Cursillo ( pronounced “kur-see-yo” ) is a Spanish word meaning “short course” – short course in Christianity. The Cursillo started in Spain in the late 1940s within the Catholic Church as a way to deepen faith and Christian commitment. It then spread throughout the Spanish-speaking countries of the world. It came to the United States in 1957 when Spanish Air Cadets, training in Texas held a Cursillo weekend for a group of Spanish-speaking men. The first English language Cursillo was held in 1961 in San Angelo, Texas, and that year, the movement spread to a dozen other states. It later expanded to other denominations and inspired similar movements like Walk to Emmaus, Great Banquet and Tres Dias. Cursillo remains an effective ministry of spiritual renewal, emphasizing personal conversion, Christian leadership, and community renewal through a three-day experience followed by ongoing small group support.