Cursillo Movement > World expansion > in Africa

The Cursillo Movement in Africa

1. In French - 2. In Spanish and Portuguese - 3. In English

In French

The implementation in the French language of the Cursillo Movement in Africa is recent. The first Francophone Cursillo was held in BENIN in 2003. It was also introduced in TOGO in 2005.

Under the sponsorship and the guidance of the "Mouvement des Cursillos Francophones du Canada", the CM is experiencing remarkable growth in both countries of West Africa. Not only has Benin 2 Diocesan Secretariats, and Togo, a National Secretariat with 3 dioceses, but there are plans to expand in other dioceses and requests are coming from other countries.

	Benin Dioceses of Cotonou and Abomey
	Togo Dioceses of Lomé, Atakpamé and Kpalimé

In Spanish and Portuguese

The Cursillo Movement has also been introduced in Africa through the Spanish and Portuguese colonies. From what Fr Cesareo Gil mentions in his book on the history of the CM, it was implanted in the former SPANISH SAHARA, MOZAMBIQUE and ANGOLA. There have also been cursillos given in MOROCCO until the departure of Europeans at the time of the accession of this country's independence. Cesareo Gil also states that in Rhodesia (ZIMBABWE, ZAMBIA), the Cursillo Movement was renamed "Movement of Catholic leaders". Unfortunately we have no information on the current state of the CM in these different countries.

Furthermore, the Spanish magazine Kerygma * speaks of the remarkable success of the implementation of Cursillo in EQUATORIAL GUINEA, in Central Africa, where the CM is present in five dioceses and enjoys the support of a Guinean bishop who made his Cursillo :

"Cursillistas from Barcelona (Spain) were responsible of its foundation. Members of Barcelona Leaders School spent weeks training Guinean cursillistas leaders. Their first session was held in Bata with the help of the Salesians who have always been favourable to the Cursillo. They also went to Niefang, Ebibeyin, Mokom and to Kogo. In the diocese of Ebibeyin, they were happy to meet the new bishop, Mgr Alfred M. Oburu, who calls himself "a big brother of the Cursillo" and who has been candidate to the Bata Cursillo weekend #18. The maturity of the Bata cursillistas is remarkable and keeps progressing year after year."

In English

Recently, in June 2009, the Catholic Cursillo Movement has been successfully introduced in Durban, SOUTH AFRICA, by cursillistas from Gibraltar and Ireland. Francis Napoli, from Gibraltar and President of GECC (European Group of MC) was Rector of the first weekend

The Cursillo Movement has also been introduced in Southern Africa by the Christian Methodist Church, which has "Walk to Emmaus" Communities in many localities of SOUTH AFRICA, SWAZILAND, MOZAMBIQUE, and ZIMBABWE. Walk to Emmaus is also on the West Coast of Africa, in GHANA.

On the East Coast, the Cursillo Movement was introduced in KENYA by the Anglican Church, and in MALAWI by the Episcopalians.