A NOTE FROM OUR LAY DIRECTOR, MARY ANN DOWD

Beloved Cursillistas,

Friday night at Diocesan Mass began (as Ronnie Martella says), our journey "back to the future".  It began with Father Ed once again reading the letter from the Bishop urging us, as Catholics, to speak up against what is an unconstitutional law forcing not only Catholics, but people of conscience everywhere, to conform to anti-life legislation. By going to the Right to Life website you can easily access your congressmen and make your feelings known. (Editor's Note: Here is a link to the United States Conference of Bishops to learn more about the HHS Mandate - http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/religious-liberty/conscience-protection/index.cfm )

Secondly, Al Martella reminded us of the past influences on our environments and our attitudes (the Faith of our fathers and mothers and friends), which taught us to understand how BIG our God Is...how much HE loves us and how to respond to that Love (the witness can be found below)...and

Thirdly, the announcment was made of plans for an inter-collegiate cooperative Cursillo for our Diocesan colleges in the summer of 2013 (more information to come)

In order to respect the memory of those living and dead, who have helped us on our journey, be courageous and fight the  Good fight ahead of us, as well as prayerfully prepare for the collegiate Cursillos, we ask that all of us humble ourselves in prayer and palanca to God.  This palanca can be posted so all of our community can see it and be encouraged at our website where we have posted a prayer to St. Paul (the link is to the right column at the top of the page) which we can say as often as possible to beg God to help and strengthen us.  Be Courageous! (Palanca can be emailed to trentoncursillo@gmail.com.)

Forever Decolores!

Mary Ann xo

PRESENCE - A WITNESS

Note: This witness was given by Al Martella on February 3, 2012 at the Diocesan Mass. 

I wanted to make sure I would be an effective witness, so I went to the Cursillo National Website and found a document from the Diocese of Wichita on what a witness talk should be like. 

It said that the Witness Talk should not be:

a) It should not be sensational - no need for Cecil B. deMille productions in Ultreya witnessing.

b) It should not be a sermon, nor should it be instruction in Catholicism.

c) It should not be longer than five to ten minutes.

d) It should not be too emotional. Emotions will be affected by a simple, sincere talk.

It said the Witness Talk should be:

a) It should be your life lived out as a Christian - how the Lord is working through you.

b) It should be concrete and practical, carried out in the normal flow of your life.

c) It should be centered on and be about Christ, how you were His instrument.

d) It should be centered in the present, not something that happened six months or more ago.

e) It should be descriptive - explaining who, how and what of the details necessary to make your witness clear.

f) It should concentrate on one or two points, rather than a series of examples.

g) It should be as informal as if you are sharing it with a friend - you are!

h) A brief Scripture passage should be used that will tie into your witness

So, let's see if I can follow those suggestions. Let's start with a quote from scripture:

Ephesians 3:16-19

 

New Living Translation (NLT)

¹⁶ I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. ¹⁷ Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.¹⁸ And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. ¹⁹ May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

WITNESS

Recently, The Holy Spirit has been especially present in my heart, helping me to think about relationships past and present, who have helped me grow closer to God.

At the beginning of the year, I was able to become a telecomputer and work full time from home. I have set up my office in what was my Mother’s Room, where she lived with Ronnie and I for 17 years. In one corner are mementoes of her faith – including a crucifix, a statue of our Sacred Heart and the Blessed Mother, a picture of Saint Anthony. It is in this room that I spend my day in the comfort of knowing the Trinity and the Blessed Mother are near. Throughout the day, I turn to them to ask for guidance in how to deal with work situations. This space has helped me be reminded how much God loves me.

You Tube also helped to remind me. Two weeks ago, I came across a wonderful clip. In 1997, Fred Rogers Accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 24th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards. While most presenters would have talked about themselves, this is how Mr. Rogers spent his time:

“So many people have helped me come to this night. Some of you are here and some are far away. Some are even in heaven.  All of us have special ones who have loved us to being. Would you just take along with me ten seconds to think of the people who have helped you become who you are. Those who have cared about you and wanted what was best in life for you. Ten seconds of silence – I’ll watch the time” (Stop for ten seconds and think about those people.)

“Whomever you’ve been thinking about, how pleased they must be to know the difference you feel they have made.”

I try to stop often during the day to remember those people – and especially remember God, his son and the Holy Spirit for putting those people in my life. How blessed we are to be surrounded by so much love.

I’d like to end with a short prayer called Desert Waters by David Adam from his book, Tides and Seasons: Modern Prayers in Celtic Tradition. It touches me because it reminds me wherever we are, God is always present if we take the time to look.  

O Spring in the desert

O shelter from the heat

O light in the darkness

O guide for the feet

O joy in our sadness

O support for the weak

O Lord with us always

Your Presence we seek

LET US PRAY TO OUR PATRON SAINT, ST. PAUL THE APOSTLE

As St. Paul wrote, the Spirit wants to enlighten our hearts so that we can know the length, depth, height, and breadth of God’s presence and his love (Ephesians 3:16-19).* Let us pray to our patron saint, St. Paul the Apostle. 

O glorious St. Paul, after persecuting the Church you became, by God's grace, Her most zealous Apostle. To carry the knowledge of Jesus, our Divine Savior, to the uttermost parts of the earth.

You joyfully endured prison, scourgings, stonings, and a shipwreck, as well as all manner of persecutions, culminating in the shedding of the last drop of your blood for Our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Obtain for us the grace to labor strenuously to bring the Faith to others and to accept any trials and tribulations that may come our way. Help us to be inspired by your Epistles and to partake of your indomitable love for Jesus, so that after we have finished our course we may join you in praising Him in heaven for all eternity.

Amen.

* Quote from the Word Among Us Website

FROM TIMOTHY AND TITUS TO US

On today's feast of Timothy and Titus, we can make a connection from these followers of St. Paul to us today. Today's meditation at The Word Among Us helps us to make the connection. It reads: 

" Our world places a high value on self-reliance. But not even the great saints of the past operated alone. Either they were part of a faith com­munity or they were accountable to someone who could help them on their spiritual journey. As Timothy needed the support of Paul, we need the support of our brothers and sis­ters in Christ. We also need to give out that support as well. None of us will get to heaven by ourselves!"

We are blessed to be part of the Cursillo Community. Let us all together walk in the footsteps of Paul, Timothy and Titus.

A NOTE FROM LAY DIRECTOR, MARY ANN DOWD

Beloved Cursillistas, 

"The Master taught the crowd"....we read these words so many times in Sacred Scripture.  Last night at school of leaders, Jesus taught us in many ways.  To be joyful, as we sang the color song, to work as a team as we brainstormed together in group, but most of all, the lesson that we go to school to learn of HIS Life in us and how to bring that Life out into the world.  Ronnie will gift us with a synopsis on our study but for now our community wishes to thank Tony and Pat Martucci for bringing us a joyful and prayerful atmosphere and Ronnie, our Director for her enthusiasm, commitment, hard work and boundless energy which re-energized the crowd that sat at HIS feet last night.  God bless you all.

Forever Decolores! Mary Ann xo