Cursillo (pronounced Kur-see-yo) is a Spanish word meaning “little” or “short course”. Each Cursillo begins on a Thursday evening and ends the following Sunday night. During those three days the Cursillistas (those attending for the first time) live and work together, listening to talks and receiving communion each day. As the weekend progresses, each person should experience the Christian community Jesus had in mind, as the Cursillistas and team share their love and care for one another.

The Cursillo movement seeks to make Christianity relevant to all of life. To be effective in that pursuit, Christianity must be able to penetrate the many areas of our secular lives, to transform our world in ways that are more fruitful than in the past. In doing so, Cursillo does not propose a new type of Christian living, but it does provide one method through which one’s Christianity may be developed, lived and shared in all areas of life.

Cursillo is an instrument of renewal. Cursillo attempts to provide a means for men and women of the church to persevere in the Christian life no matter what comes their way. Those who attend Cursillo should view their primary purpose in life as becoming more like Jesus so they can alter and change their world – a world that has become predominantly non-Christian. Cursillo seeks to do this by providing opportunities for men and women to come to a fuller understanding of their relationship with Christ, the Church and their own unique mission in life. Thus Cursillo provides a means for continuing the Christian formation that begins when a person made his/her commitment to Jesus. Cursillo is designed to help each person grow in their assurance that they know Jesus and His amazing grace, and in the process, better understand what Jesus expects from them.

Cursillo began when a group of Roman Catholic priests and laymen in Majorca, Spain examined the condition of the Church. From 1943 to 1947 they formulated a method to help renew the Church. They called it Cursillo, or a “short course” or “short experience” in the fundamental teachings of Jesus as lived with other Christians. A Cursillo is different from most Christian retreats or conferences because Cursillo has also developed an on-going program to help keep the enthusiasm one experiences during Cursillo alive as each person returns to their “normal world”.

The first Cursillo weekend was held in the United States in the late 1950’s. From this beginning it has been introduced to the Lutheran, Episcopalian. Methodists, Presbyterians, (and possibly other denominations), and the Reformed Church in America around 1980.

The Movement of Cursillos in Christianity is a powerful instrument for renewal in the Church. Its aim is to concentrate closely on the Person and teachings of Jesus Christ. Cursillo gives those who attend it a living understanding of basic Christian truths, and encourages them to faithfully live according to those truths.

The Cursillo is led by a team of lay persons and clergymen (all of whom have attended a previous Cursillo) who commit themselves to spend weeks working and praying together in preparation for the three day experience. This is necessary because the three days of Cursillo are filled with various reminders of the love and grace of Jesus, and has to be carefully planned to be sure all elements of Cursillo are included.

As a part of the weekend, the Cursillistas will listen to 15 talks. The titles of these talks give some help in understanding the content of Cursillo. The talks are titled: Ideal, Habitual Grace, Laity, Actual Grace, Piety, Study, Sacraments, Action, Obstacles to Grace, Leaders, Environment, Life in Grace, Christian Community, Perseverance, and Fourth Day.

During the talks, the Cursillistas are asked to take notes, just as they would in a regular class. This is done so each Cursillista has help remembering the truths of each talk. Taking notes also means each Cursillista will have information about each talk they will be able to take home to help refresh their memory regarding the truths that were presented in the talks. Each talk will be followed by a time of discussion. The discussions are designed to help discover how the truths presented in the talks can apply to each life when they return home.

The three days of Cursillo are designed with the idea of presenting the teachings of Jesus in an atmosphere of Love and Joy. This atmosphere helps us understand the way we are called by Jesus to live our every day lives.

The “after” activity of the Cursillo is known as the “fourth day”. During this time perseverance is important just as it is in any method of renewal. In the Cursillo movement, a method is given to continue the community spirit experienced at Cursillo. After the three days of Cursillo, each Cursillista is encouraged to get together with three to five others to continue discussing how Jesus wants the truths learned in Cursillo to carry over into each person’s daily life. These small group meetings (or groupings) are designed to be a source of encouragement and support as people commit themselves to care for others as they support and pray for one another.

There are also larger gatherings called “Ultreyas” (pronounced Ul-trey-ay) or reunions of others who have attended Cursillo. These Ultreya meetings, held in several locations, normally take place on a monthly basis, and are used to strengthen each person’s commitment to the church, and to the living out of one’s faith in our world. Since Cursillo is designed to be experienced only once in a person’s life, small groups and Ultreyas are designed to help keep the love of Jesus flowing through our lives.

Every Cursillista must have a sponsor! A sponsor is someone who has gone through Cursillo, and is dedicated to the purposes of the Cursillo movement. The sponsor also accepts the responsibility of guiding the Cursillista once they have gone through Cursillo. This new member of the “fourth day community” will be challenged to continue to live the Christ-centered life displayed in Cursillo. Therefore, the sponsor must: (A) be involved in the life of a church; (B) believe in the method of Cursillo; and (C) be committed to living his or her faith as it is lived out in our world. Hopefully, Cursillo will have made such an impact on their lives, that they continue to be involved in Cursillo through their participation in groupings and Ultreyas.

Both husband and wife must be acceptable as Cursillistas so they can both attend and share the Cursillo experience following their weekends. Cursillo recognizes that husbands and wives need to work together to be the positive influence on their family, their church, and their world Jesus wants them to be. This is true in spite of the fact that Cursillo has separate men’s and women’s weekends. Cursillo does have a good reason for separating the men and the women, which you will better understand after you have gone though the Cursillo weekend.

The Cursillo weekend is a time of closeness, and can be stressful to someone who is known to have problems in emotional situations. Therefore, those who are struggling with interpersonal relationships, who have recently lost a mate, or are going through a stressful time in their lives might find this weekend too trying. Therefore, they should carefully and prayerfully consider whether they should postpone their attendance to a later date.

Cursillo is a movement of laymen and women working to Christianize what is normally a hectic and lonely world. The Lord reminds us in Isaiah 43:1, 4, 5 (NIV) …”Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine!!… Do not be afraid, for I am with you”.

The Cursillo community lives love. We invite you to experience that love by attending Cursillo. If you are interested in more information, or if you have unanswered questions, please contact someone who has been to Cursillo, or contact:
questions@wcmncursillo.com.

Cursillo is governed by the Secretariat (Board).