2025 National Secretariat meeting
Launceston, Tasmania
In late October, 17 delegates and several observers gathered in Launceston, Tasmania, for the Australian Anglican Cursillo National Secretariat meeting. The theme of this year’s gathering was “Post Cursillo – the Fourth Day” and reflections from the various Dioceses represented addressed the prompts: “What does the Fourth Day look like and how does it work in your Diocese?” It was a valuable opportunity to hear about how we are all working towards keeping Cursillistas engaged and active. We were reminded how fundamental the sense of community is to the Cursillo method. It begins with team training, expands to include candidates during the weekend and extends even further to embrace the whole Fourth Day Community, where it is strengthened through Group Reunions and Ultreyas.
​We built up our own sense of community as we considered the successes, joys, challenges and struggles faced by the Cursillo movement in the various Dioceses. It is a great strength of Cursillo that we can come from a range of traditions and churchmanship, but join in unity in mutual encouragement and accountability, firmly grounded in our shared desire to faithfully serve Jesus through the Cursillo method. As we explored various ways in which different Secretariats have adapted the 3 Day programme to better meet the particular needs of their Diocese, for example the tyranny of distance, our time poor society, or a lack of Diocesan support, we again faced the issue of how much we can change before we are no longer offering an authentic Cursillo experience.
The gathering included times of worship and prayer as well as the business and reflections, which were presented in a variety of formats. These included, amongst others, a craft activity from Grafton, a role play from Perth and a PowerPoint presentation from Southern Queensland about next year’s gathering at Cleveland (south of Brisbane). Many availed themselves of a coach tour along the Tamar Valley, with lunch, generously provided by a local Cursillista, Grahame Foster, although at least one found Tasmania’s winding roads a challenge.
Friday afternoon
Commissioning Alison Wooden as Treasurer
On the Saturday evening we joined with local Cursillistas for a special dinner to celebrate 30 years of the movement in Tasmania. The guest speaker was the Rev Dr Peter Johnson from Men’s 1 and Mrs Jean Cox from Women’s 1 cut the two celebration cakes. Bishop Richard Condie welcomed us and prayed for our new National Episcopal Overseer, Bishop Carol Wagner, who is still to be formally commissioned by the Primate. It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening of warm fellowship and fine food.
After the final eucharist on Sunday morning, Bishop Carol decommissioned Margaret Brodie as Treasurer and commissioned Alison Wooden in her place. Raelene Weissel was elected unopposed as National Secretary, to be commissioned in 2026, and the Rev Dr Lee Weissel has agreed to complete a second term as National Spiritual Advisor.
Tas 30th Anniversary Dinner (Saturday night)
After lunch on Sunday, as some of us were saying our farewells, eighteen extended their time together by piling onto Grahame Foster’s Land Voyages coach again for a specially organized 4 day tour to experience the delights of Stanley and the North-west of Tasmania. I am reliably informed that not everyone tackled the 205 steps down to Dip Falls (and back up again!), but the chairlift up the Nut at Stanley was a welcome alternative to the climb there. The Lord was gracious, providing glorious weather for the entire tour – something that cannot always be guaranteed in Tasmania, unlike the scenery.
Post-meeting Coach Tour North-west Tasmania
