Our History
The Organizational Meeting
It was in the spring of 1982 when eight Filipino Cursillistas, who took their Cursillo 3-day Weekend course either in the Philippines, Oakland, San Francisco, or Guam, were inspired b y the Holy Spirit to meet at the parish hall of the Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in San Jose, California. That inspiration came down through Father Jim Sheeran, a Parish Priest of Old St. Mary’s Church in the Diocese of Oakland, who encouraged the group to form an organizational meeting. The purpose of that small gathering was to activate the Filipino Cursillo activity in the newly established Diocese of San Jose, Roman Catholic Church.
The Organizers
Bro John Mendoza, Bro Sam Pasion, Bro Ric Posadas and Bro Mel Valderama initiated that small gathering which eventually led to the organizational meeting for the purpose of activating the Filipino Cursillo Movement in the Diocese of San Jose. The chairman of that working group was Bro John Mendoza. Present in that significant meeting that can be remembered were:
Bro John Mendoza (deceased)
Bro Ric Posadas
Bro Sam Pasion
Bro Mel Valderama (deceased)
Bro Nick Suarez
Bro Benny Cendania
Bro Loy Sagrado
Bro Roland Tigno
Bro Art Sacman
The First Leaders
When the formal Filipino Cursillo Movement Secretariat was organized in that year, Bro Sam Pasion was formally elected as the first Lay Director. The Movement was subsequently recognized by His Excellency Bishop Pierre DuMaine of the newly instituted Diocese of San Jose.
Father John Coleman, a devoted Cursillista and Parish Priest of Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Alviso District of San Jose, was the overall Spiritual Cursillo Adviser of the entire Diocese of San Jose at that time. Bro Deacon Carl Bungie, a dedicated Cursilista, was the first Spiritual Director of the newly organized Filipino Cursillo Movement.
Bro Ric Posadas was the Rector (Coordinator) of the first Men’s 3-day Weekend Cursillo held in October 1983 in St Joseph Seminary, Los Altos, California. In the same year, Sis Aster Passion was the Rectora (Coordinator) of the first Women’s 3-Day Cursillo Weekend. Since 1983, the Movement has continuously been holding annually a 3-day Weekend Cursillo and has produced over hundreds of Cursillistas in the San Jose Bay Area.
To date, the Filipino Cursillo Movement owed its continuous existence from the many organizers and the Filipino Cursillo Secretariat’s leadership.
The Cursillo Founder
A blessing came down to the Filipino Cursillo Movement when Hermano Eduardo Bonin, one of the Cursillo Founders, in a rare and special opportunity, met with some organizers of the Filipino Cursillo Movement on September 10, 1994. At that time, Eduardo Bonin was attending the Hispanic Regional Cursillo Convention at the Guadalupe Catholic Church in East San Jose, California. Upon learning of his presence in the San Jose Area, Bro Ric Posadas, Bro Art Sacman and Bro Ramon Aquino wasted no time and checked in to the ongoing Hispanic Cursillo Convention. It was at that special occasion they personally met Eduardo Bonin. The three invited Eduardo to the ongoing 3-day Women’s Weekend at Camp St Francis in Aptos, California. Without hesitation, Eduardo, although tight on schedule, gracefully accepted the invitation. He said, “Yes, I love to see the ongoing Filipino 3-Day Women Cursillo and meet other Filipino Cursillistas.
group passed by the residence of Bro Ric. It was at that place where the three Cursillistas (Bro Ric, Bro Art and Bro Ramon) had a close conversation with Eduardo Bonin. Though Eduardo Bonin speaks in Spanish, the three received the real message of the Cursillo Movement.