What Are Cursillo Weekends and How Can I Attend?

Updated

Cursillo weekends are multi-day Catholic retreat experiences for men and women, and the Belleville Cursillo Movement serves the Diocese of Belleville, IL. To attend, you generally need a sponsor, a completed Sponsor and Candidate Application, and a confirmed spot on a scheduled weekend. For 2026, the weekends are Women's Weekend #47 (August 6–9, 2026) and Men's Weekend #42 (August 20–23, 2026), both held at King's House at Our Lady of the Snows.

What a Cursillo Weekend Is

Cursillo is described as a movement within the Catholic Church that, with God's grace, helps a Christian become aware of their potential and, while accepting their limitations, study their faith, live it more fully, and share it.

A Cursillo weekend is the entry point into that movement. It is a several-day experience rather than a single meeting, and the Belleville movement runs separate weekends for women and for men.

2026 Weekend Dates and Location

Weekend Dates Location
Women's Weekend #47 August 6–9, 2026 King's House at Our Lady of the Snows
Men's Weekend #42 August 20–23, 2026 King's House at Our Lady of the Snows

How to Attend

  1. Arrange a sponsor. Cursillo is built on the idea of "Make a friend. Be a friend. Bring a friend to Christ!" — a sponsor is the person who accompanies a candidate into the weekend.
  2. Complete the application. Download the Sponsor and Candidate Application for 2026 from the Belleville Cursillo website.
  3. Contact the coordinator. For more information or questions, contact Debbie Blume at 618-806-6951.
  4. Confirm your weekend. Spots are tied to specific weekends, so confirm which weekend you are applying for.

Staying Connected After the Weekend

Cursillo does not end with the weekend. The movement offers ongoing gatherings:

  • School of Leaders — held the 2nd Tuesday of each month at Corpus Christi Parish Center, Shiloh, IL; also offered virtually. Contact Anna Feurer at 618-779-1388.
  • Ultreyas — group reunions for the community:
    • Belleville Area Ultreya meets the 3rd Tuesday of the month at St. Teresa, Belleville, following the 5:30 PM Mass.
    • St. Joseph/St. Agatha/St. John the Baptist Ultreya meets the last Monday of the month at 7 PM; locations rotate.
  • Secretariat — meets in person.
  • Events page — detailed information for all of the above is posted under "Events" on the website.

A 2026 Cursillo Brochure is also available for download if you want a fuller overview before applying.