FROM OUR ARCHIVE: LIVING THE CURSILLO METHOD DURING THE PANDEMIC by BILL GRIPPO, FORMER LAY DIRECTOR

DeColores,

Recently I had the wonderful weekly opportunity to share with Al Martella and a regular group of men who have been on a conference call weekly since the Pandemic began.  It is truly enriching.

Today Al asked each of us to share how we are coping with the pandemic personally!  The responses were heartfelt, emotional, personal and prayerful.

I was the last speaker, the clean up “batter” so to speak.

I based my thoughts on the Tripod (Piety, Study and Action)

My first step in coping with this is to continue and strengthen my own prayer life… I attend 2 weekday Masses and one on Sunday and made myself useful by assisting the Church team in organizing the return to Church effort.  I start my day with morning prayer, and do a good amount of spiritual reading.  I try to go out of the house and sit in a park, by the complex pool or outside of Dunkin Donuts (cannot give up that first Cup!!)  I am reading the biography of John Paul 2!  It is 1000 pages and I read it as spiritual reading and Study.  His life is amazing, inspirational and gives me strength and guidance!  That first step of Piety is an absolute in handling this pandemic for me personally.

The next step for me is the discipline and a study of my own physical and mental health.  I have made a significant effort to improve my health at my Baby Boomer age.  I made the commitment to lose some excess pounds and lost 10 to date. I have visited my physician for a check up and she was really happy with the results of the visit. I have committed along with my daily reading and spiritual growth to do some form of exercise “daily”, walking a measured distance or swimming and some light weight lifting.  The benefit of exercise is extremely helpful for your mental and emotional state during this very stressful time in our lives.  I find that if I watch too much TV, especially during the day it encourages depression to occur over this pandemic.  Shut or limit the TV!!  Use the sun that God gave us to energize yourself, the Vitamin D is significant in building up the immune system in your body and it is “free”!!


The final point I made in my witness is Action!  I take action with my family, checking in with them and preparing meals for the more local siblings!  I find being present, social distancing with a backyard picnic or just sitting around a fire pit are simple ways to promote family life.  I also find that preparing and delivering a bowl of Italian meatballs lifts everyone’s spirits very high.

I have also remained very active in my community without meeting with people in large groups.  I attend zoom meetings, raise money for the food bank, continue to develop plans for a YMCA in my community and I keep my finger in the life of our school system.  Reaching out to others in whatever way you can will take your thoughts off yourself and put your energy with others!

 

So let’s close, thanking God daily for all of our gifts and family.  Let’s continue our daily prayer and study, while taking care of our health to the best of our ability!

 

DeColores and as Bishop Sheen would close: GOD LOVE YOU!!!!


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