History of OMCC
The Cursillos in Christianity Movement began in Mallorca in the 1940's and has spread to more than 60 countries and more than 5 million people throughout the world. In the 1950's the basic service structures of the movement began to appear with the formation of Diocesan Secretariats, and during the 1960's National Secretariats arose as a result of the need to coordinate and unify the life of the Cursillo Movement in each country.
It was in the 1970's in the process of global expansion, the need for connection and coordination between the countries in a region became apparent. Regional and International meetings of various kinds were held in different times and places, and it was from this that the International Groups began to form.
Three World Encounters and two World Ultreyas had been held before 1980 and in that year the International Groups existing at the time, made the decision that a World Body of the Cursillo (OMCC), "an organization of service, communication and information”, was needed. It was formed by the International Groups of the Cursillo Movement.
Click here to read about the history of the International Groups.
Executive Committee
Every 4 years in rotation, an International Group selects one of its member National Secretariats to provide the Executive Committee of the OMCC.
In 2013 el European Group of Cursillos in Christianity selected Portugal as the country that would provide the Executive Committee to hold office 2014-2017.
The present executive are:
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Francisco Manuel Salvador |
Pe. Francisco Senra Coelho |
Joaquim Luís Santos Mota |
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Rosa Maria Raimundo (Romy) |
Fausto Jorge C. Dâmaso |
Mário Oliveira Bastos |
All correspondence may be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Canonical Recognition
In 1989 the OMCC Executive Committees requested recognition of the Cursillo Movement by the Pontifical Council for the Laity as a public International Catholic group. Although there was recognition of the CM within the Church by Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II, the request was denied.
Recognition by the PCL of the OMCC was later sought as a Private Juridicial Personality and on
13th May 2004 the Pontifical Council for the Laity granted the OMCC recognition by the Holy See. This reads:
- The recognition of the World Organisation of the Movement Cursillos de Cristiandad, as the structure of co-ordination, promotion, and diffusion of the Cursillos de Cristiandad experience, with private juridical personality, in accordance with canon 116, # 2 of the Code of Canon Law.
- The approval of the Statute of the above mentioned Organisation, duly authenticated by the Dicastery and deposited in its archives, for an ad experimentum period of five years.
In 2009 the OMCC requested an extension of the ad experimentum period of the Statutes. The PCL granted an extension to approve the Statutes until 31st December 2014, recommending that during this time the preparation for the modifications to the statutes should take place and that National and Diocesan Secretariats and the International Groups should work in a spirit of unity.
Meetings
Representatives of the Executives of the International Groups and the Executive Committee the OMCC come together every two years to further their aims of coordination, unity, friendship and communion and to encourage the fulfilling of their responsibilities towards their National Secretariats. Reports of each Executive Committees activities accomplished and planned are shared.
Asia Pacific Group were the hosts of the first OMCC meeting for the 2010-2013 term took place at Santa Teresa Retreat Centre, Brisbane Australia in November 2010.
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The GECC (European Group) hosted the second OMCC meeting. This was held 7th-10th June 2012 at Seminarhaus St Klara, Salzburgerstasse, Upper Austria
World Encounters
1966 Rome
The first World meeting held in Rome was followed by the 1st World Ultreya. 6000 people attended, representing 22 countries. There were no appointed delegates. It was a meeting attended by all the Cursillistas who travelled to Rome.
1970 Tlaxcala, Mexico
The 2nd World Encounter was convoked by Bishop Hervas (Spain). Each National Secretariat was asked to send 9 delegates. This Encounter closed with the 2nd World Ultreya. 50,000 Cursillistas came from all over the world to meet in Mexico City.
1972 Mallorca, Spain
The 3rd World Encounter. 22 countries were represented. At this Encounter a commission was establised to begin work on the book "Fundamental Ideas of the Cursillo Movement" which was to adequately reflect the essential basics that give identiy and character to the Movement all over the world. The first edition was produced in 1974.
1988 Caracas, Venezuela
The 4th World Encounter was held with 37 National Secretariats represented by 152 Delegates. The Internal Regulations of the OMCC were approved and the decision was made to update Fundamental Ideas at this meeting, (the 2nd edition was produced in 1992).
The Encounter was followed by the National Ultreya of Venezuela, with delegates attending together with 10,000 local Cursillistas
1997 Seoul, Korea
The 5th World Encounter was held with 215 delegates attending representing 36 National Secretariats. A National Ultreya followed to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Korean Cursillo Movement. Delegates attended in the Olympic Stadium together with 30,000 local Cursillistas.
2005 Sao Paulo, Brazil
The 6th World Encounter was held with 189 Delegates attending representing 30 countries. The decision was made to once again update Fundamental Ideas.
2013 Brisbane, Australia
The 7th World Encounter was held with 187 Delegates and observers attending representing 23 countries.
World Ultreyas
First World Ultreya - 1966
The first Encounter in Rome, 1966 was folowed by the First World Ultreya and was attended by Pope Paul VI. Pope Paul recognised Cursillo as an effective movement within the church to evangelise the world.
Second World Ultreya - 1970
The Second World Ultreya followed the second World Encounter. This was held in Taxcala Mexico in 1970.
Third World Ultreya - 2000
It was not until 2000 that the Third World Ultreya of the Cursillos in Christianity was held in Rome.
Fourth World Ultreya - 2009
The Fourth World Ultreya was held in Los Angeles USA 2009
History of Fundamental Ideas
In November 1972, the Movement held its Third World Encounter in Mallorca. It was obvious that a book was need which would adequately reflect "the essential basis which gives identity and character to the Movement all over the world, that which every country and every leader has to uphold to keep the Movement true to itself."
So that this document would be the work of all concerned, delegates at the Third World Encounter chose four persons and four national Secretariats to work on the draft; it appointed seven National Secretariats to give final approval and one National Secretariat to serve as the co-ordinator.
Before preparing the final edition, all National Secretariats were consulted and in 1974 the seven National groups, composed of fourteen delegates and two coordinators, met in Mallorca to give final shape to the eight chapters.
The book was produced officially in Spanish and English and was well accepted. It served as a reference, focal point and dynamic element for the leaders in all countries.
In 1988 at the Fourth World Encounter held in Caracas, Venezuela delegates called for a renewal and updating not only of the Movement, but also the book which had identified and unified the Movement.
A Commission was formed and its task was to prepare a draft of the project with all the information available. National Secretariats were consulted a number of times during the process. Finally in 1990 the twelve member commission met together to complete the final edition which was published officially in Spanish and English. Many countries have since published in their own language.
In the light of the approval of the OMCC Statutes, delegates at the Sixth World Encounter in Sao Paulo Brazil in 2005, called once again for Fundamental Ideas, to be updated and revised. This edition to be recast in simple language is to contain a chapter on the Charism and History of the Cursillo Movement, assuring compatibility with the Statutes.
The following year a Commission of twelve was formed, comprising three members of each International Group. In 2012 participation and consultation with all National and Diocesan secretariats is about to take place.