FOR YOUR PIETY

Marty Weisman writes: "The Parish family of St. Robert Bellarmine would like to invite the Cursillo community, to Pray and experience the "Rosary of Healing" for peace and healing in our own lives and throughout the world."

"The month of October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary. The Liturgy Committee and the Legion of Mary of the Parish Family of St. Robert Bellarmine, 61 Georgia Road, Freehold, New Jersey, 07728, invites you to come and Pray the Rosary of Healing for peace and healing in our own lives and around the world, at 7:00 pm in the Church.

Friday, October 4th - The Joyful Mysteries 

Friday, October 11th – The Luminous Mysteries 

Friday, October 18th – The Sorrowful Mysteries 

Friday, October 25th – The Glorious Mysteries 

The recitation of the Healing Rosary combines meditations, music and images and is truly inspirational. It is the perfect way to end a hectic week and begin a weekend. 

Pamphlets will be available in the gathering area of the Church with a guide to Praying the Rosary. Please feel free to take one or more to share with your family and friends. 

Recitation of the Rosary makes us rich in virtue and enables us to live a more serene, peace filled life. We look forward to Praying the Rosary together with our parish family."  

FROM SCHOOL OF LEADERS by Ronnie Martella, Lay Director

Spiritual food for the journey, that is what we need and what School of Leaders provides for us.   Rick opened School by asking us to reflect on this potential situation…someone asks this question “Why would I want to live a Cursillo weekend?”…what would we say?  While grouping we had a chance to share our answer with the others in our group, to clarify in our own mind how we would respond to the question, to get different perspectives and ideas on how we might engage someone in that discussion.  Food for thought, food for the journey.

Sister Simon spoke on prayer- a subject we are all familiar with and yet there is never a time we can’t grow in our prayer life, learn to see it in a different way.  Sister offered the words of   Julian of Norwich,  “The greatest honor we can give Almighty God is to live gladly because of the knowledge of his love.”   Sister then went on to stress some elements of prayer- take yourself where you are, be yourself in prayer and remember sometimes we need to use our will to give ourselves to God.  We need to STOP and give ourselves to God, to be content with the imperfect self.

Next was a talk about friendship from Janet Moscuzza.  She spoke the words we have heard many times, but never tire of hearing, never stop needing to hear…Jesus calls us and He sends us out to make disciples.  Janet noted that some will be friends and some will be acquaintances but all will be those that God has put in our path, our square meter that surrounds us, our environment and we are meant to reflect His love, caring, understanding and friendship.  After listening to Janet, I recommend to you the Book of Sirach, chapter 6 verses 5-17 for more thoughts on friendship.   Friendship is an art, an art we can learn and strengthen, as we move in our environment, being authentic witnesses to God’s presence in our lives.  It is often that witness that will draw others to us.  These people, with whom we find a commonality, are the people God puts in our lives to share our journey with Him and to Him.

The sharing after each talk is a wonderful way to reflect on what we have heard, get even more insights and deepen our relationship with God and our sisters and brothers in Christ.  We may have heard the same words before but each time we hear, share, listen-we are in a different place than the time before and we never know when God will give us what we need, what He has for us to do.  We never know if that conversation, talk, discussion will spark us, move us forward, lighten our load, open us up.  In the words of Dr. Seuss  “Oh The Places You’ll Go!”.   Let’s go together, let’s go with God.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

“The greatest honor we can give Almighty God is to live gladly because of the knowledge of his love.” 

“...the goodness of God is the highest object of prayer and it reaches down to our lowest need.” 

― Julian of Norwich

FOR YOUR ACTION

Our brother and former Trenton Cursillo Lay Director, Len Capobianco writes asking for prayers and help for a new ministry.

He writes: 

“Oh that you would bless me indeed

and, enlarge my territory

that Your hand would be with me,

and, that you would keep me from evil…”

1 Chronicles 4:10 (The Prayer of Jabez)

About three years ago I received a gift which was a book, “The Prayer of Jabez-Breaking through to the Blessed Life”. The second line of the Prayer of Jabez, “and, enlarge my territory” has become part of my daily prayer life. That line refers to ministry as territory. In March of this year I decided to retire as I had suffered another heart attack and thought it was time to sit back and relax. I’ve been praying to our Lord to expand my ministry beyond my current involvement in Kenosis (Prison Ministry). As I ask in my prayer “Lord you know my limitations”. 

On July 24, I set out for Yardville State prison as it was the fourth Wednesday of the month and that is when Kenosis meets with the inmates who have made a Kenosis. That evening is like Ultreya for the Kenosis participants. As has been custom for the past several years I met with one of my Kenosis brothers (from the outside) at Mastoris restaurant for dinner before going into the prison for our 7pm reunion with the inmates. As I sat down at a table I noticed Rev. Ray DuBois having dinner. I went over to Rev. Ray to extend a Christian greeting, and we started to reminisce about the early days of Kairos’ beginning in the late seventies. Rev. Ray was instrumental in getting Kairos started in this state as he was a full time Chaplain in the NJ State Prison system. After exchanging pleasantries Rev. Ray told me that he was currently ministering to veterans suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Rev. Ray is also a certified counselor who worked for Carrier Clinic for many years. Rev. Ray noted that it would be a wonderful thing if we could put together a “weekend” for the veterans that he is ministering to that are suffering from PTSD. I told Rev. Ray that I would think about that possibility and call him. After our meeting at Mastoris I went to Yardville and after waiting for the normal security check I was denied access as my name was not on the visitors list. That was the first time since 1981 that I was denied access. It was a simple administrative error, but I had traveled nearly forty miles for nothing. Or did I? My thought on the ride home was, Lord are you answering my prayer after three years, (“and enlarge my territory”). Last week after several weeks of prayer I called Rev. Ray and we set up a meeting which we had today. After sharing our thoughts we both determined that such a weekend would be possible, and it could fulfill a serious need in the veteran community. Was my purpose that evening to only meet Rev. Ray DuBois? 

During today’s meeting Rev. Ray said that the weekend would be very similar to a Gennesaret, as the TEAM would have to consist of several counselors who specialize in treating PTSD, along with other veterans who have experienced either, a Cursillo, Tres Dias, or Kairos/Kenosis, and several clergy. The candidates could be veterans that have served in the Viet Nam, Dessert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts that are suffering from PTSD many of which have difficulty with “forgiveness” issues. As Christians, we know that all is possible through the Love of Christ. And so that would be the message/theme of the weekend, FORGIVENESS.

In order to get the weekend started we would need to find a location for a two or three day retreat (two or three days to be determined). A military base that could house the retreat might be the best environment. We would need minimal funding for supplies. Rev. Ray will recruit the PTSD counselors. I am requesting any Cursillo or Tres Dias community with past or present military service who would like to volunteer as part of the team contact me. Clergy does not have to have past military experience, although it would be helpful. Anyone who knows any contacts that may help in any of the requirements or would like to extend their help may contact me.

In closing, I thank you for any consideration you may extend to these needs.

Your Brother in Christ, Len Capobianco  

Len can be reached at (732) 608-7277 (home), (732) 600-1286 (cell) or Lencapo@AOL.com

FOR YOUR ACTION

Marie Garrett writes: "The Pope convokes a day of prayer and penance for peace in Syria." You can read about it HERE.

Patty Baylog alerts us that the Pope is asking for a day of prayer and fasting for peace throughout the world. Details are HERE. 

DIOCESAN MASS THIS FRIDAY NIGHT

A reminder that on this Friday, September 6, 2013 we have Diocesan Mass at St Anthony of Padua, Hightstown NJ @ 8pm. Directions can be found HERE. Please bring a friend!

A MESSAGE FROM LAY DIRECTOR, RONNIE MARTELLA

Make a friend, be a friend, bring that friend to Christ.  We have all heard that many times.  Have you ever noticed that the last line is bring that friend to Christ...to Christ, not to a Cursillo weekend.  But what about candidates for any weekend like the two we have scheduled for November and next February.

If we are a relationship with someone, we share about our life with them and they share theirs with us, if we are supportive and witness to our journey with the Lord, then when the time is right the natural outcome of that relationship might very well be that they are ready to live a Cursillo weekend.

So let us continue to establish relationships with others that will allow for us to share our life in Christ with others.  Invite that person to Ultreya, perhaps a friendship group reunion, Cursillo activity or Diocesan Mass.  And be aware and open for the time to be right for that person to live a Cursillo weekend.

If you have a relationship with someone who is ready, please get that filled out and signed application to your Ultreya leader so they can pass the application on to the Pre-Cursillo section and the information to the Cursillo section. 

As always -  we continue our palanca for the candidates and teams of the upcoming weekends.  Hoang Tran, who is the National Cursillo Service Administrator, said at the National Encounter "Palanca is prayer and sacrifice wrapped in love".  What better description is there of Cursillistas?  How do we continue to serve God; to reach out to others with the best news of the best reality...the Good News of God in our world;  to sacrifice our time, talent, energy?   Because, again from Hoang Tran, our common denominator is...LOVE as sisters and brothers in the Lord.

DeColores,
Ronnie