GECC: Europe
Executive Committee
Judit Vardai
President
country
HUNGARY
Andras Scharla
VicePresident
country
HUNGARY
Annemaria Pal
Secretariat
country
HUNGARY
Tamás Scheiling
Treasurer
country
HUNGARY
Fr. Imre Szűcs
spiritual advisor
country
HUNGARY
Representative of International Groups in the OMCC
History
The GECC arose in 1972, when the National Secretariats of Europe, meeting in Mallorca, on the occasion of the III World Encounter of the Cursillo Movement, agreed to create what was then called the European Working Group (GET), as the European International Group of the Cursillo Movement. It thus joined the already existing Latin American Group of Cursillos of Christianity (1968), thus being the second international group to be created in the Cursillo Movement.
In its origins, the GET was formed by the National Secretariats of Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Austria, England and Ireland. At its constitution, the participating National Secretariats agreed on an internal regulation, which they called “TSG Operating Pact”, regulating the nature and functions of the Group, and a basic document reflecting the reality of the MCC in Europe, the so-called “Basic Agreements of the TSG”. At that early stage, the Austrian National Secretariat was chosen as the Group’s coordinator.
As the CQI expanded and settled in other European countries, other National Secretariats were created and joined the TSG. This happened with Yugoslavia (Croatia), Gibraltar, Hungary, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic… until reaching the 14 National Secretariats that currently make up the group. The latest incorporations correspond to the National Secretariats of South Africa, integrated in the European Group as long as there is a group of its own in Africa, and Ukraine, which lived the beginnings of the Cursillo Movement very recently, as of 2017. In addition to those National Secretariats currently incorporated in the Group, there has been contact and connection with Cursillistas and groups in other countries where there has also been some CQI activity, even without consolidating a National Secretariat, such as in France, Romania or Switzerland.
From its beginnings, the European Group was configured as a structure of service, coordination and exchange of information, experience and activities. It was a channel of communication with the other International Groups (GLCC, the English Speaking Group that existed for some years and later, the GAP and the NACG) and of integration in the OMCC: in fact, in the genesis of the OMCC are the meetings held mainly by the GLCC, the European group and some English speaking NS (United States). In Europe, the GECC was decisive for the expansion of the Movement, making possible the collaboration of the existing National Secretariats to reach new territories.
A key element in the life of the GECC has been the many international meetings, encounters and Ultreyas held over the years. Since its inception, it was agreed to hold a European Encounter every four years and to hold several Pre-Encounters in between. In fact, all the meetings (Pre-Encounters and Encounters) have been developed with basically the same approaches and objectives: mutual knowledge, communication, joint reflection, shared prayer, support and possible collaboration, all in the climate of friendship and fraternity that builds unity.
After the initial meeting in Palma de Mallorca, a constitutive meeting was held in Rocca di Papa (Italy), where the guidelines for the functioning of the group were established, and from there began the European Meetings that have been held to date:
– Madrid (España), 1980
– Zagreb (Yugoslavia), 1981
– Roma (Italy), 1982
– Viena (Austria), 1983
– Lisboa (Portugal), 1984
– Barcelona (España), 1985
– Múnich (Alemania), 1987
– Londres (UK), 1988
– Lisboa (Portugal), 1989
– Viena (Austria), 1991
– Leterkenny, Dublín (Ireland), 1992
– Seville (España), 1993
– Berlín (Alemania), 1994
– Budapest (Hungría), 1995
– Wiesbaden (Alemania), 1997
– Gibraltar, 1998
– Viena (Austria), 1999
– Troina (Italy), 2001
– Oporto (Portugal), 2002
– Brno (República Checa), 2004
– Córdoba (España), 2006
– Vicenza (Italy), 2007
– Esztergom, Budapest (Hungría), 2008
– Zagreb (Croacia), 2009
– Zadar (Croacia), 2011
– Viena (Austria), 2013
– Toledo (España), 2014
– Freising (Alemania), 2016
– Velehrad (República Checa), 2017
– Kremsmunster (Austria), 2018
– Asis (Italy), 2019
– Esztergom, Budapest (Hungría), 2023
In them, the incorporation of new countries became a reality, experiences, illusions and problems were shared, working documents and joint projects were discussed and elaborated, meetings and ultreyas were prepared? The unity and identity of the Cursillo Movement in Europe became a reality, in the different national realities and with the different circumstances and peculiarities of each country.
At present, the Cursillo Movement is fully present in THIRTEEN European countries: Germany, Austria, Croatia, Spain, Gibraltar (it has its own National Secretariat), Hungary, England and Wales, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Ukraine and South Africa (since there is no International Group in Africa, it is incorporated into the GECC). All these countries have duly constituted their own National Secretariats and are the components currently recognized in the GECC. In other countries there are some diocesan structures or groups, as in Belgium, France, Poland and to a lesser extent, Slovakia, Switzerland, Romania, but without having yet constituted a National Secretariat.
All these countries today compose the GECC and through the GECC are integrated into the World Organization of Cursillos in Christianity, the coordination structure of the Movement at the world level. Thus, they have maintained a notable participation in World Encounters and Ultreyas, some of which have been held in Europe.
National Secretariats
- President:Birgit Geier
- Contact:passau@cursillo.de
- History: The Austrians, presided by Father J. Ma. Garcia Cascales, took the cursillos to Rottemburg in 1961. There they organized little by little the Ultreya, the School and the Secretariat. In the middle of 1962, with a team from Vich (Spain), they began the short courses for Spanish emigrants. These were given very sporadically. Germany, with the help of Austria, made efforts to bring the courses to the other side of the iron curtain.
- President:Beatrix Karasegh
- Contact:
- History: Father J.M. García Cascales, the soul of the Cursillos in Central Europe, began to plan the introduction of the Cursillos in Vienna (Austria) at the end of 1960. They went down so well with the men that on October 13, 1961, the first one was given to women. Austria had one of the first Cursillo magazines. Austria translated and wrote books on Cursillos. Austria was present and very active in almost all the World Encounters. And Austria sponsored the Cursillos in Germany and Yugoslavia. And it is sponsoring them in other countries, until recently satellites of Russia.
- President:
Kresimir Percela
- Contact:
- History:
Cursillo arrived in Croatia in 1974. The first course was held from August 28 to 31 of that year in Samobor, at the Tabor House of Encounters. The founder, spiritual director, and leader of Cursillo in Croatia was Fr. Andrija Vrane, who, despite personal challenges such as stuttering, worked tirelessly to expand the movement.
During the early years, courses were held separately for men and women, but they soon became integrated. Despite the communist regime, which was unfavorable toward Catholic movements, Cursillo managed to thrive thanks to the dedication of its members and the spiritual leadership of Fr. Vrane. Today, it is particularly important to highlight that a large number of young people are actively involved in the movement, participating in organization, animation, and faith witness through Cursillo.
Over five decades of activity in Croatia, Cursillo has conducted more than 1,500 Little Courses in 16 dioceses, with over 45,000 participants and more than 1,000 one-day spiritual renewals. Particularly significant are the courses on the island of Krapanj, which have become a key center for spiritual renewal and youth gatherings. Each year, thousands of young people come to Krapanj through programs designed for different age groups: families, high school students, university students, young workers, and veterans. In addition to spiritual content, participants have the opportunity to engage in fellowship, sports, workshops, and deepen their faith through testimonies and catechesis.
In 2024, Cursillo celebrated 50 years of activity in Croatia. More than a thousand collaborators and friends gathered at the Tabor House of Encounters to thank the Lord for half a century of encounters, grace, and joy in the “Little Course.” On this occasion, an exhibition was also organized on the history of Cursillo in Croatia.
Today, Cursillo continues its mission of spiritual renewal, adapting to contemporary challenges and the needs of the faithful, and remains an essential part of the spiritual life of many Croatians, especially young people, who find in the movement a sense of community and a deeper relationship with God.
- Presidencia:
Rosa Murillo Fuentes
- Contacto:
secretariadonacional@cursillosdecristiandad.es
- President:
Derek Sene
- Contact:
- History: The Cursillo movement came to the Rock more than 40 years ago. Having only one Diocese, it already has more than 4000 of the 21000 Catholics, who have made their Cursillo. It came to give 4 Cursillos a year, with an average of 20 participants and has always been characterized by the youth of the cursillistas. It should be noted that in 2009, a team from Gibraltar and Ireland founded the MCC in Durban (South Africa).
- President:
Judit Vardainé Kóllar
- Contact:
- President:Joanne Morris
- Contact:
- History: The school of leaders in Lisbon began preparing to go to England as early as 1963. In 1964, Father Duran, from the USA, tried to hasten the moment. And, the moment did not come until March 21, 1970, when a team from Portugal gave the first course in Liverpool.
- President:
Kevin Kerr
- Contact:
- President:Carlo de Benedetti
- Contact:
- History: The Cursillo arrived in Italy in 1955. A course was organized in Rome, at the Spanish College, but only for Spaniards living in Italy, some seminarians. It was successful, but everything was suspended after the “dark night of the Cursillos” when Don Juan Hervas passed to Ciudad Real and Bishop Enciso arrived in Mallorca.
In 1962, at the initiative of the Diocese of Ciudad Real, a Cursillo was held in Rome, the first with the participation of Italians. Among the participants was a young man from Fermo who spoke enthusiastically with his Catholic Action priest friends.
Thus in 1963 the first Cursillo was held in Fermo with the support of two brothers from Ciudad Real. From the IV Cursillo the team was all Italian and only in 1965 took shape the weekly ultreya, the Group Reunions and the School of Leaders.
A Portuguese, Father Francisco Santana, was the protagonist of the first Cursillo in the diocese of Bologna and the successive formation of the School for leaders.
From Bologna and always thanks to the initiative and enthusiasm of Father Santana the Cursillo had a rapid expansion throughout Italy.
The first Cursillo for women was organized in 1967.
Father Santana had met an Italian priest in Lisbon and had convinced him to organize a Cursillo in Genoa. Father Angelo, as he was called, returned to Italy but he had many doubts and did not believe that he would have been able to gather 20 people to participate in this “strange thing that was the Cursillo”. So he sent a letter to Father Francis telling him that perhaps it would be better to cancel it,
He received a phone call at four o’clock in the morning… “You cannot let Christianity down! Learn from the Gospel… go out into the street and look for 20 men in any environment, who are very manly, and bring them to the Cursillo!
The Spirit breathed giving its fruits. The Cursillo was carried out with 21 participants.
Today in Italy there are 80 diocesan secretariats and in each diocese there are two to four Cursillos every year.
- President:
Albert Allaart
- Contact:
- Presidencia:Joaquim Mota
- Contacto:
- History: On October 7, 1960, in a room of the Church of St. Peter in Alcantara, with Father Joao Gonçalves as Prior, the great adventure of the Cursillos of Christianity in Portugal began.
Months later, in November of the same year, at the wish of Father Gonçalves, the first cursillo in Portugal was held in Fatima with the participation of 19 cursillistas. It is worth mentioning the message sent by the Bishop of Leiria to the Cursillistas “the Work that is born in Fatima does not die…”.
The first women’s Cursillo was held in Rodizio years later, in May 1962. It is the insistence of Father Damaso Lambers who, with the help of some leaders of the school of Vitoria (Spain), manages to carry out this first Cursillo with 34 cursillistas.
- President:
Josef Vlach
- Contact:
- President:
Robin Paul
- Contact:
- History:
In the same year, 2009, the creation of the National Secretariat of the Cursillo Movement in South Africa began to take shape, under the direction of Mr Rob Paul, to coordinate the activities in the different dioceses. The National Secretariat organised the formation process of the School of Leaders and programmed the celebration of the Cursillos in the various dioceses. Likewise, the National Secretariat of South Africa, in coordination with the GECC, has promoted the introduction of the Cursillo in other African countries, specifically in Uganda, Lesotho and Ghana, where the first Cursillos have already been held with the participation of leaders from South Africa. Now, the National Secretariat of Cursillo Movement in South Africa woud need now the approval of the SACBC (Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference), to properly develop all its functions and foster the introduction iof the Movement into other Diocese in SA.
Since its inception, the CM in South Africa has been supported by the GECC, which is now the international group of the CM responsible for the Movement in Africa. In 2016, at the GECC meeting in Munich (Germany), which was attended for the first time by South African leaders, it was agreed to integrate the South Africa National Secretariat into the GECC as a full member, pending the future establishment of a separate International Group for Africa. In this way, the South African National Secretariat was also integrated into the World Organization of Cursillos in Christianity (OMCC), a body recognised by the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life for the worldwide coordination of the Cursillo Movement.
Today, the National Secretariat of South Africa constitutes the fundamental pillar of the Cursillo Movement in Africa and is the critical element for the evangelising task that the Movement can develop in Africa in the future.
- President:
Thomas Patrick Creen
- Contact:
- History:
The first Cursillo de Cristiandad in Ukraine was held on May 13, 2018. Since then, Cursillos have been held in the city of Lviv, a town located in the west of Ukraine. Little by little and with great effort more than 10 cursillos have been made and today there is a small school of more than 100 cursillistas, happy to belong to the movement and live a “colorful” life in a country where the majority population professes the Orthodox Christian religion and almost 10% of Catholics of Ukrainian Byzantine rite.
