The Cursillo Movement in Benin

The introduction of the Cursillo Movement in French Western Africa is due to Antoine Chikou, from Benin, who, having experienced the Cursillo Weekend while studying in Belgium, was eager to start the Movement in his country. The Belgium Cursillo Chairperson introduced him to Father Loyola Gagné, s.s.s., National Secretary of the Francophone Cursillo Movement of Canada who was also part of the "CEI-MCFC", a spectial committee put forth to help with the expansion of the Cursillo Movement in the Francophonie.

The CEI Committee immediately got involved. The First cursillo in French in Western Africa took place in the Archdiocese of Cotonou on december 4-7, 2003. (N.B. It is known as the first in Cotonou but to be more precise the exact location of this weekend happened to be outside of Cotonou, at Saint Paul de Honton Parish in the adjacent diocese of Lokossa, due to some last minute difficulty. However since its organization came from Cotonou, and the Lokossa diocese is part of the Archdiocese of Cotonou, it is rightly called the first of Cotonou)

Team members of this first cursillo were:

• Antoine Chikou (Benin) rector
• Yves Méthot (Canada) vice rector
• Jean-Pierre Gingras (Canada) assistant
• Père Germain Grenon msa (Canada) spiritual advisor
• Abbé Germain Kitcho (Benin) spiritual advisor assistant
• Mimi Barette et Pierre Debatty (Belgium) rollists

Among the candidates of this first cursillo, were 3 Congolese, 1d Cameroonian and 1 Togolese (the latter was later to participate actively in the implementation of the Cursillo Movement in his country).

Three years later, the Cursillo Movement had already spread to four other dioceses: the Diocese of Abomey in Benin, and three dioceses in the neighboring country Togo: Lomé, Atakpamé and Kpalimé.

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The Cursillo Movement is currently located in two dioceses in Benin