PALANCA! BY LAY DIRECTOR, MARY ANN DOWD

Beloved Cursillistas:

A while ago we had put out to community a request to pray and do Palanca for our on-going journey, as well as encouraging community to share ideas for future endeavors.  We want to keep you posted.  As of this date we have received the following commitment to prayer and fasting from Lakewood Ultreya:

• A Rosary Holy Hour
• Novena to our Blessed Mother
• A Saint Jude Novena
• Fasting from milk or cream in coffee
• Alms giving to the poor

We are all included in this prayer and sacrifice as we all continue our 4th day journey.  It is in the knowledge that others care for us in Christ that keeps us going (Ultreya!) God bless you all and keep you in HIS Loving Care.

Forever DeColores!
Mary Ann xo

A MESSAGE FROM MARY ANN DOWD, LAY DIRECTOR

Beloved Cursillistas:

Think, Pray, take responsibility for your Faith in Jesus Christ. Here are three short quotes which we can ponder in the Precious Presence of the Blessed Sacrament:

"To give the victory to the RIGHT, not bloody bullets, but----PEACEFUL BALLOTS only are necessary." (Abraham Lincoln)

"The rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the Hand of God" (John F. Kennedy)

"Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesars and to GOD the things that are GOD's" (Jesus Christ of Nazareth)

Forever DeColores!
Mary Ann xo

MAKE A FRIEND, BE A FRIEND...

Something to think about regarding being a friend as discussed in The Word Among Us. Sounds like the author may be a cursillista!

"Jesus never intended the Christian life to be a solitary journey. On the contrary, we are stronger when we are surrounded and supported by brothers and sisters in the faith. Where the world tells us to be inde­pendent and self-reliant, Jesus tells us to lean on each other—and to let others lean on us. That’s probably why he sent his disciples to preach two by two. He knew they needed to balance each other out, with one helping the other in moments of weakness or tiredness. He knew they needed each other so that they would not fall to temptations of pride, or give up in the face of oppo­sition or hardship.

What about you? Do you have brothers and sisters to help bring you to Jesus? Are there people whom you would go out of your way to help in their faith? It’s always a good idea to reach out to one or two peo­ple in your parish and try to build a friendship with them based on your faith. God wants to give us compan­ions along the way. May we all be open to so generous a gift, the gift of one another."

Let's do it! Make a friend, be a friend, bring a friend to Christ.

Photo courtesy of http://mrg.bz/jpbDaj

A MESSAGE FROM RONNIE MARTELLA, ASSISTANT LAY DIRECTOR

School of Leaders is Friday February 17, 2012 at Epiphany's Parish Hall (the Little White Church on the corner) starting at 8pm.

Trenton Cursillo has a solid base from which to grow; School of Leaders, Ultreyas, small groups (some of which have been in place for many, many years), our 40th anniversary coming up and new Cursillistas. It is clear that community loves God, each other and Cursillo. However, Sister Clara recently told me of something she heard the author Joyce Rupp say-“God loves you just the way you are. But He loves you to much to leave you there.” As we respond to God's call to not stay where we are, we have challenges ahead of us that will influence the way we need to plan and the decisions we make.

Trenton Cursillo needs to move forward, to reflect changes in community and circumstances and to respond to the urgings of the Holy Spirit. That movement was started at January School of Leaders when those gathered there brainstormed on the question-“What are the challenges Trenton Cursillo faces going forward?” The responses were gathered and put into 4 major categories by the group: who we are, what we do, how we do it and communication. There was a fourth category, one which seems to come up often and applies to each of the four listed above -we all need to make friends of others, then through prayer and discernment, decide who is ready to live a Cursillo.

The process of revising the plan will continue for the next 3 Schools. In February the group as a whole will look at the Mission Statement, the Vision Statement and Overview of the plan. Then we’ll break into sections and those groups will focus on the purpose and objectives of each section. And if time allows we will begin the work of determining recommendations for each section to carry out the plan.

This requires not just creating a plan but that community takes ownership of the creation, implementation and continuation of the goals and recommendations of the plan.

In order to get right to work and make the most of our time together, I am asking that you review the plan before February School of Leaders. Copies have been sent to the Ultreya leaders, those attending January’s School received a copy and the plan is on the website (right above the red "3 Minute Retreat"). See if you can get a copy from one of those sources.

I am excited about this process and more than that, I am looking forwarded to seeing the fruits of our labors as we respond to the call of Holy Spirit to leave where we are and move into the future!

Ultreya and Buen Camino,
Ronnie

IN GOD WE TRUST by Deacon Tony Martucci

Two angels came to earth, disguised as poor, lost travelers. At the first home they visited, they found a very wealthy couple who refused to invite them in, and sent them away, cold, hungry and exhausted. Before leaving, one angel placed a valuable gift behind the bushes of the home. At the second home, was a very poor family with four children. With scarcely enough for their family, the couple invited the angels in, shared some of their food with them and let them rest in the warm bed for the night. The next morning before the two angels left, one angel put a huge hole in the foundation of the house.

The second angel was very puzzled by these actions of the first angel. “I don’t understand why you left a valuable treasure in the first house when the people there was so mean and spiteful and caused such a burden on the second family who gave all they had for us.”

“Everything is not always as it seems,” replied the first angel. “When the first couple discovers the treasure, they will be consumed by their greed. They will argue and fight and the treasure will fall to the ground and be destroyed. They will become even more miserable. The second couple will see the damaged foundation, and at first be distraught. When the husband goes to repair it he will find a treasure that has been buried there for a very long time, and the family will be able to live and be happy.”

In the Hebrew Testament, Job is upset and confused over his great losses. He thinks God is treating him unjustly. Job has led a life of piety, hasn’t done anything to deserve this kind of treatment, and blames God for his misery. He cannot see beyond the here and now.

How often in our own lives have we questioned God’s wisdom when it comes to pain and suffering? Why did God let this happen to me, or to us? God does not cause suffering; but God permits it in our human life.  It is a result of sin in the world, imperfection and evil that exists since the fall of Adam and Eve. There was no pain or suffering when God created the universe. That was not part of God’s plan. However, God gave us free will, and that allowed not only pain and suffering, but also the grace of God to give us consolation and comfort. Often it is through pain and suffering that we can come to a new understanding of God’s power and enter into a deeper relationship.

In chapter 9 of John’s Gospel we read: As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”Jesus answered, “Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him.” Then Christ healed the man of his blindness and many came to believe in Jesus and became his disciples.  It is often like that with us as well. In faith we can see the hand of God in our everyday life, whether it be in our joys or in our sorrows, in times of prosperity and in times of need.

Even now, as our country goes through crisis, we can see the hand of God. Bishop O’Connell warned  in his  letter regarding the Federal order to violate our consciences and provide health insurance that will pay for abortions and contraceptives is a violation of the First Amendment right to freedom of religion. Certainly this is not something that we would choose or want. How can God allow this?  Watch how God can bring good even out of this.

First, it has united many people within the Catholic community to want to do something to show their anger and displeasure. We can our congressional representatives and senators by mail, phone or email.

Second, it has brought other faiths alongside us to stand together against this violation of the first amendment right to religious freedom. It has unified us as did the terrible attack on September 11.

Third, it will show the power of God when the victory has been achieved.  For many years, our country has travelled a path that has taken us further and further from our democratic and religious roots. This is our wake-up call to turn back to God.

Let each of us here today resolve to pray and fast for the good of our nation and our world. Let us place our trust in Almighty God and live by the motto of our Great Nation: “IN GOD WE TRUST”.