The Tres Dias weekend is an opportunity for Christian candidates to encounter Jesus Christ, experience other Christians serving them in love, and receive new inspiration for living our life in Christ.  Tres Dias seeks the participation of all Christian denominations.

• The main teaching of Tres Dias is God's unconditional love for us through His grace.

• The objective of Tres Dias is to strengthen His Church by a closer personal walk with Jesus.

• The purpose of Tres Dias is to inspire apostolic action in our environment and Christian leaders in the church.

Tres Dias is an interdenominational group of Christians.  The Spanish Tres Dias means "Three Days" which is the length of the "weekend" that is commonly held from Thursday through Sunday.  It developed from Cursillo de Christiandad or "short course in Christianity" that started in Spain during the 1940s. Tres Dias started in the US in 1972 and is overseen by Tres Dias International that is made up of laymen and clergy from around the world.

After a candidate attends a weekend, he or she becomes a Pescador (fisherman).  Pescadores are encouraged to meet in small support groups to continue developing their Christian life and church leadership.  There are over 50 Tres Dias communities (local chapters) in the world and over ten thousand people have attended a weekend.  Weekends are sponsored and coordinated by local chapters that have been chartered by Tres Dias International.

Tres Dias of North Georgia's local area is Greater Atlanta.  Usually candidates attend a Tres Dias weekend in the area where they live so they can be in a small group with people they know.  If you live in different area, you should look for a local community.  If there is not a community in your area and you are interested in starting a community where you live, please contact the Chairman of the NGTD Secretariat for assistance.

A Christian who is at least 21 years old and has not attended Tres Dias (or a similar three day weekend) can apply to become a candidate if they are sponsored by someone who has attended.  Attendance is prioritized by the time stamp on an application and the waiting period can be from several months to a year.  Men and women attend different weekends; the husband must attend first if the candidate is married.  If you are between 15 and 20 years old, you are eligible to attend Vida Nueva. 

We believe and profess:

1. Our faith in one Triune God - The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19).

2. That Jesus Christ is the only Savior and is God in the flesh (John 1:1, 1:14, 3:36, 14: & Heb. 2:17).

3. That the Holy Spirit is God and is the Lord and Giver of life, who continues to work in believers today to sanctify, edify and empower the whole Christian church on earth - - - for His purpose (Job 33:4, Acts 1:8, John 14:26 & Rom. 8:11).

4. That the Holy Scriptures are the inspired and completely true Word of God (II Tim. 3:16-17).

5. That all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God; that forgiveness of sins is received through confession and repentance - - and that our sins are washed away through the blood of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38, I John 1:9 & Rom. 3:23).

6. That salvation is a gift of God's grace received through personal faith in Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:8).

7. That the Body of Christ is to make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God (Eph. 4:3, 13).

8. That God's unconditional love, as made manifest to us through Jesus Christ, is the primary witness by which people are renewed, edified and changed (I Cor. 13:8).

9. That God has called us to live holy lives that will bring glory to His name (Col. 3:1-25). 

Note: For purposes of standards and principles, Tres Dias ascribes to those stated in the "Authorized King James Version" of the Bible of 1611 (KJV).

1.0  Preamble 

The TRES DIAS Movement endeavors to bring Christians to a 

closer, more personal walk with their Lord Jesus Christ and 

encourage them to Christian leadership and Apostolic Action 

in their environments. 

TRES DIAS is based on the principles, the method, and the 

teachings of the Roman Catholic Cursillo movement initially 

proposed by Bishop Juan Hervas, Eduardo Bonnin and their fellow 

Christians.  Each candidate goes through three phases of the 

TRES DIAS movement:  the pre-weekend, the three-day weekend1 and 

the Fourth Day.  TRES DIAS is a Christian ecumenical movement. 

"The founders of the Cursillo movement saw a world of great need 

around them.  They knew that the answer to the needs of the 

world had to be Christ and His Grace; but...they saw Christians 

who did not live for Christ, and they saw a church that 

was...ineffective and without life.  They developed the Cursillo 

to meet part of this problem: to provide any part of the church 

which was ready to undertake the formation of Christian life 

with all the people it needed -- people who would have the deep 

dedication to Christ and to bringing all peoples to Him -- 

people who would undertake a regular program of formation in 

Christianity, and who would make their Christian life conscious 

and vital -- people who would understand how to be part of a 

unified apostolic effort."² 

The main teaching of TRES DIAS is God's unqualified love for 

each of us through grace.  It asks each member of the TRES DIAS 

community to grow in their personal piety, to study God's Word 

and other Christian writings and to express their love for 

Christ in Christian Apostolic Action. 

These three aspects of Christian growth are stressed in the 

cloistered environment called, "the weekend."  An invitation is 

issued during the weekend for each Pescadore to join a small 

group of his/her own choosing for continued support, prayer and 

encouragement. 

In order to ensure consistency and stability within the TRES 

DIAS Movement, there must be certain essential aspects to which 

all TRES DIAS organizations conform.  These Essentials fall into 

two categories:  those which are quantitative and those which 

are qualitative in nature.  It is the intent of TRES DIAS to use 

both of these categories as criteria for chartering local 

secretariats. 

It should therefore be the policy of local secretariats to 

comply with these Essentials.  Policies of local secretariats 

which deviate from these Essentials must be reviewed on an 

individual basis and are subject to the approval of TRES DIAS. 

2.0  The Essentials of the Movement 

1.  TRES DIAS is a Christian movement. 

The ultimate objective of the TRES DIAS Movement is to 

strengthen and extend the Body of Christ.  No TRES DIAS 

organization shall change the teachings or practices of the TRES 

DIAS Movement to accommodate the participation of non-

christians. 

For the purpose of these Essentials, "Christian" is intended to 

refer to those who are seeking a closer relationship with Jesus 

Christ as their Lord and Savior. 

2.  TRES DIAS is a Christian ecumenical movement. 

All TRES DIAS organizations shall actively seek the 

participation of persons from all the Christian denominations in 

their environment. 

All TRES DIAS organizations shall stress those things which the 

Christian denominations have in common and respect those things 

which are different. 

All TRES DIAS organizations have the duty and the authority to 

protect the TRES DIAS ecumenical structure. 

3.  TRES DIAS is a lay led movement. 

TRES DIAS is a lay led movement; however, the active 

participation of the clergy is both essential and to be 

encouraged. 

4.  TRES DIAS is a non-profit movement. 

TRES DIAS organizations should pursue prudent fiscal policies.  

They shall avoid accumulating assets beyond what is required to 

carry out their part in the TRES DIAS Movement. 

5.  The TRES DIAS Movement shall not assume the role of a 

denomination. 

TRES DIAS is not a church-substitute; rather, it encourages 

Christians to worship and serve in their home congregations, as 

leaders. 

6.  TRES DIAS is not a service organization. 

The TRES DIAS movement encourages Pescadores to participate in 

"worthy projects."  TRES DIAS organizations shall limit their 

activities to those related to carrying out the TRES DIAS 

method. 

3.0     The Essentials of the TRES DIAS Method 

1.      The three sequential phases of an individual's involvement 

shall be:  The Pre-weekend phase, The Weekend phase and the 

Fourth Day phase. 

2.      The objective of the Pre-weekend phase is to prepare 

individuals for participation in the Weekend. 

3.      The purpose of the Weekend, in terms of the method, is to 

prepare individuals for effective participation in the Fourth 

Day. 

3.1     The Essentials of the Pre-Weekend Phase 

1.      That the candidate be sponsored for participation in all 

phases of the TRES DIAS Movement, rather than just the Weekend. 

2.      That candidates be sponsored by a member of a chartered 

TRES DIAS community or a similar community approved by TRES 

DIAS. 

3.      That candidates have a desire for a closer relationship 

with Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. 

4.      That candidates be accepted from all Christian 

denominations. 

5.      That candidates be at least 21 years of age.  However, if a 

local secretariat, using its best judgment, finds a sound and 

compelling reason (such as spouse of a pescadore, or military 

personnel), it OCCASIONALLY, on a case by case basis, may accept 

a candidate who is at least 18 years of age. 

6.      That candidates have not previously made a TRES DIAS 

weekend or a similar experience recognized as equivalent by TRES 

DIAS. 

3.2  The Essentials of the Weekend Phase 

1.      That the weekend have the following characteristics: 

A.      It is a weekend of living in Christian community involving 

a combination of carefully developed activities and teachings 

which are meant to lead to a fuller personal commitment to 

Christ. 

B.      It embodies personal witness, but it is not a revival 

meeting. 

C.      It employs group dynamics, but it is neither sensitivity 

training nor group therapy. 

D.      It employs theological instruction that encourages the 

candidate to study his/her own Christian beliefs, but it is not 

a course in doctrine. 

E.      It includes a period of silent introspection, but it is not 

a retreat. 

F.      It is a renewal experience for Christians and is not 

necessarily a conversion experience. 

G.      It asks for basic faith, openness and a seeking attitude on 

the part of the candidate, but involves a great amount of 

dedication, prayer and careful planning on the part of the team. 

H.      It is an encounter with the Holy Spirit.  However, TRES 

DIAS is not a "charismatic" movement. 

I.      The weekend is a tool of God, not an end in itself.  The 

weekend will not produce a permanent effect without Fourth Day 

activity. 

2.  That the Spiritual Directors be qualified to teach and 

counsel in spiritual matters. 

3.  That at least one of the Spiritual Directors on the Weekend 

be ordained and be authorized to regularly celebrate Holy 

Communion by his/her denomination. 

For the purpose of these Essentials, "clergy" is intended to 

refer to those persons qualified to serve as Spiritual 

Directors. 

4.  That men and women attend separate weekends.  The Spiritual 

Directors are exempted. 

5.  That team members represent a spectrum of Christian 

denominations. 

6.  That team members have previously made either a TRES DIAS 

Weekend or a similar experience recognized by TRES DIAS. 

7.  That the Rector be a lay person and be responsible for all 

aspects of the weekend, under the authority of the local 

sponsoring secretariat. 

8.  That the team meet prior to the weekend to:  promote 

community, receive instruction on the dynamics and critique all 

the Rollos. 

9.  That the TRES DIAS weekend be an intensive three-day program 

lasting approximately 72 continuous hours. 

10.  That the team and candidates live in a cloistered 

environment for the entire weekend. 

11.  That lay-talks not be given by clergy, and Spiritual 

Director talks not be given by a lay person. 

12.  That the weekend begin in the evening with the following 

agenda: 

Introduction given by the Rector 

Start silent retreat to end after chapel the next morning 

KNOW YOURSELF meditation, given by clergy 

PRODIGAL SON meditation (or alternatively, on a women’s 

   weekend, the Hosea-Gomer account as recorded in Hosea 1-3,

   or the account of the woman caught in adultery,

   as recorded in John 8:1-11), given by clergy 

13.  That the first day of the weekend have the following 

agenda: 

THE THREE GLANCES OF CHRIST meditation, given by clergy 

The IDEALS rollo, given by a lay person 

The GRACE rollo, given by clergy 

THE CHURCH rollo, given by a lay person 

THE HOLY SPIRIT rollo, given by clergy 

The PIETY rollo, given by a lay person. 

14.  That the second day of the weekend have the following 

agenda: 

THE FIGURE OF CHRIST meditation, given by clergy 

The STUDY rollo, given by a lay person 

The SACRED MOMENTS OF GRACE rollo, given by clergy, followed by Holy 

Communion 

The ACTION rollo, given by a lay person 

The OBSTACLES TO GRACE rollo, given by clergy 

The LEADERS rollo, given by a lay person. 

15.  That chapel visits by each table occur the afternoon of the 

second day. 

16.  That the third day of the weekend have the following 

agenda: 

CHRIST'S MESSAGE TO THE PESCADORES meditation, given by clergy 

The ENVIRONMENTS rollo, given by a lay person 

The LIFE IN GRACE rollo, given by clergy 

The CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY IN ACTION rollo, given by a lay 

person 

The REUNION GROUPS rollo, given by a lay person 

The LIVING THE FOURTH DAY rollo, given by a lay person 

The Apostolic Hour 

The Closing 

17.  That chapel visits by each table occur the morning of the 

third day. 

18.  That table discussion follow each rollo except the FOURTH 

DAY. 

19.  That all rollos and meditations follow the dynamics and 

outlines authorized by TRES DIAS. 

20.  That the team and candidates have the opportunity to 

celebrate Holy Communion each full day of the weekend. 

21.  That a diversity of environments and viewpoints must be 

attempted in planning the weekend itself and in forming the 

tables. 

22.  That the freedom of self-determination of each candidate be 

respected. 

23.  That the lay rollos be informal talks of a witnessing or 

sharing nature. 

24.  That a friendly creative Christian environment be developed 

and fostered during the TRES DIAS weekend, as opposed to a 

coercive or manipulative environment. 

25.  That the schedule allow time for informal personal contact 

among the team and candidates. 

26.  That the Closing be as well prepared as other activities of 

the weekend. 

27.  That the sponsoring secretariat encourage the community to 

participate in the weekend through spiritual and service 

Palanca. 

3.3     The Essentials of the Fourth Day Phase 

The Pre-weekend and Weekend phases are only a prelude to each 

individual's Fourth Day. 

1.  Reunion Groups 

A.      That local secretariats encourage Pescadores to participate 

in Reunion Groups. 

B.      That local secretariats utilize the form of the reunion 

group known as "The Working Reunion Group," to carry out the 

activities of the TRES DIAS Movement. 

2.  Secuelas 

A.      That local secretariats sponsor regularly scheduled 

Secuelas; preferably at least once each month. 

B.      That each Secuela include an opportunity for Pescadores to 

participate in the form of reunion group known as "The Floating 

Reunion Group." 

C.      That each Secuela include a "Fourth Day Talk." 

4.0     The Essentials of  the Local Secretariat Organization 

The function of the local secretariat is to conduct an effective 

program in accordance with the TRES DIAS Method. 

That each local secretariat have a document, approved by its 

membership, describing its structure and operating procedures. 

That the members of a local secretariat have completed a TRES 

DIAS weekend or a similar experience recognized by TRES DIAS. 

All Pescadores of the TRES DIAS Community whom the local 

secretariat claims to represent must be eligible to serve as 

voting members and officers of the secretariat. 

That the local secretariat have a plan for the periodic election 

of new  members. 

The local secretariat must be the sole sponsor of a TRES DIAS 

weekend held in its community. 

Each local secretariat must sponsor at least two TRES DIAS 

weekends a year.  For the purpose of chartering, this 

requirement may be waived by TRES DIAS.  

 ---------- 

1. Although the three-days are referred to as "the weekend," the 

three days of the "TRES DIAS Weekend" need not include Saturday 

and/or Sunday.  The "TRES DIAS Weekend" may be held on any three 

consecutive days of the week. 

2. Adapted from TRES DIAS, NOTES ON METHOD, STRUCTURE, AND 

DYNAMIC: March 1974 

The Essentials of Tres Dias 

Ratified: 

July, 1980, Poughkeepsie, New York 

Revised: 

October, 1984 

January, 1986 

January, 1993 

October, 1994

July, 1996

July, 2005

Copyright 2005 by Tres Dias, Inc.

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