Cursillo is a Spanish word that means "short course" and is pronounced "kur-SEE-yo." The movement began in the Roman Catholic church in Spain during the late 1940s with the intention of building faith and renewing the Church. It has since grown into a worldwide movement which has taken root within a number of denominations. Cursillo seeks to foster, develop and sustain Christian leaders and to encourage apostleship. The movement tries to provide participants with tools to live the Christian life more fully, with a resulting impact on the world.

Following a three-day, live-in weekend that includes a series of talks, discussion, worship and fellowship, the Cursillo Movement stresses ongoing spiritual development through gathering with the wider community, meeting in small groups and engaging in spiritual direction.

The Ottawa Anglican Cursillo Movement began in the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa in 1981 with significant help from the existing Roman Catholic Cursillo Movement. Since then, more than 100 weekends have been held, attended by more than 2,500 men and women from across the Diocese and beyond. The OACM functions as part of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa and operates under the direct authority of the Bishop of Ottawa, who is himself a member of the Cursillo Community.

The administrative responsibilities of the movement are carried out by the OACM Secretariat, a committee of lay people and clergy. A network of parish representatives carries out the work of the Movement locally, and events are organized by groups of committed volunteers. The Movement is governed by its Constitution and By-laws, and major decisions are confirmed by the community at our annual general meeting.

The OACM publishes the Rainbow newsletter four times per year to keep in touch with its members. Members are encouraged to submit news, event notices and articles to editor@oacm.ca.

For more information please contact Lorna Brule or visit the Contact page

Information provided by the Anglican Cursillo Momement Web Site