Geneva Cursillo Weekends
Three days to refresh your Christian faith!
What is Cursillo?
Cursillo is Spanish for “short course”. It is an abbreviation for Cursillo de Cristiandad, a short course in Christianity. Our Cursillo weekends are open to Christians from all backgrounds and traditions.
Cursillo weekends are held in English in May and November. They take place in Le Cénacle, a retreat centre just off the route de Malagnou in Geneva, accessible by bus and with ample parking.
Cursillo weekends in English began in Geneva in 1983. From 1991 to 2014, they we3re also held in French.
More than 1,000 people have attended these weekends.
Cursillo in the world
The Cursillo movement started in Spain over 70 years ago. Today, it is a worldwide movement embracing Christians from many denominations.
Altogether, more than 45 million Christians have taken part in a Cursillo weekend.
Cursillo aims to help us to
- get to know ourselves better (encounter with self)
- see the good that a loving and caring Christian community can provide (encounter with others)
- experience the presence and love of God, through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit (encounter with God)
Is Cursillo for you?
Cursillo is for eighteens and over seeking growth and renewal in their Christian faith.
All applicants are sponsored by someone who has already completed a Cursillo weekend. If you don’t know anyone who can sponsor you, please contact us: we can put you in touch with a sponsor.
Couples are encouraged to attend a weekend together but may also attend singly. Applications are also warmly invited from ministers, pastors, and priests.
During a weekend
The three-day residential weekend starts on Thursday evening at 19:30 and ends Sunday evening with a light supper shared with others who have been on a Cursillo weekend.
Cursillo offers a varied weekend filled with:
Everyone learns from each other by sharing in a living and loving Christian community for three days.
Costs
The weekend obviously incurs expenses, mainly for food and accommodation. Participants are asked to contribute towards these costs. If this is a problem, please discuss it with your sponsor. Finance is never a barrier to participation.
After the weekend
Those who have enjoyed a Cursillo weekend may want to get more involved with their own local Christian community, church or parish.
Our community also holds gatherings, roughly every two months, and offers an opportunity to join one of the ecumenical reunion groups that meet regularly for prayer, study and Christian action.
- short talks by lay people and clergy
- lively discussions in a small group
- reflections, music, prayer, liturgies, songs, silence, entertainment
- Q&A with resident clergy
- good food and company!
Find out more
Geneva Cursillo Community
Le Cénacle
or contact
Lay Director Christine Housel
Acting Deputy Lay Director Mary Bernasconi
Applications / registration Lalaine Barbon
