Tres Dias History

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The Tres Dias was derived from Cursillo de Christianadad, a “short course in Christianity”, which has been active in church renewal since it’s beginnings in Spain in the 1940’s. Translated from Spanish Tres Dias means “Three Days”. Tres Dias is an inter-denominational Christian renewal group that proclaims that “Jesus Christ is Lord”. Men’s and Women’s weekends are held throughout the year. Tens of thousands of people have made the weekend and tens of thousands of lives have become more committed to serving our Lord Jesus.
After the three day experience, Tres Dias encourages people to be in small groups to support each other in their lives as Christians while enhancing support of their home churches and living the Christian Life in their environment.

There are more than 100 Tres Dias communities around the world. Tens of thousands of men and women have made a Tres Dias Weekend. In America, Tres Dias was begun in 1972 and is overseen by Tres Dias International, which is made up of laity and clergy from around the world. Individual weekends are sponsored and coordinated by area groups such as RIMA Tres Dias which is affiliated with Tres Dias International .

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RIMA Early Years

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RIMA (Rhode Island/Massachusetts) was started in June 1980 on the strength of the Lord's help and seed money that was given to them by Central Connecticut Tres Dias (CCTD). Also,
CCTD supplied some team members and Spiritual Directors for RIMA #1 and #2.

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RIMA can trace its roots back to Newburgh, New York. A son sponsored his mother to attend a weekend in Newburgh. She sponsors her pastor and others to attend weekends in Fair-
field County, Connecticut. They sponsor people to attend Central Connecticut weekend #1. These people sponsored people to attend CCTD weekends #2 and #3 while they served
on team and attended CCTD secretariat meetings.  When we think of this, this was no easy task. It is about a 5 hour ride to Newburgh and a 3.5 hour ride to Central Connecticut or for them to come to RIMA. Yet they did this work unselfishly because, as they put it, they were accomplishing the Lord's work. And they fondly tell about the sharing that took place on the long rides to team meetings and secretariat meetings.

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The first RIMA secretariat meeting was held in June of 1980 and the first weekend was in May of 1981 at a retreat house in Sharon, Mass. RIMA #2 was held at the same retreat house, but at about the same time they had a change of management. The new management looked upon Tres Dias with a jaundice eye. In trying to get to the bottom of the problem it was brought out that they thought we were some sort of a strange group. After all they had seen the men hugging each other, and we should not try to hide this fact. After and explanation, they felt much better about Tres Dias, but there schedule set so we had to find another retreat house.

 

RIMA #3 was held at a retreat center that necessitated the use of several buildings that some times took up to 5 minutes to walk to. Sleeping arrangements were barrack style. People still like to reminds us how the silence was so well kept that two people on the men's weekend were not awakened to go to chapel until after chapel was over even though there were six men in the room.

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