My Cursillo Story

I made my Cursillo weekend in 1982 in Timmins, Ontario. The table I was placed at was named St. Elizabeth of Hungary. The organizers had set up several tables for the candidates, and each table was given the name of a saint.

When the weekend was introduced to me, I was in desperate need of something — or someone — to fill the emptiness and brokenness in my life. I had just gone through the pain of a shattered marriage that ended in divorce. My invitation to attend could not have come at a better time.

 I was searching, and Scripture says:

 “Ask and you shall receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7–8)

That promise included me — a broken, divorced woman. Deep down, I was longing for meaning and purpose, and on my Cursillo weekend, I found it.

It wasn’t easy getting there. I faced many obstacles — delays, doubts, and last-minute fears. I even came close to canceling. Why? Because I, too, was afraid of the unknown, and doubt filled my heart. Let’s not forget how the evil one plays a role in our decision-making. He does not want us free. He does not want us blessed by God. He would rather see us stay put in grief and brokenness. He would rather we quit and give up. The devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10), but Jesus came so that we may have life, and have it abundantly.

That is what Cursillo did for me — it helped me grow so I could live my life more abundantly.

By God’s grace, I persevered. I couldn’t let my sponsor down, so I put aside all the obstacles, packed my overnight bag, placed it in the trunk of my car, and went. That decision changed my life forever.

What Cursillo Did for Me

Cursillo gave me two priceless gifts:

1. I discovered a flower within my soul — hidden under sin and brokenness — waiting to bloom into the beauty God created me to be.

2. I found a hidden treasure: Jesus Christ living within me since my baptism — a treasure I hadn’t truly recognized before.

My heart was so overflowing with love, peace, and joy after that weekend that the only way I could express it was through a poem. I had never written a poem before in my life. That first poem, written after my Cursillo, became the beginning of over 90 songs and hundreds of poems that God has given me since.

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My First Poem

A Rose in the Garden of Life

By Rose Nadeau

I met a flower as I was searching one day

By the help of God the gardener needless to say

The Father and Son worked hard to sow

Along with the Spirit for the garden to grow

Then the day came to hand in the key

He opened the gates to the garden for me

The warm wind whispered to the Rose and said

“Come follow me, I will make you a bed”

Many kinds of flowers were there

All sizes, shades and colors of hair

My grace to you I send from above

To smile and to share with the ones that you love

Bundles of Joy I’ll give to you

To spread to all your brothers too

Slip out of your bud and follow my way

To blossom and bloom with your sisters I say

Tears running down off your petals are many

Give from the heart not only the penny

Gather first the tulips and daisies

Fear not the work and do not be lazy

The Garden and the flowers are here

It is part of this life so precious and dear

For God is the gardener and you are the flower

He was watching from His heavenly tower

Turn away from sin and do good

He forgave you so come if you would

Open your heart, let Me into your garden

I want to come in if your heart you don’t harden

Along with the wind, the rain, and the sun

The Rose I will nourish with laughter and fun

I know now where the garden is and who is the Rose

It is you my child from your head to your toes

Go now in peace in God’s mercy and pardon

Help others bloom in God’s beautiful garden

Reflection on My Poem: “A Rose in the Garden of Life”

Now let me explain the words of this poem line by line. This will help you see the graces and blessings I received on my Cursillo weekend.

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“I met a flower as I was searching one day…”

This means I found myself. I am a child of God. Divorce or no divorce, God loves me — I am His and He is mine.

Cursillo helped me discover who I was: a child of God, loved, precious, and special in His sight. Created in His image and likeness, I met the flower in myself while searching.

If you are searching, Cursillo is where you will find the flower in you.

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“By the help of God the gardener needless to say…”

The priest who led the weekend was like the gardener. God used him to help me find myself, my purpose, and meaning in my life.

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“The Father and Son worked hard to sow, along with the Spirit for the garden to grow…”

The Trinity worked through the priest, the team, and the candidates — all working together to help each other grow.  The team prepared for weeks and months with prayer and palanca (sacrifice). The Spirit worked through them. Around the world, many prayed for the success of our weekend. The power of prayer is why so many are blessed through Cursillo.

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“Then the day came to hand in the key…”

When I arrived, it was as if heaven opened for me. The floodgates to God’s garden swung wide, and I saw the beauty of my brothers and sisters in Christ.  Until then, I felt alone in my faith — like I was walking a deserted island. But at Cursillo, I realized I wasn’t alone. I was surrounded by many who believed like me.

That day, God showed me that I was not journeying in the desert alone — I was sitting in His beautiful garden. Heaven on earth opened for me.

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“The warm wind whispered to the Rose and said, ‘Come follow me, I will make you a bed.’”

I felt the Spirit of God inviting me in. He showed me that He had a place prepared for me in His garden — not just someday in heaven, but here and now with His family on earth.

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“Many kinds of flowers were there…”

The flowers were the beautiful people God brought into my life that weekend. They were people I knew would stand by me in good times and bad.  These friends were not just “when it’s convenient” friends, but true brothers and sisters in Christ. They loved me for who I was — rich or poor, married or divorced, broken or whole. They became family.

That alone made Cursillo worth it, even though there were many more blessings still to come.

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“All sizes, shades and colors of hair…”

At Cursillo, I saw beauty in everyone. Age, gender, color, background — none of it mattered. Prejudice fell away.

We became one family, all equally precious to God.

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“My grace to you I send from above…”

God poured down His amazing grace on me that weekend — just like the song says: “I once was lost, but now I’m found; was blind, but now I see.”   Everything was grace: the invitation, the prayers, the kindness of others. It was all sent from above.

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“To smile and to share with the ones that you love…”

The fellowship and love that were shared were overwhelming. Strangers became friends instantly.

It was love at first sight — love for God, for neighbor, and even for myself.

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“Bundles of joy I’ll give to you…”

The joy I experienced from this love and acceptance was overwhelming.

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“To spread to all your brothers too…”

I was so full of joy that I wanted to shout from the mountaintops: “Go, tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is Lord!”

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“Slip out of your bud and follow my way…”

This was God’s call: follow My way.  After receiving so much peace, joy, and love, how could I say no? I chose to follow Him, and I have followed Him ever since.  We can search all we like, but the truth, the way, and the life are only found in Jesus.

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“To blossom and bloom with your sisters I say…”

 Cursillo gave me true friendships. Real friends lead us closer to Jesus. Cursillo’s motto is: “Make a friend,

be a friend, bring a friend to Christ.”  The friends I met there became lifelong companions in faith. We

could laugh, cry, and share without fear of judgment. They are friends for eternity.

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“Tears running down off your petals are many…”

On my weekend, I cried tears of joy, healing, peace, love, and hope.

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“Give from the heart not only the penny…”

 I learned that true giving isn’t just money in a collection plate. It’s giving your heart, your time, and your talents to others in need.

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“Gather first the tulips and daisies…”

The blessings I received weren’t meant for me alone. I was called to gather others into God’s garden, so they too could grow in love, hope, and peace.

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“Fear not the work and do not be lazy…”

God showed me that there is work to be done — helping others, making sacrifices, putting aside selfish plans.  We cannot waste our lives in idleness. The world is filled with people who need Jesus. We must serve with love and balance, not laziness.

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“The Garden and the flowers are here…”

Eternal life doesn’t begin only after death — it begins here on earth.  Through Cursillo, I tasted heaven now — joy, peace, hope, and love with Jesus at my side.

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“For God is the gardener and you are the flower…”

I realized I am God’s rose. He planted me, and nothing — no trial, no pain — could separate me from His love. (Romans 8)

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“He was watching from His heavenly tower…”

Like the poem Footprints in the Sand reminds us: God never leaves us. He watches from heaven and sends His angels to guard us.

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“Turn away from sin and do good…”

I learned about confession, repentance, and God’s mercy. I saw that I needed to leave behind bitterness, unforgiveness, and sin — and live in the fullness of God’s grace. Cursillo showed me that God wants me in full bloom, not choked by weeds.

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“He forgave you so come if you would…”

My weekend was God’s call to return to Him. It was His invitation to show me His mercy and love.

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“Open your heart, let Me into your garden…”

I realized I had to open my heart fully to God if I wanted to live in His peace.

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“I want to come in if your heart you don’t harden…”

God gives us a choice: life or death, yes or no. Without Jesus, the seed planted in us begins to die. With Him, we flourish.

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“Along with the wind, the rain, and the sun…”

God is with us in sunshine and in storms. He never abandons us.

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“The Rose I will nourish with laughter and fun…”

God gives us everything we need to grow: friends, prayer, joy, and strength.

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“I know now where the garden is and who is the Rose…”

The garden is here on earth, and I am the Rose He planted. God wants me to be fully alive in Him and help others grow too.

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“It is you my child from your head to your toes…”

God reminded me that each of us is His rose, precious in His sight.

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 “Go now in peace in God’s mercy and pardon…”

I experienced God’s unconditional mercy and pardon through this weekend. His love reached me in my brokenness and healed me.

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“Help others bloom in God’s beautiful garden…”

When my weekend ended, I was filled with such joy that I wanted everyone to experience it too. I wanted others to know this love, this joy, this peace.  Cursillo gave me hope, friends, and a mission — to spend the rest of my life helping others bloom in God’s beautiful garden.

May  Jesus,  Mary,  Joseph,  All Angels,  Saints, Martyrs,    Bless you more abundantly than you can dream or imagine.