During the weekend, participants:

• Pray together and celebrate the sacraments

• Hear short, meaningful talks from priests and lay leaders

• Reflect on their personal faith journey

• Share meals, conversation, and fellowship

• Experience authentic Christian community

The environment is welcoming, supportive, and rooted in joy.

Preparing for Your Cursillo Weekend

Your Sponsor is your best resource for learning about the Cursillo Weekend experience. While nothing about the weekend is secret, we intentionally avoid sharing too many details beforehand—this allows you to experience everything with fresh eyes and an open heart, free from preconceived expectations.

To get a taste of the Cursillo spirit, ask your Sponsor or another Cursillista to bring you to an Ultreya. This gathering will give you a glimpse into the community and fellowship that characterize the weekend.

Weekend Logistics

Cursillo Weekends begin on Thursday evening and will end Sunday evening.

Plan to leave early enough in the afternoon to stop and have dinner with your Sponsor. Arrive on time and relax! You will need to do nothing else except participate in the Weekend! Expect to be home after dinner Sunday evening. Your Sponsor will provide your transportation.

Bring comfortable clothing appropriate to the season, dress is typically casual, and any other toiletries, bath towel or personal items you may need.

A cot for sleeping on will be provided but you may bring an air mattress if you prefer. Please bring bedding such as a sleeping bag and pillow.

You are requested to leave home your watches, cell phones, pagers, and other worldly distractions. One team member will have a cell phone for emergency use only, and it will be provided to your sponsor.

After your THREE day weekend, candidates enter their FOURTH day, which continues until they enter Heaven. Each individual who returns from the weekend with a renewed commitment to work for Christ is encouraged to participate in activities in community with others who have lived the weekend. The purpose of this community is to give strength and support to each other in order that each person might grow in faith and develop their particular gifts of ministry.

Cursillo is:

• Catholic and approved by the Church

• Rooted in Scripture, the sacraments, and Christian friendship

• Focused on living the Gospel in daily life

Cursillo is not:

• A retreat focused on emotional pressure

• A replacement for parish life

• A program you “graduate from”

Cursillo strengthens your faith so you can live it more fully where God has already placed you.

Cursillo is for Catholics who:

• Desire a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ

• Want to grow spiritually and personally

• Are open to Christian community

• Feel called to live their faith more intentionally

You don’t need to have all the answers—just an open heart.

A sponsor is an experienced Cursillista who accompanies a candidate before, during, and after the three-day weekend. The sponsor helps the person understand what Cursillo is, answers practical questions, and prepares them to enter the experience with openness. After the weekend, the sponsor remains a steady point of contact, introducing the new Cursillista to ultreyas and small group reunions so that the growth begun during the weekend can continue in everyday life.