By Rita McInerney

Both the monks and the weather were welcoming when the archdiocesan Cursillo held its first women’s weekend at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers from Sept. 19 to 22.

“The monks and the abbot (Dom Bernard Johnson, OCSO) have been very welcoming, just marvelous in their Benedictine hospitality,” said Sister Margaret McAnoy, IHM, spiritual director. “I’m sorry it took us so long to move out here.”

Until now, the women had held Cursillo weekends at Ignatius House in Atlanta. The men’s weekends have been held at the monastery for many years. Sister McAnoy said the women moved from Ignatius House after Cursillo became the only non-Jesuit weekend experience held at the Atlanta retreat house.

“We have been many places,” she said, in the 25 years the Cursillo movement has been in the archdiocese. After it started in 1966, the earliest weekends were held at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church on Briarcliff Road. From there, the weekends moved to St. Pius X High School and the Village of St. Joseph.

The weekend was attended by 41 candidates. Twenty-nine women served as the volunteer team. They saw to it that the candidates were comfortable and well fed, facilitated spiritual discussion and offered prayer support. Throughout the archdiocese, crusillistas offered prayers and sacrifices for the spiritual enrichment of the candidates.

Mary Lu Christiansen, of Holy Cross parish, was rector.

Sister McAnoy has been involved with the Cursillo movement here since 1970 and has been spiritual director four years. She succeeded Father Jimmy Adams in that post. He is now pastor of St. Joseph’s Church in Washington, Ga.

Father Richard Kieran, pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary, was celebrant of the 25th anniversary liturgy held at the Cathedral of Christ the King in June. He served as spiritual director for 17 years.

Monsignor Michael J. Regan, then pastor at Immaculate Heart of Mary, with Bill Kingery and Charlie Mueller, went to Chicago to make a Cursillo weekend and then invited a team to Atlanta in 1966 to conduct the first program here. It was held at Immaculate Heart of Mary.