CURSILLO, meaning "short course," began when a group of men dedicated themselves to bringing the men of their city to know Christ. It is the story of how God taught a group of men how to work for Him in an effective way that bears fruit.

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The first stirring of what was later to become the Cursillo Movement began on the Island of Majorca during World War II. The Spanish Civil War ended in 1939 and the years following were times of ferment within the Spanish Church. The idea was born to have a pilgrimage to the Shrine of St. James at Compostela, the great Spanish pilgrimage center of the Middle Ages. This would be a time for young men and women of Spain to dedicate themselves in a renewed way to the work of being an apostle. It was on these pilgrimages that the song “De Colores” was written, so tradition tells us. It seems a bus had broken down while they were on their way to the Shrine. While waiting for the repairs to be made, they began singing about seeing God’s hand in all creation around them...even in the baby chicks who cried, “Pio, pio.”

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The first three-day Cursillo was held in the monastery of San Honorato on the Island of Majorca, Spain, on January 7, 1949. Cursillo came to this country through two young Spanish airmen who were in training with the U. S. Air Force in Waco, Texas. Through the apostolic witness shown by these Cursillistas, the local Roman Catholic priest was persuaded to make his Cursillo in Spain. Upon his return in 1957, the Cursillo Movement began in the Roman Catholic Church here in the United States. Until 1961, all of the weekends were held in Spanish. In that year, the first English language Cursillo weekend was held in San Angelo, Texas.

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Today, Cursillo is an international movement touching all of the Americas, Europe, Japan, Africa, Australia and other lands. With the help of the Roman Catholic Cursillo community, the first Cursillo in an Episcopal setting was held in 1968. Episcopal Cursillo in Mississippi began on July 8, 1976, at All Saints School in Vicksburg. Mississippi Episcopal Cursillo Number 1 was conducted with a staff from the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas, Texas. Among those attending were a couple from Jackson, whose lives were changed through their experience. This couple was close friends of three other couples, all of whom were avid golfers. In fact, they had been playing golf together for over twenty years. One of the couples, Pete and Xavia McGee, was United Methodist and they were so influenced by the new joy displayed by their Episcopal friends that they, too, were led to an Episcopal Cursillo; and although they were excited with the fellowship of believers in the Episcopal Cursillo, they wanted to share this renewal experience with members of their church, the United Methodist Church.

 

Starting something like Cursillo is no small task. Pete and Xavia ran into many obstacles in their quest to establish a United Methodist Cursillo. They had many doors closed to them. Finally, they were able to obtain permission from the proper authorities in Nashville as well as Bishop Minnick here in Mississippi, and the way for a United Methodist Cursillo was cleared. Pete and Xavia began to speak of Cursillo in order to generate interest. PRAISE GOD they persisted and the Mississippi Methodist Cursillo became a reality. Mississippi Methodist Cursillo Number 1 was held at St. Mary of the Pines in Chatawa, Mississippi, on October 8-11, 1981. That date marks our beginning, but it doesn’t conclude our history. Since that time, an average of thirty-two pilgrims have attended each of our Mississippi Methodist Cursillos, meaning that over 7600 people have attended Mississippi Methodist Cursillo!

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In 1985, two of our Cursillistas, who had moved to Louisiana, worked to establish a Louisiana Methodist Cursillo. Mississippi Methodist Cursillistas staffed the first several Louisiana weekends and provided supplies, financial support and even pilgrims.

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Next, we were called upon to help establish the Alaska Walk to Emmaus in 1988. A number of Mississippi Methodist Cursillistas served on staff of Alaska Number 1 at their own expense. Members of our Cursillo community served on Alaska Number 2 and Number 3, again at their own expense.

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For some time, Cursillo had been discussing a weekend for high school young people. In 1987, three couples were asked to attend an Episcopal Happening with the thought being to start a United Methodist Happening. Three couples went through Episcopal Happening #19 at Diamond Head on the Coast. Early in 1988, Methodist Happening #1 was held at Camp Garaywa in Clinton with a United Methodist Director and an Episcopal Rector and Big Brother. Subsequent Happenings have been held in United Methodist Churches.

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Due to the large number of people applying to attend our Cursillo weekends, the South Mississippi Cursillo was established to serve the Gulf Coast. In August of 1990, South Mississippi Methodist Cursillo Number 1 was held at Seashore Assembly, with the full support and help of Mississippi Methodist Cursillo.

August 1991, saw a long-time dream of many become a reality when Kairos Number 1 was held at Unit 30 of the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman. A number of Mississippi Methodist Cursillistas worked diligently to establish this prison ministry; but they were not alone. They served, and continue to serve, on the Kairos teams with Roman Catholics, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Southern Baptists, Lutherans, Church of God and others. We are now conducting Kairos weekends in other units at Parchman and at other correctional facilities statewide.

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In the fall of 2004 Mississippi held its 1st Kairos Outside, a weekend for women whose lives are impacted by the incarceration of loved ones. The ministry continues to grow and serve in this area.

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Kairos Torch has more recently been introduced at Central Mississippi Correctional Facility, as an introductory two-day program for youth ages 25 and under who live in juvenile detention or correctional facilities. The weekend is a combined effort of an ecumenical Kairos Torch Team to introduce young men to Christian concepts as a means of making better choices for their lives.

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In 1999, the Lord showed us that there was also a need for a spiritual retreat for college age young people. Early that year, a group of college students and Cursillistas attended an Episcopal Vocare in Canton. The following November, these same people served on a Vocare staff. From this experience came the first United Methodist Journey, held for college-age young people at Broadmeadow United Methodist Church in Jackson in February 2000.

In June 2005 Rev. Reuben Langat and his wife Jane, a Kenyan couple in Jackson, Mississippi, attended a Cursillo weekend. While there they made a request to the Cursillo community to help them start Cursillo in Kenya.  In 2007 six Pilgrims came from Kenya to a Mississippi Cursillo. That December thirty Cursillistas from Mississippi helped staff WASHA #1 in Nakuru, Kenya.

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Founded in the Cursillo method as influenced by John Wesley’s methodist teachings, today’s Cursillo Movement in Mississippi has grown towards being an ecumenical ministry, appealing and open to those of all Christian denominations seeking to strengthen their relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ.

  

We believe that the history of the Cursillo movement bears witness to the truth of Jesus’ words:

“But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” (John 12:32 NIV)