In living colores: Annual dinner supports Cursillo movement

By J.D. Long-García, The Catholic Sun
April 5, 2007

Baptized as infants, many Catholics didn’t come to know God’s love for them until they experienced a short weekend course on Christianity as adults.

During these weekend retreats, known as cursillos, participants recognize their uniqueness, accept their limitations and learn about the Christian need for friendship.

“We’re celebrating the brotherhood and sisterhood that Christ is offering,” said Devonna Serrano, a cursillista and organizer of the annual Cena de Colores event.

This year’s Cena de Colores, a fundraising dinner that promotes friendship, will be held April 28 at the Mount Claret Retreat Center. The Mexican dinner, designed to be a “party for God,” will feature a silent auction of Catholic artwork, a raffle and mariachis.

“We have a lot of people come who are interested in learning about the movement,” Serrano said. “Once they come to the Cena, they see the brotherhood that’s been made, they realize there’s something to it and they want to experience it.”

The Cursillo weekends help Catholics live out their faith through a deeper prayer life rooted in Christ and the teachings of the Church, said Fr. Don Kline, the movement’s director in the Phoenix Diocese.

“Cursillo seeks to instill in Catholics a better understanding of their faith and the traditions of the Church,” he said. It also “encourages Catholics to put their faith into action by becoming more involved in the Church.”

Young men began the movement in Spain on the island of Majorca. It grew out of a pilgrimage to the Shrine of St. James at Compostela.

Seeking greater dedication to God, these men developed cursillos — the Spanish word for short courses — as a way of becoming better apostles.

The first Cursillo in the United States was held in 1957 in Waco, Texas.

“Since then there have been approximately 1 million persons who have lived their cursillo,” said Victor Lugo, executive director of the National Cursillo Movement.

“The movement continues to grow through witness and the testimony of each person who lived a Cursillo weekend,” he said.

Lugo said the movement “enables the person to live what is fundamental for being a Christian.”

In the United States, cursillos are held in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Portuguese and Korean, he said.

The movement came to Phoenix in 1959, where the first retreats were held at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish. The movement relocated to Mount Claret Center in 1964.

“It’s a great joy to see lives change for the better and people becoming more Christ-like,” said Msgr. John McMahon, former director of the movement in the diocese. “It’s a powerful joy, especially for an old priest at this time in his life.”

Some 38,500 Catholics have made their Cursillo in Phoenix. Others go on cursillos in Flagstaff.

“I would say the Hispanic Cursillo continues to see incredible growth, while the English Cursillo is dwindling,” Fr. Kline said.

He said that cursillos are open to any Catholic in good standing “with a sincere desire to seek God and grow in holiness.”

Msgr. McMahon made his cursillo in 1964 and has met with the same cursillistas for 35 years.

“For the people who come with open hearts, it’s a total renewal of faith,” he said. “It enhanced my faith and gave me a great appreciation of how much lay people sacrifice to come and make their Cursillo.”