The movement came from Spain to this country in 1947 when a group of Spanish airmen were training in Texas. As it spread through the Roman Catholic Church, Protestants were invited to participate
in certain areas. In the early 1970's, various denominations such as the Lutherans and the Episcopalians developed their own movement along the Imes of the Catholic Cursillo to serve persons
from their churches. Some localities worked toward ecumenical goals. In 1977, the Upper Room modeled two ecumenical ventures in Peoria, Illinois, for the purpose of bringing the Cursillo movement to a
broader ecumenical constituency.