JUNE SCHOOL OF LEADERS by RICK KLARMANN, ASSISTANT LAY DIRECTOR

We started the evening off with song and we shared in small groups; in addition to Piety, Study and Action, everyone was asked to think about and discuss, “How do I want my life to be different in the next year?  How do I want my Cursillo community to be different in the next year?  We will continue to ask these questions in the months to come.  To make our Cursillo all that it can be, we need your thoughts and ideas, we need to know how we can work together to make Trenton Cursillo all that it can be and should be.  During the day of recollection at St. Denis, the topic of prayer and meditation was suggested and will be presented in September.  Other talks include:

·         Sponsorship
·         Spiritual Direction and the Role of the Spiritual Advisor
·         Studying the Environment around me
·         Developing the Mind of Christ
·         Leadership
Since our Cursillo weekend we have all been on a journey, a personal El Camino de Santiago de Compostela.  If we were to actually walk the El Camino, we would be very care to take only what we need to get from one stop to the next.  Backpacks are small and don’t hold much stuff; definitely not 30 days’ worth of supplies or clothing.  So if you were planning to walk the El Camino, you wouldn’t bring things you might need but would only carry things that you would need.  So to, our Fourth Day journey goes from one Mass to the next, one School of Leaders to the next, one Ultreya to the next, one group reunion to the next.  And like all of the pilgrims who walk the El Camino, we rely on the Grace of God but also one another for strength and encouragement. 
* * *
After grouping, Deacon Tony presented the Doctrinal Talk from Matthews Gospel, when Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do you say that I am?”  He started off by answering the question, “Who is Jesus?”  That Jesus was the Son of God; He was a man without ceasing to be God; and that we are the cause and the reason for Jesus’ death and resurrection.  Also, Tony pointed out that God revealed Himself throughout history in small doses—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob—but in Jesus, God is revealed completely.
Then Tony took us down memory lane by asking a question from the Baltimore Catechism, “Why did God make me (us)?”  To which everyone replied, “To know Him, love Him and serve Him in this life and be happy with Him in the next.”
Tony gave us excellent examples of knowing someone.  He pointed out that what he knew about Pat was very different than what he discovered as he came to know her personally.  In another example he asked the question, “Do you know Frank Sinatra?”  I believe everyone nodded that we did.  Then Tony pointed out that we knew about Frank Sinatra, but his mother and father KNEW him.  They went out on dates together, they shared a friendship, they KNEW Frank Sinatra.  Relationship was the difference for Tony’s parents in knowing Frank Sinatra. 
Tony tied relationship with the reason God made us together.  Our knowledge of Jesus turns to love as our relationship with Him grows.  Then as our love grows, our desire to serve Him grows.  Tony shared that growing up he knew a lot about Jesus, but after making his Cursillo be began to really KNOW Jesus as Savior, friend, and Lord.  
The Techniques talk was provided by Mary Ann Dowd.  She answered the question, “Who am I?”  She pointed out that of the two this was the more difficult question.  Mary Ann pointed out that some of her initial responses were wife, mother, friend, and more, but as she thought more about the question, she looked at the question reflecting on the question from the Baltimore Catechism, “Who made me?”  Why?  Mary Ann noted that family taught her the way to live. 
Mary Ann noted that on her Cursillo weekend, the Ideals talk had a huge impact on her life. Questions asked during the talk, “Where do you spend your money?  Where do you spend your time?” She asked a direct question, “If Christians do not act, who will?”
She ended with two important descriptions herself in answer to the question, “Who am I?”  She stated, “I am a rough draft” and “I am a child of the King.” Those are excellent descriptions of each of us walking the journey of life. 
Sincere thanks to Deacon Tony and Mary Ann

* * *
Friday began the Fortnight for Freedom. 
The U.S. bishops have called for a Fortnight for Freedom, a two-week period of prayer and action, to address many current challenges to religious liberty, including the August 1, 2013 deadline for religious organizations to comply with the HHS mandate, Supreme Court rulings that could attempt to redefine marriage in June, and religious liberty concerns in areas such as immigration and humanitarian services.

Formation Day for all in Catechetical Ministry
Fall Leadership Day on August 22, 2013 from 0900-1430, at Saint William the Abbot Parish, Howell, NJ

FOR YOUR STUDY AND ACTION

For Your Study: WFJS Radio and the Domestic Church Media Foundation is offering the 2013 East Coast Catholic Family Conference.  The theme is Follow Me: A Call to Authentic Discipleship. The date is Saturday, September 21. Speakers include Ralph Martin and others. The Conference will conclude with Mass. Full details can be found here.

For Your Action: The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act  (HR1797) actually passed the House Wednesday by a vote of 228 – 196 .The bill prohibits abortions after 20 weeks, unless the mother’s life is in danger,  because medical science knows that an unborn baby can experience pain at least as early as 20 weeks. The bill  now  goes to the Senate where the fight will be a lot tougher. Only a strong public outcry will force even a vote on the bill. Please write your Senator to express support for the bill? Click here to get an address for New Jersey's Senators. Click here to read a summary of the act.

THE ST. MARTHA'S GOLF OUTING IS SET! ALL ARE WELCOME!

On Monday August 19 at Woodlake Country Club in Lakewood, NJ, we will tee off on our third annual day of golf, prizes, fun and a chance to win a new car. A dinner will follow at St. Martha's Parish Magee Hall.

If you're not a golfer, you can still help us raise money for the parish by attending the dinner, sponsoring a hole or donating a gift basket to be auctioned off at the dinner.

Single golfers price is $125 and $480 for a foursome registered together. The day includes a round of golf, lunch, halfway house beverage cart with soda and beer, and the dinner afterwards.

Prices are reduced this year for hole sponsorships! Just $150 for corporate/business, $125 for personal sponsorships, and $100 for In Memoriam sponsorships.

Registration for the day of golf is 11:30 a.m. with driving range access. Shotgun start at 1 p.m. Dinner is at 6:30 pm.

Dinner only tickets are just $20.

Tickets available and registration forms available at St. Martha's, 3800 Herbertsville Rd., Point Pleasant, NJ.

All proceeds go directly to the parish to further all the good works of St. Martha Parish.

This event is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus Council 7926. Need more information? Call Kevin Shea at 732-899-4891.

SCHOOL OF LEADERS RECAP by RICK KLARMANN, ASSISTANT LAY DIRECTOR

May School of Leaders

We started the evening off with song and we shared in small groups; What talents or gifts do I possess and how are they manifested?. 

Sister Clara presented a Doctrinal Talk about the Holy Spirit. She opened with some of the attributes of the Holy Spirit, that He is our Counselor, Teacher, Advocate, Comforter, and more.  Sister also shared insights into the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit as well as the fruits of the gifts.  She spoke about the gifts of Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety and Fear of the Lord.  She explained about that through wisdom we come to value the things we believe through faith, and Understanding allows us to grasp, as least to a limited degree the truth about what we believe.  The gift of Counsel allows us to judge how best to act and Fortitude, which is more than courage, gives us the strength to follow through with the actions suggested by counsel. In the gift of Knowledge the Holy Spirit helps us to judge things according to the truth that is revealed to us by God and helps discern the purpose of our lives.  In Piety we become willing to worship and serve the Lord, but this service is performed not out of a sense of duty but out of love for the Lord.  Finally, the gift of Fear of the Lord is not being afraid of God, but awe.  Fear of the Lord confirms the virtue of hope as we are filled with the Grace to love and serve Him.

Sister Clara went on to explain that from the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit there are Twelve Fruits of the Holy Spirit. It was interesting that from Seven Gifts the Holy Spirit produces Twelve Fruits.  The Fruits of the Holy Spirit are which are Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faith,, Long suffering, Mildness, Modesty, Self-control and Chastity.  It was interesting that Sister Clara's description of the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit, matched very well with last months discussion about the DNA of the Cursillista. 

Throughout the evening, the theme about gifts and talents was repeated.  Which led directly to the open dialogue Ronnie had with the community touching on first being a friend then sponsoring.  Ronnie asked the community to think about sponsoring candidates as an Ultreya in order share some of the responsibilities.  Ronnie then asked the community to think about team selection for the upcoming weekends. Finally she asked the community about sharing their talents as heads of sections. or consider being responsible for sending and receiving Palanca from other communities from around the world.  She asked that the community think about sharing their gifts and how we as a community will share with others.

The evening ended with a brief meditation and prayer.

God bless, Rick   

A NOTE FROM LAY DIRECTOR, RONNIE MARTELLA

All,

I hope you plan to be part of the community that will gather to celebrate the Eucharist at St. Joseph's in Beverly this Friday June 7th at 8PM for our next Diocesan Mass.  The directions can be found at:

http://www.jesusthegoodshepherd.org/directions.htm.

Car pooling with fellow Cursillistas is a great way to make the trip a joy and quick! So gather the Ultreya, call people you haven't seen for a while and come together...we will all be the better for it!

Peace, Ronnie

FOR YOUR STUDY

A wonderful article from the June issue of "Word Among Us" is called "Don't Forget the Lord" and includes four simple steps to better evangelize. Number one on the list - no surprise to Cursillistas - is "Be a Friend." Read this thoughtful article at: 

http://wau.org/archives/article/dont_forget_the_lord/

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