first day is one of self-examination and of a call to live the Christian life in a deeper, more conscious, more effective way. It’s the day of idealism.
Saturday is the day of challenge. Candidates are asked to observe and analyze the actions of their in the light of Christian awareness. They’re told that we’re all called to leadership in building Christ’s kingdom in earth, and that the only way to find the wisdom, courage and strength to be effective Christian leaders is to immerse ourselves in the sacraments and in prayer. In other words, on the second day, candidates are challenged to commit themselves to listening for and to answering Christ’s call. It’s the day of dedication.
Sunday is the Day of Instruction. It is the day when the Cursillo method is carefully explained. Candidates are invited to broaden their view of the environment and to consider the effect we can have not just as individuals but as Christian Community. We can and will make a difference. We can and will Christianize the whole world. Sunday is the day of commitment.
Not only is each of the three days important in its own way, each of the Rollos has a special purpose within that day. Each day has three lay talks, and they follow a specific pattern. The first Rollo of each day appeals to the intellect; it provides the information around which the day will be structured. The second lay Rollo of the day appeals to the will; it provides story-examples of how the challenges can be met. The third lay Rollo of each day appeals to the heart; it focuses on personal witness. If you understand the plan for development of the weekend, you see how important it is that every Rollo provide the information and inspiration it was designed to offer—and how important it is not to waste time doing what another Rollo is designed to do.