I guess even asking the question is seen by some as heresy; but it has concerned me for about 10 years, since I first heard about it. The more detail I have heard, the more I wondered. I don’t feel qualified to write decisively since I chose not to attend, but my concerns have increased over the years, especially when those who have attended those 3-day intensive weekends describe their experiences and the “rules” and controls, which all seem to mirror a number of cultic practices.
Hopefully, Cleansing Fire is a place where we can discuss in truth and charity. As comments are made, I will excerpt from the comments section and add here to the post (so they make it into the search engine.)
As a backgrounder, you might want to google: “Is Cursillo a cult?”
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I am not a Cursillista and am commenting from that perspective. I presume that we are using the word “cult” in its common parlance fashion. It’s really a perfectly good word meaning a form of worship or devotion. I am sure no one on this blog would accuse Paul VI of promoting a “cult” in his document Marialis Cultus. So, if we mean cult as in a weird, little, off-beat group, I would say that Cursillo is definitely not a “cult.” The folks I have known who go through Cursillo seem to have a much stronger and deeper adherence to Catholic doctrine, become involved in (and generous to)their local parish, and have a sincere devotion to and appreciation for the hierarchical authority of the Church. A “cult” does none of those things but sets itself apart from the larger community/society/Church. Cursillo retreats may use similarly intense forms of interaction and instruction but it doesn’t have its own dogma or ask its participants to set themselves apart or in opposition to the Church.
My limited experience of them is that they are often the backbone of the parishes they are in.