trentonCURSILLO

Editor's Note: The following remarks were made by Mary Ann Dowd at the Closing Mass for the Women of Trenton 120. Mary Ann started by introducing our newest cursillistas: Annette Asaro, Missy Banahan, Patricia Cartier, May Catuogno, Terri D'Andrea, Mary Jane Lanuto, Millie Linett, Eileen Martin, Maritza Gonzalez Navarro, Theresa Pawlikowski, Dottie Raponkus, Francine Severini and Jean Tierney Mary Ann continued: As you have undoubtedly heard, The Cursillo in Christianity has a history which is very colorful (DeColores!) and steeped in tradition. You can read all about it on this website under the "Short Course" tab. Especially recommended: The Charism of the Movement and My Spiritual Testament by Eduardo Bonnin. As Father Ed has reminded us, the Cursillos teach first and foremost the fundamentals of Christianity and in our Catholic Cursillos, we are always and everywhere under the authority of the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. As a matter of fact, t

Beloved Cursillistas, Trenton #120 has now returned from their pilgrimage. Their journey once again becomes part of the history of our movement.  But their fourth day journey is just beginning......when the first pilgrims returned from their triumphant journey to Santiago de Compostela this is the question they asked themselves:  "We have gone to Santiago to become saints....now what?  Now what indeed?!  The Light that was lit in the souls of the first cursillistas so many years ago, is now your Light to keep burning.  This is both a great joy and an awesome responsibility.  Jesus felt we were up for it....He called each of us by name....He is counting on you.  Ultreya!!! Forever DeColores! Mary Ann xo

Today's meditation at the wonderful "Word Among Us" website focused on Luke 9:43-45: "While they were all amazed at his every deed, Jesus said to his disciples, "Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of Man is to be handed over to men." But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was hidden from them and they were afraid to ask him about this saying." The Meditation offers us a challenge - "Today, think about what you can do to become more attentive to the Lord and his teaching. Maybe you can think of ways to fight the “pious coma” syndrome and be more present to God as you pray, read Scripture, and attend Mass. You can decide to “pay attention” by learning more— about the lives of the saints, church history, and the doctrines of the faith. Why not read a spiritual classic like St. Augustine’s Confessions, Thérèse of Lisieux’s Autobiography of a Soul, or Francis de Sales’ Introduction to the Devout Life? And see the

A recent meditation at the wonderful "Word Among Us" website focused on Luke 8:5 (“A sower went out to sow.” ) The meditation reminds us that: "Just so, Jesus wants us to sow every day, no matter where we are or what our environment is like. Being a sower is not a highly specialized occupation, reserved for an elite and specially trained few. We can all do it. We don’t have to get stressed about the ground the seed falls on; we don’t have to wait until we find the “perfect” soil to receive the seed. Just sow! Talk simply, normally, about the things you know about who God is and what he’s done in your life. Tell of his goodness, in whatever ways you have experienced it: through healing, or forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation; in the pleasure of hearing his voice or feeling his presence in your prayer time; through understanding some passage in a new way as you read Scripture. Fling it wide! Perhaps you’ve received the grace to know joy even on the an

Some requests of community for the upcoming weekend regarding our new facility at San. Alphonso's: Please do not bring snacks. We can bring fresh fruit like bananas or apples that can be left out on the counter. Please bring small bottles of water as there is lot of waste with the larger bottles.   Ice and coolers are needed. Please bring ALL palanca on Thursday night since access to the building is not available as there are other retreat groups in the building.  Please do pray for people for their rollos at home or in any Adoration Chapel where we can visit Jesus and pray for our friends.  Parking will be available in the BACK of the facility for community on Thursday night and Sunday afternoon.  Please watch this space for an announcement regarding a Diocesan Holy Hour (probably at Epiphany) on Saturday. Thank you for all of your prayers and sacrifices. 

Please read "The Sower and the Seed" by Deacon Tony Martucci. It can be found at under the "STUDY" tab found above. 

UPDATED LIST AS OF 9.18.11 Candidates/Sponsor Browns Mills Ultreya Millie Linett/ Cindy Diamond and Browns Mills Brick Ultreya Maritza Gonzalez Navarro/ Jean Andrejack and Josue Gonzalez Theresa Pawlikowski/ Paddy Morris Lakewood Ultreya Terri D'Andrea/ Sister Clara Schroeder, CSJP Dottie Raponkus/ Sister Clara Schroeder, CSJP May Catuogno/Mary Ann Dowd Eileen Martin/ Mary Ann Dowd Jean Tierney/ Ann Eby Bayshore Ultreya Annette Asaro/ Vera Imparato Patricia Cartier/ Janet Moscuzza Missy Banahan/John Severini and Bayshore Francine Severini/John Severini and Bayshore Tinton Falls Mary Jane Lanuto/Patricia Burke The Team Father Ed Blanchett - Spiritual Advisor Sister Clara Schroeder - Spiritual Advisor Sister Simon Robb - Spiritual Advisor Carol Gaynor - Rectora (Fourth Day) Pat Burke - Assistant Rectora (Piety) Mary Weis - Assistant Rectora in Training (Leaders) Ronnie Martella - Liturgist Maria Lonergan - Angel (Ideals) Jennifer Vo

Beloved Cursillistas,   Once again special thanks are due to so many.  First our entire community is grateful to all of those who responded, thus far, to our financial appeal.  It is through your generous support that we continue on our pilgrim road and God will surely bless you for it.   Secondly, we want to acknowledge, Marty Weisman and Janet Fitzgerald who have both done an outstanding job of keeping our community current with the latest announcements and most particularly, prayer requests and palanca.  Al Martella will once again resume the prayer tree. Al has also built a brilliant new website at  www.trentoncursillo.org . Plan to spend sometime as there is much information and spirituality there.   Thirdly, as always your prayerful support is what gets us up when we fall and carries us along the pilgrim way.  God bless you always and everywhere.   forever DeColores! mary ann xo

Fellow Cursillistas, School of Leaders starts again on Sept. 9th at Epiphany. Our speakers will be Sister Simon and Frans Tholenaar. The Gospel today reminds us, through the story of Jesus asking the fisherman to put out their boats and put down their nets, that He asks us to keep trying in our Evangeliztion efforts, to continue to "throw out our nets" even when our efforts don't seem to be very fruitful. That message was very strong at the National Encounter Al and I attending in San Antonio. We heard in many different ways, that personal contact is key and we can never know what the result of that contact is going to be. This is an idea that was really emphasized in an article by the Bishop of Manchester NH found in "Parable" magazine, July/August issue. In the article Bishop John McCormack writes that he always had a reason not to make a Cursillo weekend, but then, at the age of 74, he lived his Cursillo. Here is what he writes about that weekend. &q

BELOVED CURSILLISTAS Our women's weekend is now unable to accept any more applications for the weekend of September 22-25, 2011. You may continue to submit applications, and please do so but we wanted you to know that your candidates would go on a waiting list. Our men's weekend Oct 20-24 is still in need of candidates so please pray that God will send who HE wills for the men's weekend. Keep up your powerful prayers for all of us. Forever DeColores! Mary Ann xo