History of the Joliet Cursillo
The Cursillo Movement is a movement of the Catholic Church. The name Cursillo is Spanish, meaning short course, and is often associated with a 3-Day weekend which is only one aspect of the Cursillo Movement. The proper name is Cursillo de Cristiandad (which means a “short course of Christianity).”
Cursillos first appeared in Spain in 1944. A layman named Eduardo Bonñín participated in the early years of the “short courses” in Majorca and helped develop the Cursillos to the point that it became an active renewal movement in the Church. In 1957, the movement had spread to North America, when the first American Cursillo was held in Waco, Texas. See link for a biography for Eduardo Bonñin whose cause for sainthood has begun. He is now called Eduardo Bonñin, Servant of God.
The first Joliet Diocese Men’s Cursillo weekend was held at St. Isaac Jogue’s parish in Hinsdale in August 1963. The first local Women’s weekend occurred the following July at the St. Dennis Rectory in Lockport.
Father Joseph Shimanek who participated in those first weekends ultimately became the Spiritual Director of the movement in 1966, a position he held for thirty-four years. Father Shimanek was a tireless supporter of the movement until his passing in 2005. (See Newsletter Article here.) He was succeeded as Spiritual Director by Father Mark Jendrysik in 2004 and in turn in February 2013 by Father Matt Pratscher. Deacon Vic Puscas served as Joliet Cursillo’s Assistant Director from 2015 until about 2021 when he became our Spiritual Director from 2021 until 2024. Our current Spiritual Advisor (January 2025) is Deacon Joe O’Donnell who serves at Our Lady of Peace – Darien.
The movement lost a friend in April 2013 when Father Francis McDonald passed away. He touched many lives on the many Weekends he worked.
As of 2025, the Joliet Cursillo has brought over 7000 men and women closer to the Lord through over 280 Cursillo weekends. Over ninety of these weekends were held at the St. Charles Borromeo Center in Romeoville, IL. Many other weekends have been held at The Portiuncula Center for Prayer in Frankfort, IL. Currently Weekends are held at the Carmelite Spiritual Center in Darien.
In August of 2016, the Joliet Cursillo was privileged to be the host Diocese for the National Encounter at Lewis University in Romeoville.
The Joliet Cursillo Movement is currently thriving and looks forward to a bright future, sponsoring multiple Ultreya’s each month, a School of Leaders, an annual Ultreya Grande and several weekends for men and women, in both Spanish and English, each year.
Weekend Lists and Photo Gallery
Lists of all Weekends (Men’s and Women’s) held by the Joliet Cursillo since 1963 are available below. We are missing information on some of the Men’s Weekends and some of the binders for the Women’s Weekends. If you have any of this material, we would be very grateful for a copy.
Joliet Cursillo Men’s Weekends
Joliet Cursillo Women’s Weekends
Following below is a photo gallery of past weekend group photos and other miscellaneous items. If you have a weekend group photo you can share, please scan and email it or mail to the PO Box and we will scan and return it to you. (Promise!) (robert_barron [at] comcast.net)
Enjoy and De Colores!
Men’s Weekend Photos
Women’s Weekend Photos
<Does anyone know which Weekends these two from the 1960s were?>