Cursillo FAQ's
What is Cursillo?
The word "Cursillo"
literally means "Short Course" in Spanish. The longer version of Cursillo is "Cursillo de Christianidad," or "Short Course in Christianity." It is a spiritual "way" or "movement" within the Catholic Church that has been granted canonical recognition by the Vatican, and is followed world-wide by over 8 million Catholics as a method for drawing ever nearer to Christ. Locally, Valley Cursillo is a community of people who are striving to support each other in living out their Christian faith in their everyday lives. The goal of Cursillo is to assist people of faith to "bloom where they are planted," and to more fully become the unique person God created them to be.
What is a Cursillista?
A Cursillista is another word for a person who has attended a Cursillo Weekend.
What are the 3 main components of the Cursillo Movement?
The Cursillo Weekend, Group Reunion, and Ultreya.
What is a Cursillo Weekend?
A Cursillo Weekend is a weekend beginning on a Thursday evening and ending on Sunday evening. A team of 10-15 lay people and two spiritual directors (at least one of which is a Catholic priest) prepare and host the weekend for those attending. This "team" of Cursillistas gives talks on various aspects of Christian living and spirituality. Daily Mass is celebrated each full day of the weekend, and time for prayer, study, reflection and fellowship is provided. Men's and women's weekends are held separately. All meals are provided and are shared together.
What is a Group Reunion?
A Group Reunion is a gathering of a small number of people on a regular basis to share in each other's lives and support each other in living out their faith in their everyday lives. Group Reunion participants generally share about three specific areas of their spiritual life: holiness (or closeness to Christ), study, and action.
What is an Ultreya?
"Ultreya" is a Spanish word meaning "moving upward." It is a gathering of the entire Cursillo Community, a reunion of all the Group Reunions in the area. Ultreyas generally consist of two short spiritual talks, one given by a lay person and one given by a priest. There is also singing, group prayer, and a time for small group sharing and announcements. This part of the Ultreya is followed by a time for eating, catching up and enjoying each other's company! Ultreyas are a lot of fun!
I have not attended a Cursillo Weekend. Can I Participate in Group Reunion and Ultreya?
Absolutely! Just email us at valleycursillo@gmail.com
and we'll help you find a group reunion and can let you know when the next Ultreya is. Alternatively, you can look on the "Grand Ultreya
Information" page of this website and find the date of the next Ultreya and then join us!
I am not Catholic. May I attend Group Reunion, Ultreya, or a Cursillo Weekend?
Non-Catholics are absolutely welcome to participate in Group Reunion and Ultreya both before and after they attend a three-day weekend. Unfortunately, National Cursillo guidelines do not allow non-Catholics to attend the three-day Catholic Cursillo Weekends. There are, however, other Christian denominations that sponsor three-day weekends that are very similar to a Catholic Cursillo, e.g., Emmaus Walk. If you are interested, Valley Cursillo would be happy to help you find one of these three-day weekends. We will continue to pray for unity among all peoples and traditions.