Ja sam Matej Markić i dolazim iz Zagreba, točnije Sesvetskog Kraljevca. Imam 29 godina i po struci sam magistar teologije. Trenutno radim u tajništvu jedne crkvene institucije unutar Zagrebačke nadbiskupije. Od nekih svojih hobija izdvojio bih nogomet, bilo da ga gledam ili igram 😀 a volim i čitati, posebice knjige vezano uz duhovnost ili drugu katoličku literaturu.
Za Kursiljo sam čuo preko svojih roditelja. Moja mama je bila na prvom Kursiljo tečaju u Hrvatskoj još davne 1975. godine i to je bio tečaj samo za žene (tada su još bili odvojeni tečajevi). Tata se isto kao mladi student uključio kao suradnik tako da su oboje već u mladosti animirali, išli po tečajevima i svjedočili, baš kao i ja danas. Roditelji su uspjeli duh Kursilja prenijeti i na nas djecu i rekao bih da je meni na neki način Kursiljo došao pod „normalno“.
Moj prvi tečaj je bio 2009. na otoku Krapnju, a na njega su me potaknule moje dvije sestre i brat koji su bili godinu dana ranije. Vratili su se oduševljeni i htjeli su da i ja to doživim. Otišao sam na njihov poticaj iako nisam znao što me točno čeka. I sve ostalo je povijest. Iznenadila me radost, pristupačnost i autentičnost ljudi koje sam tamo upoznao. Kroz tu autentičnost se osjetilo i veliko zajedništvo. Također, vidio sam da su to mladi ljudi kao i svi drugi. Vole sve kao i drugi mladi, ali opet žive nekako drugačije, posebno. Oduševila me i gorljivost našeg vlč. Andrije. Sve to me jako privuklo u Kursiljo, a i već tada sam upoznao neke prijatelje s kojima se i danas družim. Nakon godinu dana sam se vratio kao animator na Krapanj i od tada sam djelovao kao animator i rektor na mnogim tečajevima, kako na krizmaničkim tako i na terminima na Krapnju te sam bio član raznih timova. Čak sam bio i domar na Krapnju. Valjda jedino još nisam bio teta čuvalica iako bih se jednoga dana volio i u tome okušati. Danas sam najviše angažiran u timu za čitanje tema i u timu za mlade.
Kada bih trebao izdvojiti poseban trenutak s jednog od mnogih tečajeva, to bi bila igra Lov na blago na krizmaničkom tečaju u Županji. Animator koji je organizirao igru blago je sakrio po cijelom gradu i mi smo, svaki sa svojom grupom, rješavali zagonetke i otkrivali gdje se nalazi blago. Trčali smo po cijelom gradu i vjerujem da smo kroz tu igru evangelizirali slučajne prolaznike koji su se čudili našoj zaigranosti. Tada sam doživio, možda po prvi puta, da se Boga može pronaći i u igri.
Rekao bih da je kroz sve ove godine Kursiljo oblikovao moj identitet. Snažno je utjecao na mene i bio mi je škola za život, ne samo u vjerskom smislu nego i u privatnom, poslovnom i obiteljskom. Gdje god da krenem, tu je Kursiljo. Kroz njega sam rastao kao čovjek, kao vjernik, kao prijatelj, kao suradnik Krista u Njegovom naumu spasenja svih ljudi. A od svih stvari koje sam nabrojao, najviše me oduševljava suradnja svećenika i laika unutar Kursilja. Mi ne možemo jedni bez drugih. Ja ne mogu bez svećenika, bez sakramenata, bez duhovne podrške, a ne mogu ni svećenici bez nas, bez mene. U toj povezanosti vidim autentičnu Kristovu Crkvu koja ima mnogo udova, ali smo svi zajedno u istom tijelu. A kao najveći plod Kursilja izdvojio bih upravo taj da sam kroz njega pronašao svoje mjesto u Kristovoj Crkvi i shvatio sam gdje me Gospodin zove da djelujem i da Mu služim, da budem apostol. Pozvao me baš ovakvog kakav jesam, kakvog me stvorio i s onim talentima koje mi je darovao. Te talente mogu dati Njemu na raspolaganje i On ih koristi da dođe do drugih ljudi i to je nešto na čemu sam jako zahvalan, da ono što sam i sam primio širim dalje.
I’ve heard of Kursiljo through my parents. My mum’s first Kursiljo course was in Croatia back in 1975 and it was a course just for women (then the courses were still divided). Dad joined in as a student as well as an associate so they were both animating in their youth, going to courses and testifying, just like I do today. Our parents managed to transfer the essence of Kursiljo to us kids so I would say that Kursiljo in some way came naturally to me.
My first Kursiljo course was in 2009 on the Krapanj island, to which my two sisters and brother, who went the year before, encouraged me to go. They came back overjoyed and they wanted me to experience it, too. I went because of their encouragement without knowing what was going to happen – and the rest is history. I got surprised by the joy, accessibility and authenticity of the people that I met there. Through that authenticity you could feel a great deal of brotherhood. I have also seen that those young people are no different than the rest. They love everything young people love, but they still live kind of in a different, special way. I was amazed by our reverend Andrija’s passion. All that drew me strongly towards Kursiljo, and I met some friends that year with whom I still hang out today. A year after, I got back as an animator on Krapanj and I have been an animator and a rector on many courses since then, not only there but on Cursillo for confirmation candidates too. I was a member of many teams as well. I was even a janitor on Krapanj. I guess, I only haven’t been a sitter there but I’d like to try that too. Today I am mostly involved in the testimony reading team and the youth team.
If I had to choose a special moment from one of my many courses, it would be a treasure hunt game on a Cursillo for confirmation candidates in Županja. An animator that was responsible for the game hid the treasure throughout the whole city, and we, each with their own group, were solving riddles and figuring out where the treasure was. We ran through the city and I believe, through our game, evangelized random passers-by who admired our playfulness. Then I experienced, maybe for the first time, that God can be found in playing too.
I would say that Kursiljo molded my identity throughout all these years. It impacted me strongly, and it taught me some life lessons, not just in a religious but also in a private, business and family sense. Wherever I go, there is Kursiljo. I grew as a man, a believer, a friend, Christ’s associate in His intention of saving all people through it. From all of the things I mentioned, the thing that amazes me the most is the collaboration between priests and laymen. We can’t work without one another. I can’t succeed without a priest, sacraments, spiritual support, and priests can’t succeed without us, me. In that connection I see the authentic church of Christ that has many limbs, but we are all in the same body. Me finding my place in Christ’s church and realizing that I need to act and serve the Lord when He calls, to be an apostle is the biggest fruit of Kursiljo. He called me, just the way I am, as He created me, with all the talents He gave me. I can give those talents to Him, and He uses them to get to other people, and that is something I am very grateful for, to share what I have received with others.
