What Is the Cursillo in Christianity Movement and What Does It Emphasize?

The Cursillo in Christianity Movement is a Catholic renewal movement that, in the words of its own definition, "attempts from within the Church, to give life to the essential Christian truths in the singularity, originality and creativity of the person." Its stated purpose is to help people live and share what is fundamental to being Christian, and it organizes that purpose around three "fundamental encounters": with oneself, with Christ, and with others. The National Cursillo USA site (cursillousa.org) presents this as the movement's core identity, framed by the theme "Christ – Person – Friendship."

The Three Fundamental Encounters

The movement's self-description centers on a progression of encounters:

• With oneself — discovering one's potential while accepting one's limitations.
• With Christ — encountering "the Christ of the Gospel" as a living, simple, clear, and true experience.
• With others — directing friendship with "the virtue of constancy" in day-to-day life, personally and in community.

The site ties these together with a practical formula: conviction directs freedom, decisiveness reinforces will, and constancy sustains friendship. In other words, the movement treats personal conversion and lasting friendship as linked, not separate, goals.

Christ – Person – Friendship

The tagline "Christ – Person – Friendship" summarizes how the movement sees its method. The often-quoted slogan associated with Cursillo — "Make a friend, be a friend, bring a friend to Christ" — reflects the same logic: evangelization happens through ordinary friendship rather than through programs or campaigns. The National Cursillo USA description explicitly lists this slogan among the site's features, alongside links to affiliated centers, an online bookstore, palanca requests, and other resources.

What the Movement Emphasizes

According to the site's "Definition of the Movement," Cursillo works "by its own Method" from within the Church. The emphasis falls on:

• The essentials of Christian life rather than peripheral practices — the site references "Essential, Important, and Accidental Elements" as a way of distinguishing what is fundamental.
• The individual person — the definition stresses each person's "singularity, originality and creativity," suggesting the method is meant to adapt to the person rather than flatten them.
• Living faith in daily life — the goal is described as giving life to Christian truths "in their day-to-day life, personally and with others."

The founder, Eduardo Bonnín Aguiló (1917–2008), is described on the site as "an apprentice Christian" and "Founder of Cursillos in Christianity." His beatification and canonization process began in Mallorca, Spain, on February 5, 2015, and the National Secretariat invites prayer for his canonization. The site also quotes his caution that if Cursillo is to remain faithful to its purpose, "it should not lower its target" — it should give participants "a 'living', simple, clear, and true experience of the Christ of the Gospel."

Who This Is For

This overview is useful if you are evaluating whether to learn more about Cursillo, looking for the movement's official U.S. national presence, or trying to understand its stated spirituality before contacting a local center. The national site functions as a hub: it points to affiliated centers (where local participation is typically organized), an online bookstore, palanca requests, newsletters, and a photo album from the National Cursillo Encounter in Wheaton, Illinois. If your interest is in participating, the practical next step is to use the site's links to find an affiliated center near you; the national page itself describes the movement's identity rather than listing local schedules.