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:

1. 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.
2. 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.