In 2021, Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha’s pastoral letter ”Journeying Together with Jesus on a Path to Faith & Hope” provided mission steps on how we can continue to move forward with our faith as a diocese.

“Our faith needs to be shared through our daily lives…It is my hope that promoting the Cursillo movement in our Diocese will show more people how to keep the Holy Spirit alive in their lives,” he shared.

Cursillo is a dynamic and joyful weekend experience where participants are given practical insights into the everyday life of faith and service. Through prayer, reflection, group activities, and fellowship, the weekend is run by a primarily lay leadership team and designed to deepen and round out what one has learned about Christ earlier in life.

Cursillo participants enjoying fellowship

Cursillo has a presence in every diocese in the US, with hundreds of thousands of American Catholics having lived Cursillo. There are more Cursillo opportunities in our Diocese of Fall River.

“I attended Cursillo not quite knowing what to expect. It was hard to let go and just trust the process. But in doing so I learned so much, became more engaged in my faith, made some great friends, and had a lot of fun! I would encourage anyone who has not lived Cursillo to check it out,” said Laura Carrillo, Diocesan Strategic and Pastoral Planning Director.

While Cursillo offers periods of reflection, prayer, and silence, there are plenty of songs, laughter, discussion, liturgies, and delicious food and snacks. It is a lively journey through the fundamentals of the Catholic faith, where everyone learns by sharing within a living Christian Community.

Cursillo is offered three times a year for both men and women at The Holy Cross Retreat House on Stonehill College’s campus in Easton, Mass. Men’s retreats are usually in October, February, and March while women’s retreats are held in November, February, and April. A Cursillo weekend begins on a Thursday evening and closes on the Sunday evening.

For more information, visit www.retreathouse. org or email cursillo@ retreathouse.org.

Those who have already lived Cursillo and would like to help bring it to their parish or to volunteer for future retreats are asked to reach out to cursillo@retreathouse.org.

This article appeared in the March 1, 2024 issue of The Anchor, the newspaper of the Diocese of Fall River. Read more from The Anchor here.