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Cursillo-related Movements > Youth Movements >La Flambée

La Flambée

La Flambée Logo

La Flambée and R3

La Flambée has some similarities with another Movement for Catholic youth in French Canada called R3  Both movements are for young adults (18-30) and each has a counterpart for younger teens (ages 14-18).  
Usually, R3 is paired with La Relève , and La Flambée with L'Étincelle.  In most dioceses where the French-speaking Cursillo Movement exists, you will find either one of these tandem, but seldom both at the same time.

"La Flambée"  (a French word meaning "blaze") is a Catholic movement for young adults ages 19-30, spread in various French-speaking dioceses of eastern Canada, specially in the dioceses of Amos,  Chicoutimi,  Nicolet,  Montreal,  Sherbrooke,  St-Jerome & Three-Rivers.  It has "L'Étincelle" as its counterpart for teens under 18.

This Youth Movement began in 1981 in Sherbrooke, QC, Canada (the same city where the "Mouvement des Cursillos Francophones" originated in 1965).  At that time, one had to be at least 25 years old to be a candidate to a cursillo. Eager to have their young experience what they were experiencing themselves through the Cursillo Movement, some cursillistas decided to launch a movement for those under 25. 

Its starting point therefore is a cursillo-like special weekend.   With a youth-to-youth approach, a team in charge, discussion groups, a joyful atmosphere, etc., this weekend deals with 5 subjects:

  1. me : finding my personnal forces and weaknesses.
  2. others : learning to communicate with those around me, respecting their values and ideas.
  3. family : seeing my parents with new eyes.
  4. faith : responding to the invitation of Jesus concerning forgiveness and love of neighbors.
  5. commitment : sharing my enthusiasm, inflaming others.

Note. For many years, "La Flambée" was strictly for those under 25, as it was seen more or less as a preparation to the Cursillo Movement.  However, the age of acceptance gradually extended to 30 and even to 35+ in some dioceses.  In Sherbrooke, special weekends have been put on for older "Flambistes" ("Blazers"), such as "L'Attisée" (Stirring the flame), "La Bûche" (The Log fire)  and "Regard" (Look).  These deepening weekends often lead to the formation of new groups.

For more information (in French), see La Flambée and La Flambée websites