About Cursillo
Welcome!
Cursillo in San Diego, a Diocese that extends from the Pacific Ocean to the Colorado River, is firmly planted and graced by the winds of the Holy Spirit. Like the wild flowers about Jesus’ feet, flowers similar to here, the flowers of the Holy Spirit ignite a Cursillo parish here, and then a parish there. Cursillo in San Diego cultivates the flowers of our Lord both in good season and in times of hardship.
San Diego is a graced land. The San Diego Cursillo is a graced movement of nearly 50 years. The movement has given Catholics a method to connect with the Trinity each day while we attend to our regular daily lives. It is a lay method, based on small lessons in Christianity that are very accessible and very effective.
A truth of daily life is that God our creator is always patiently waiting for us to connect, to acknowledge him. In some lives, this relationship with God comes quickly. In other lives, it takes a jolt of experience or a lesson. Or, a lot of jolts, a lot of lessons. Cursillo, from the Spanish origin of the movement in the late 30’s, early 40’s, means small lessons, little lessons in Christianity.
The Cursillo movement provides a message and a method to intersect our daily lives with God. The Cursillo movement in San Diego provides small lessons in piety, study and action beginning with a three day period in the mountains. Lives are changed through the grace of the Holy Spirit. When those lives are followed 10, 20, and now almost 50 years in San Diego, the mystery, wonder and love of God is evident. The love of God is evident as bright and colorful patterns in people’s lives, even in the darkest times.
Please look through this web site and find a way to move yourself closer to God and to move the world closer to God’s kingdom. If you are a Cursillista, then email me to give a hand. In San Diego, there are an estimated 10,000 Cursillistas in a Catholic population of 1 million. San Diego is nearly half Catholic, according to the US Census. The purpose of Cursillo is to move individuals, families, workplaces and communities into the Kingdom.
If you are not a Cursillista, then ask a Priest, Bishop, or Sister about us and look around in these web pages for an Ultreya near you. There are about 12 Ultreya coming and going here around the Diocese of San Diego – some of a hundred people, some of a dozen. These gatherings are open to all. Email me and I will help get you there.
Welcome to Cursillo. May the Father, Son and Holy Spirit bless us and keep our movement alive, like wild flowers growing up the hillsides of San Diego, California.
Patrick O’Brien
Lay Director
jpobrien@cox.net
