A NOTE FROM OUR LAY DIRECTOR by Ronnie Martella

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Yesterday, at the Region 2 Encounter, I began my report on the Diocese of Trenton in this way- I told those present that we have a women's weekend scheduled for next month and that we are still praying for candidates but we will serve whoever the Lord sends to us!  And what servants our team members are.  Their yes to the Lord is whole hearted with no room for what they want-only room to serve. 

YES- we will have a women's weekend.  But there is room for more candidates! We heard a lot at the Region 2 Encounter about our "moveable square meter" that surrounds us and is our environment.  Juan Ruiz, Spanish language coordinator for National Cursillo, spoke to us about the Charism of the Movement and the moveable square meter and friendship were at the core of his talks.

I used the computer to find out how big a square meter is.  According to one place it is a square with sides of 39 inches, 39 inches.  That is not much bigger than a yardstick.  So for me the word moveable is the key.  When our son Arthur was 9 he played a little baseball with the local PAL league.  He learned more there about sportsmanship and enjoying the game than he did about how to play.  I went to pick him up after one practice and the coaches all came running toward me..."He's ok, he's ok" they kept saying.  Why wouldn't he be ok I was thinking -  then I saw him with a fat upper lip and two broken front teeth.  It seems that when the ball was popped up near Arthur, he looked up, and stuck out his glove.  But the ball wasn't headed for his glove, it was headed  for his mouth.  He never moved they told me and took one in the face.  

Last Friday the department I belong to at work had an off site that involved a picnic (yes it was cold and windy but we are hardy group!) and games.  One of them that I was in was the frisbee toss.  The team next to me and my partner were two guys I know, great guys, very competive.  During the warm-up (in every sense of the words) and practice one would toss it and the other would run to where it was going to be (not easy on a windy day).  But when that guy threw it back, the other guy would put out his arm and never really move.  The one who threw it was YELLING - "YOU HAVE TO MOVE!!!!"  Now I have to tell you, the guy who never really moved is a great soccer player!  He can run!  But this wasn't his game.  And maybe sometimes the "winds" of life blow things around, away from where we want them or think they should be- we adjust.  Remember the quote from Sir William Arthur Ward - 
"The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails."

Maybe this isn't the way you have thought about environments but like my co-worker (who started to move and they went on to do well) we can learn, we can try a new way and see where the Holy Spirit leads us!  

So you get it - we have to move.  The square meter that is our environment will go with us and when it/you come into contact with someone and say hello, smile, strike up a conversation or continue one with someone you already know, evangelization is happening.  We say "Make a friend, be a friend and bring that friend to CHRIST!"  Not necessarily to Cursillo.  But we must be open and aware for the time when Jesus says to us, "Now, this friend is ready to discover or to deepen their relationship with Me.  Please bring them along so I may gift them as I have gifted you."

More later on the Region 2 Encounter but for now, please get any applications you have to Lisa Klarmann at 18 Tomahawk Dr, Burlington, NJ 08016.   And pass this along to everyone you know in Cursillo especially those who do not have e-mail.

I know you are lifting up the teams and candidates with PALANCA - prayer and sacrifice wrapped up in love.  Let us lift them even higher!

De Colores,
Ronnie

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