Who We Are

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Cursillos, otherwise known as CCCC, is the official name of the Cursillo Movement in Canada. The CCCC bases its understanding of Cursillo on the definition of the Movement given by its Founder, Eduardo Bonnin.

“The Cursillo in Christianity, is a Movement, that by means of its own method, attempts, from within the Church, to ensure that the realities of Christianity are brought to life in the uniqueness, the originality, and in the creativity of each person. From their deep conviction their freedom finds the right direction and they discover their potential while accepting their limitations. Thus their will is strengthened, friendships are developed by virtue of their decision and perseverance in their daily, personal and community life”.

The Cursillo Movement arrived in the United States in 1957. From there it came simultaneously into Canada from various locations in 1963. Since that time it has grown and spread and is now active in varying degrees throughout most of the country.

The CCCC is divided into three regions, Atlantic, Central, comprised of Quebec and Ontario and including Winnipeg, and the Western Region, which stretches from the Manitoba border to Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Twenty six Canadian dioceses have Cursillo Movements that fall under the umbrella of CCCC, though not all are affiliated. The Officers Group of the CCCC is comprised of four laypersons and a spiritual advisor and assistant spiritual advisor. Two support staff work at the National Resource Centre on a part time, volunteer basis.

Of the several cultural Movements that exist, three are officially affiliated with CCCC, namely the Hungarian, Korean and Native Cursillo Movements. The Vietnamese Cursillo is beginning to take root in Canada and so too, a growing Chinese Movement in Vancouver, BC. The Hispanic Cursillo, made up of Cursillistas mainly from South American countries and who are Spanish speaking, also operates in Canada. A small Croatian speaking Movement is affiliated with the Toronto Cursillo Movement in the Central region.

The CCCC enjoys a friendly working relationship with the large Francophone Movement in Quebec, Ontario, and New Brunswick.

The CCCC is not an authoritarian body but rather one of service. Each diocesan Movement maintains autonomy under the authority of the diocesan bishop. The primary function of the CCCC is to ensure that the Movement in Canada stays true to its origins and faithful to the Foundational Charism. It exists to support and encourage the diocesan Movements and to provide a Canadian identity.

Since 1992 the Canadian Movement has been on a journey of rediscovering the Foundational Charism and is committed to bringing to the Cursillistas across the country the original ideas and thinking of the Founder, Eduardo Bonnin. To further this commitment, Eduardo and others from the Mallorcan School of Leaders have visited Canada on several occasions and leaders from Canada have gone to Mallorca to study and share with Eduardo and the Mallorcan Cursillistas. The fruit of the contact with the Founder has formed the basis of the annual Conferences held in different locations across the country and is further promoted through the pages of the newsletter, Fully Alive, which is published three times a year.