NOTE FROM OUR LAY DIRECTOR, MARY ANN DOWD

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, the two books; "Fundamentals of Christianity" and the "Fundamentals of Cursillo" are, in essence, the same book! This is why so many priests and bishops have lived their weekends along with us and in the same manner as you have lived it these past three days.

In Eduardo Bonnin's Spiritual Tetatment (this book is so titled because he regarded the Cursillo as his most important possession to be passed down to future generations) we read the following:

"The idea that entered our soul when we were 20-years old was not a figment of our imagination--or some whim of our youth, nor was it an exultation of the time ---but rather--a plan of the Spirit of God."

My dear sisters, what you have received this weekend was not a dream-- or a figment of your imagination nor was it some whim of your youth or old age or an exultation of our time, but rather once again an outpouring of the Holy Spirit --a plan of the Spirit of God.

This Plan has been unfolding for 120 weekends in Trenton but not only in Trenton-- all over the world in every language. Only God could have weaved such a beautiful tapestry of love.

This "idea" which the first pilgrims received is the very same Charism that each of us received when we lived our Cursillo....they carried the same Pilgrim's Guide each of you received and listened to the same rollos....the same for me 18 years ago, for Father Jay over 40 years ago and all of you this weekend Trenton #120--because God only gives one way ---perfectly and for all time.

When the original pilgrims returned from their triumphant pilgrimage with over 70,000 pilgrims in a State of Grace, after having been personally addressed by Pope Pius XII upon their arrival, they asked this question: "We have gone to Santiago to become saints, now what?"

Now what indeed?! and so you see...each of you has returned from living your Cursillo with this same question on your lips....now what?-- and the answer of Sunday afternoon is always the same: Our Beloved Jesus answers it for us: ultreya! Don't let the light go out. Think of this: Eduardo Bonnin kept the light burning for over 70 years into his 90s.

Don't let the light go out - Christ is counting on you - DeColores!

KEEP THE LIGHT BURNING - A MESSAGE FROM MARY ANN DOWD

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

A CHALLENGE TO BE MORE ATTENTIVE TO THE LORD

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 Catechism, which has a wonderfully prayerful final section about prayer."

In our small groups and Ultreyas, let's challenge each ourselves and others in our Study to "focus more" and "be more attentive" to Our Lord.

SOW EVERY DAY

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 anniversary of the death of a loved one, or the power to “lose the mood” and ask forgiveness from someone when you’ve lashed out in anger. Go ahead and share these blessings! Spread the seed, and let God worry about the soil that receives it."

What wonderful advice! How blessed we are! As Cursillistas, let us "sow every day!"

WEEKEND UPDATE

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. 

NEW "STUDY" ARTICLE BY DEACON TONY MARTUCCI

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

THE TEAM AND CANDIDATES OF TRENTON 120

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 VonSpreckelsen - Auxiliary (Study)
Nancy Creviston - Auxiliary (Christianity in Action)
Paddy Morris - Auxiliary (Laity)
Pat McCormack - Prayer Team (Action/Evangelization)
Micki Tuohy - Prayer Team (Evangelization of Environments)
Pat Ivanko - Palanca/Floater


As always, this list is subject to change.

NOTE FROM OUR LAY DIRECTOR, MARY ANN DOWD

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

IT'S BACK TO "SCHOOL OF LEADERS" TIME by Ronnie Martella, Assistant Lay Director

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. "Truthfully, I never expected to be animated by this experience in the way I was. At 74 years old I did not think I had perfected the art of Christian living, but neither did I recognize just how much growth and change was possible."

Let's do more than remember the experience of our weekend, let's come together as community, open ourselves to growth and change and learn how much more the Lord has for us! As the Bishop writes "Our own perspectives and expectations may become limited, but Christ's love for us is not. It is not only abundant, it is infinite."

Hope to see you there! Ronnie

WEEKEND UPDATE by Mary Ann Dowd, Lay Director

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