Palanca is an action – intercessory prayer, sacrifices, or works of mercy.     

You send a palanca letter to someone informing them of the prayers and sacrifices that you are offering to God on their behalf.  The letter is not the palanca. Even if you don’t send a letter, the palanca is still raised up for their intention.

Palanca Can Be…

• Prayers:  spending time in Adoration, offering a Mass, saying the rosary, etc.
• Sacrifices: fasting, giving up something, doing a kind act that only you and God know about
• Works of Mercy (spiritual or corporal): giving alms, working in the food pantry, or visiting the sick. 
• Actions that help the weekend: 72-hour prayer chain, helping in the kitchen, helping to cleanup after closings, driving someone to a weekend, attending a weekend closing

• Gifts: books, flowers, or necklaces.
• Sacramentals: crucifixes, rosaries (Although these blessed objects would be wonderful acknowledgements after a weekend, they are not considered palanca.)

There are 3 Day Cursillo Weekends happening around the world.  Click below to see the list of weekends requesting palanca on the National Cursillo web site: