The Cursillo Movement does not preach a new type of spirituality, but rather teaches a method through which spirituality can be developed, lived, and shared in all areas of human life.

The Spanish word Cursillo means short course and is often associated with a 3-Day weekend. The proper name is Cursillo de Cristiandad (short course of Christianity). However, there is much more to the Cursillo Movement than just a 3-Day weekend.

This is a lay movement within the Roman Catholic Apostolic Church. In the 1940s, Eduardo Bonin inspired by Espíritu Santo started the group in Mallorca, Spain. The founders, dedicated to helping Catholics get to know Christ better, wanted to give laypeople a renewed spirituality and a clearer understanding of how Christ can work through them. The Cursillo movement came to the United States in 1957. The first weekend was in Texas. And from there it expands to the rest of the country.

The Vatican has granted canonical recognition to the Cursillo movement and its work in the role of the laity in evangelization. This recognition came after many years of encouragement by Paul VI and John Paul II. The Cursillo is a movement, not an organization, and depends on individual apostolic action supported by group reunions and their prayer and sacrifice. 

"Christ is counting on you" is the call, and we count on Christ and His Holy Spirit to guide the work. The Cursillo Method is very simply put in terms of: "Make a Friend, Be a Friend, Bring a Friend to Christ."

The Cursillo Movement consists of proclaiming the best news of the best reality: that God, in Christ, loves us. Communicated by the best means, which is friendship towards the best of each one, which is his being person and his capacity of Conviction, Decision, and Constancy.

In other words, it is a Movement which, by its own Method, attempts from within the Church, to give life to the essential Christian truths in the singularity, originality, and creativity of the person. In discovering their potential and accepting their limitations, they will direct their freedom with their conviction, reinforce their will with decisiveness and direct their friendship with the virtue of constancy in their day-to-day life, personally and with others. 

If you wish to learn more about the Cursillo Movement, please contact Jesus Urista at (323) 725-7578 (English/Spanish).