What is Via de Cristo?
Via de Cristo is a Spanish term meaning “Way of Christ.” It is a three-day leadership experience with a New Testament look at Christianity as a lifestyle. Via de Cristo is a highly-structured weekend designed to strengthen and renew the faith of Christian people, through them, their families, churches and the environment in which they live and work. It is a united effort of laity and clergy to aid congregations in developing Christian leaders to more effectively serve Christ in the church.
The movement originated as “Cursillo” in the late 1940’s in the Spanish Catholic Church and moved to the United States in the late 1950’s. For more information on the various Crusillo movements, including Via de Cristo, please click here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cursillo.
Who Should Attend?
Via de Cristo is intended for lay people from all walks of life, as well as for clergy. Good candidates for a Via de Cristo weekend are people living strong and active lives in Christ and those who are seeking renewal and strengthening in their relationship with Christ and persons around them.
All who wish to strengthen their relationship with Christ are encouraged to attend, regardless of their current life stage. They can attend a women’s, men’s or co-ed weekend.
What Happens on a Weekend?
The Via de Cristo weekend begins on a Thursday evening and ends on Sunday evening. During the weekend, you will attend morning and evening chapel services, celebrate communion, pray, sing, enjoy fellowship, eat delicious food, make new friends, and engage in lively discussions of talks given by laity and clergy.
Each participant experiences the weekend a little differently, but all have the opportunity to deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ.
What Happens After the Weekend?
The period after the weekend is known as the “Fourth Day.” You are asked and encouraged to do two things during your Fourth Day:
· Expand your inner spiritual life through study and church participation
· Become a more active Christian in your daily life
The Fourth Day community also stresses two opportunities for continued spiritual growth:
· Group reunion – a small group of two-to-five friends who meet weekly to reflect on their spiritual growth and to encourage each other in discipleship. Visit our Reunion Group pages (there’s probably a group in your area). Better yet, check with your sponsor!
· Ultreya – a meeting of the larger Via de Cristo community on a regular basis. The INKY Via de Cristo Ultreyas meet a few times a year at various churches on scheduled Saturdays or Sundays. The group enjoys fellowship, worship with communion, singing, sharing and, of course, a great meal.
We urge you to participate in these activities because they will help you remain strong in your faith and commitment to serve God.
Next Steps
We ask that you give prayerful consideration to attending a Via de Cristo leadership weekend. Please keep an open mind and heart as you make your decision. Many who have attended also wondered if they should go. Now that they have attended, they want to share with you this wonderful gift from God.
Visit our testimonials page to see how the Via de Cristo movement has impacted the lives of the INKY Via de Cristo community.
INKY Via De Cristo offers several weekend retreats per year, with locations north or south. Scroll down to the bottom to view the current calendar.
If you have questions please visit the FAQ page. If you would like more information, please contact a Secretariat member.