Onward! Living the Tripod by Donna Valenti. De Colores! STUDY at Steubenville: A Pilgrim s Journey by George Siracuse.

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Onward! Living the Tripod by Donna Valenti. De Colores! STUDY at Steubenville: A Pilgrim s Journey by George Siracuse."

Jeremy Mathews
5 years ago
Views:

1 Onward! 2010 Edition A Newsletter for the 4 th Day of the Scranton, Pennsylvania, Cursillo Community Special Interest Articles Living Christ A Pilgrim s Journey To Jesus Through Mary Will You Not Spend An Hour With Me? Women of Grace De Colores! Living the Tripod by Donna Valenti The underlying message of the Cursillo Movement is: GOD LOVES YOU. As we respond to this awesome truth, the Ideal of our lives becomes that union with God. When the persons who have understood the Cursillo and the value of friendship have actualized the three encounters that have been initiated (the encounter with oneself, the encounter with Christ and the encounter with others), and understand how they are related to each other in order to share and coordinate their Christian life, they have generated a new environment that is " Christendom". (Ramon Armengol Rodo, II Conversations of Cala Figuera) With Christ and our friends, WE CAN live as Christians in the world today, not an easy task. We do this by responding to God's endless gift of grace as we live the tripod. This newsletter features ways that cursillistas in our Movement have been living the tripod this summer. To quote Jennifer Segers in The National Cursillo Center mailing from April 2007, (available at We as a movement must also come to a thorough understanding that the Cursillo weekend is not the whole of the movement; it is merely a springboard to this new way of life; a life that we ourselves can bear witness to; a life that is lived right where we are. Life as a Cursillista, then, is simply normal, everyday life that is lived in the company of our fellow pilgrims, but seen through new eyes, God's eyes. Praised be Jesus Christ, Now and forever. De Colores! STUDY at Steubenville: A Pilgrim s Journey by George Siracuse Individual Highlights News from National 2 Martyrs Legacy 2 Living Christ: A Call to ACTION 3 To Jesus Through Mary 3 Eucharistic Adoration 4 Upcoming Events 6 Greetings, fellow Cursillistas. I made my Cursillo weekend at the Men s 49 th in March 2009 and sat at the table of St. Padre Pio. Like many of you, my experience was life changing. It was through the grace of the Holy Spirit which gave me new sight to see things much differently as I began to live my Fourth Day. I am writing to you today to give you some insight to another recent experience I had on my continued journey. As cursillistas we are called to continue to live and grow in Piety, Study and Action. Like many, the secular world that we live in day-to-day continues to grind at us and distracts us from our true calling- which is to be true disciples of Christ. We attend regular Mass, participate in the blessed sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist, we rejuvenate our souls as we set out into the world for another week and a renewed commitment to be better followers of our faith. We also say our daily prayers, a rosary, a novena and we group with fellow cursillastas and try to recapture that special feeling we had on our weekend. But there are underlying questions that still remain; Are we committing our lives to live as Jesus has called us? Do our goals reflect those values? Are we living examples of our faith? Do we possess the courage and knowledge needed to call others to His table? My wife Loretta (who also made her weekend in the fall of 2009) and I made a pilgrimage the weekend of July 30 th to August 1 st to Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio. We attended the 35 th annual Defending the Faith conference for the very first time with other cursillistas from our diocese. For those of you who have attended a previous conference, you understand how special a place Franciscan University is and how moving these conferences are. For those who have not, I encourage you to take some time out of your busy schedule next summer and attend. The (continued on page 2)

2 2 TYPE TITLE HERE A Pilgrim s Journey continued... He spoke on the need to live our lives keynote speakers were incredible as well as the breakout sessions. It was like Cursillo Weekend Part II. We attended the conference with over 1,300 devout Catholics and some protestant brothers and sisters. Yes, even our protestant brethren attended to hear the speakers and to catch the fire of the Holy Spirit. Our speakers were renowned experts and authors in the field of Theology, Philosophy, the Catechism and the Evangelization movement. If you watch EWTN you would certainly recognize some of the names; Dr. Scott Hahn, Dr. Alan Schreck, Dr. Frank Beckwith, Marcus Grodi of the popular program Coming Home, Patrick Madrid of Catholic Radio, and Curtis Martin who founded FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) a movement dedicated to educating and renewing the faith for young Catholics on college campuses throughout our country. He and his wife have received the Benemerenti Medal from Pope John Paul II for their outstanding service to the Church. These are just a few of the many speakers that presented at the conference and who shared their journey of faith. We celebrated Mass with Justin Cardinal Rigali who also was a keynote speaker. He spoke on the need to live our lives completely as Jesus instructed us- with our entire being with our hearts and mind. We need to be able to speak with total conviction when we are asked about our faith and our beliefs. Most importantly, we need to be people of great love to share the gifts that we have received as Catholic Christians and not be divisive since we are all God s children. We prayed and reflected during (continued on page 4 ) completely as Jesus instructed us with our entire being, our hearts and mind. News from National Cursillo: Palanca by Victor Lugo At this time, I would like to share some thoughts about palanca. As most of you know, the word palanca is a simple word in as far as what it means. The Spanish word palanca translates to lever in English. A lever is an object used for a distinct purpose and the object might be a plank or a board. There are three things that are required for this object to accomplish its purpose. They are: 1) a thing or person that applies force on one end of the plank; 2) a fixed object usually placed under the center of the plank; and 3) the object that is to be ~ from the June 2010 National Cursillo Newsletter moved and situated at a certain place. When we ask, or are asked, for palanca for Cursillistas living their Cursillo Weekend, we are asked for prayer in the form of a sacrifice. This form of prayer may be said to serve the same purpose as a lever; that is to say, as a plank. The 3 things needed for this particular plank or lever to fulfill its purpose are: 1) a person who offers up prayer as a sacrifice, and thus applies force on one end; 2) the object positioned at the center of the plank, which by the Proclaim! Don t Maintain! by Christina Fleury way is a point where the force is transferred from one end of the plank to the other end. For our purposes we refer to this point of transference as Love. And finally, 3) the object, or more specifically for our illustration, the person or persons that we want to situate in a different place or situation. These persons are the new Cursillistas living their three encounters: with self, Christ, and others, and the team serving on the Cursillo Weekend. To learn more and read the rest of this article, please go to: Proclaim Don t maintain! These were the words of Father Mitch Pacwa at the Shrine of the North American Martyrs in Auriesville, New York, where a group of cursillistas traveled in June for a conference entitled Healing and Evangelization in Light of the Martyrs Legacy. The Shrine is also known as the Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs and the birthplace of Blessed Kateri Tekawitha. The day was filled with great information and holy inspiration, as we celebrated Mass with Father Pacwa, enjoyed the holy grounds of the martyrs, and learned much from this brilliant scripture scholar, EWTN host, and world renowned lecturer. Due to his fluency in 12 languages, he was able to share with us, different translations of some words from the Bible, as well as their correct meanings. It was very enlightening. He then spent considerable time sharing his thoughts on a (continued on page 5)

3 Living Christ Retreat: A Call to ACTION By Deacon Leo Lynn The Living Christ Retreat (LCR) is a 12- hour parish based retreat spread over two evenings and one morning hosted by a parish team.

Some have call the LCR a mini-cursillo because the format is similar: sharing meals, talks (rollo), morning & evening prayers, witnessing, table discussions, group discussions, reconciliation

3 3 Living Christ Retreat: A Call to ACTION By Deacon Leo Lynn The Living Christ Retreat (LCR) is a 12- hour parish based retreat spread over two evenings and one morning hosted by a parish team. However, it is not a sleep over. Some have call the LCR a mini-cursillo because the format is similar: sharing meals, talks (rollo), morning & evening prayers, witnessing, table discussions, group discussions, reconciliation service, and a closing Mass. Our Lady of the Snows parish in Clarks Summit has conducted three very successful retreats since last August and two more are planned for The retreat is open to every adult in our parish whether they are single, married, or even non-catholic married to a Catholic spouse. Unlike Cursillo, women and men make the retreat together and we especially like to see married couples. The retreat is also open to RCIA candidates and we encourage our Lectors, Eucharistic ministers, and Catechists to attend. We are limited to a maximum of 30 candidates per retreat and a minimum of 20. We are blessed to have a LCR team almost entirely of men and women who have already made Cursillo and have even served on a Cursillo weekend team. This has made the process of beginning the retreat last year much easier when the team is already practicing Piety, Study, and hears the call to Action. Our Lady of the Snows pastor, Msgr. McGarry and his staff are behind the LCR 100%-- we could not do it without their support. If you would like to attend a Living Christ Retreat, or believe you may hear the call to begin a Living Christ Retreat in your parish, please call Deacon Leo Lynn, He will be happy to talk to you and your Pastor on what needs to be done to get started. P I E T Y To Jesus Through Mary by Ann Hopkins As I reflect back on my Cursillo experience, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for this life changing opportunity. As I sat, listened, and absorbed all the beautiful Rollos, I had no idea how my life would be affected by what I learned that weekend. When I left St. Gabe's, I was committed to enhance my prayer life and study the scriptures, but I couldn't imagine what action I could take to bring others to Christ. It didn't take long for me to know exactly what God's plan was for me. Before I made my Cursillo, I had a devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows and I prayed the rosary everyday. I also handed Seven Sorrows rosaries out to promote the devotion. After my Cursillo weekend, through the promptings of the Holy Spirit, I started a rosary group. I had a group of friends that I had known for 35 years. We bowled together and often gathered for social parties. Well, God had a plan for us, and He called us to become friends in faith. We have gathered together every Thursday night for the past 5 years in my home and have honored the Blessed Mother with the rosary. The attendance is amazing! Through invitation, we now have a great following for this devotion. A unique bond has formed with all who attend, and strangers have become caring and supporting friends. Each individual adds her own spiritual contribution. I am told all the time how everyone looks forward to Thursday evening. The time we spend praying as a community is powerful for those for whom we pray, but our time together is equally as powerful for those of us who gather to pray. I would like to share that all the original friends I asked to join the rosary group have become "Sister Cursillistas," and there are quite a few more who have experienced the Cursillo weekend through our prayer group. Place, what initially started in my home extended to my work place. I work in a local nursing facility and have had the opportunity to share the rosary with the residents weekly during Lent, and Father Phil Sladicka from St. Mary's in Avoca has invited us to say the rosary before the Stations of the Cross on Friday evenings during Lent for the past 3 years. So you can see, the gift of Cursillo has sparked a spiritual transformation within my friends and me, and has opened the doors of our hearts and souls to a new spiritual life. We are now a part of a community of "Sister Cursillistas" who witness the love of Christ to each other in Group Reunion. I thank God for the grace He has showered on us, and the Holy Spirit for the guidance and inspiration that has made all of this possible.

4 4 TYPE TITLE HERE Will You Not Spend An Hour In Prayer With Me? By Michele Fenstermaker Jesus, in the Par Excellence form of the Eucharist is God s most tangible presence in our world. Each time we participate in the Mass, we discover anew the depth of Love that our Triune God has for us. During the Mass, God the Father sends the Holy Spirit to transform the bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus, the Eucharist. In a very real way, Jesus becomes our life sustaining food and our thirst quenching drink. The Eucharist is God s greatest gift to us and as faithful Catholics and we need to be grounded in it. The center of our lives should be the Eucharist which leads us to the Celebration of the Mass on Sunday s and Holy Days, but more perfectly on a daily basis. Eucharistic Adoration, praying before our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, becomes a way to enrich our participation in that Eucharistic Celebration. Gazing upon Jesus strengthens our personal relationship with Him, and as a direct outcome, transforms us into Him whom we gaze upon. The more time we spend with Him, the more we desire to partake in the Eucharist feast. Where you spend your time is where your heart lies. Having discovered that in Jesus, we are God s beloved, we begin to live our lives to bring the world into deeper communion with Him. My home Parish of St. Catherine of Siena in Moscow is blessed with a Eucharistic Adoration Chapel that is open from 6 AM to 11 PM daily. I have been stopping into the chapel for more than 10 years on a daily basis and can personally attest to its life altering affect on me. Prayers change by the day and take the form of intercessions, thanksgiving, or petitions but the beauty of the experience is the relationship I have built up with God. Some days I just sit and gaze upon the Blessed Sacrament. I wanted to share this experience with my Cursillistas friends so I signed up for an Adoration hour from 6-7PM on Sunday nights. There is an open invitation to all Cursillistas to come and join us for that silent hour of prayer in front of the Eucharist. I cannot explain the power that comes from a Chapel full of Christians in prayer before our God. It is not the number of people that show up each week that matters, it is the fact that we are in front of our God sharing our lives with He who loves us completely. Come and be ready for a life altering experience! Pause before the tabernacle by yourself, for no special reason, even without saying a word, simply remaining in Christ s presence, contemplating the supreme gesture of love contained in the consecrated Bread. ~Pope John Paul II A Pilgrim s Journey (continued from page 2) An Hour of adoration prepares one for the celebration and reception of the Holy Eucharist. Frequent encounters and familiar conversation with Jesus produce friendship, resemblance and identity of thought feeling and willing with Jesus. adoration and holy hour with Fr. Benedict Groeschel and our spirits soared as we spent time with the consecrated body of our Lord and Christ. The weekend was truly a spiritual experience and one that I would highly recommend to my fellow Cursillistas. right where we are; at our home, our place of work, in our social settings and in our own communities. Lastly, St. Paul in his letter to the Romans said it perfectly and despite the fact that his advice is over 2,000 years old, it is just as appropriate in today s times. REMINDER: Please be on the lookout for Palanca requests for the ~Bl. James Alberione In closing, I would say that everyone should continue on their journey and live each day as it truly is; a gift from God. We should continue to pray for the conversion and/or for the renewal of faith for our family, friends and loved ones. God has a plan for each one of us and we are to discern what our role is and who we are called to become. As disciples of Christ, others should recognize our faith not just by what we say but by what we do. Our mission should begin Do not conform yourselves to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2. De Colores! upcoming weekend! And let s keep praying for our teams and their rectors and rectoras! Christ is Counting on You!

5 5 Women of Grace By Pati Pawlik Post Cursillo, we found ourselves looking to enhance and enrich our new found love for study. When we gathered together as women on our Cursillo weekend, we found the insight that other women brought to the table was fun, entertaining, full of wisdom and everyday, pure faith. Many parishes offer programs like Soup and Scripture or Nights of Reflection, to help enrich the parishioners. These are wonderful and enlightening, presented by our priest but often we still wanted to learn more. I was introduced to Women of Grace by a friend. describes her series as a transforming journey as you explore the great call and gift of your femininity. Through this program you meet some of the great women saints, learn from the wisdom and guidance of Holy Mother church, and begin to unpack the treasures of Sacred Scripture. You look to the Blessed Virgin Mother for help in finding a spiritual path to her son, Jesus Christ. Her book explores who we are as women. Each chapter builds upon each other. The chapters are: The Special Call and Gift of Women, Prayer, Praise and Petition, Obedience, Wisdom, Eucharist, Resurrection, and Carrying Out the Mission. All of this is wrapped around a study guide that quotes the Holy Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, focusing on holy women and saints of our faith. This course is so enjoyable, you will find yourself saying, I want to do this again! I want to invite others to explore this educational tool that is also very inspiring. If you see this program offered by your parishes give it a try and enjoy! De Colores!.a transforming journey as you explore the great call and gift of your femininity. Johnnette Benkovic is a featured speaker, evangelist and interviewer for the EWTN network. She has developed a study series for women, which stretches your knowledge of our beautiful faith. She lays out a 9 week program that involves video presentations, as well as the Full of Grace book and Study Guide. She You are Invited! You are invited to attend a gathering of local cursillistas and the National and Regional II Cursillo Coordinators (Cef Aguillon and Michael Ciccocioppo) at St Mary s Church, in Avoca. Please join us on September 15 th at 7:00 p.m. for Mass with Fr. Phil and a meeting to follow in the Rectory. Light refreshments will be available and great ideas shared! Proclaim! Don t Maintain! (continued from page 2) great evangelization passage, 1 Peter 3:15-16:. sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. He pointed out our objective in evangelization, stating that we must, (1) Sanctify Jesus in our hearts, (2) Give a defense for our hope, (3) Answer, (4) with meekness, patience and a good conscience. Father Pacwa gave us great hope for the future of our Church. He said not to be fooled into thinking the Church is dying simply because it may seem that way in many parts of the Northeastern United States. He told us, and we were shocked by this, that the Roman Catholic faith is the largest religion in Texas. Moreover, Catholicism is growing like wildfire in Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia. The Church is vibrant and alive and growing. Father Pacwa continued by saying that our world needs the Roman Catholic Church to correct the current breakdown in morals. In fact, it is movements like our blessed Cursillo movement that will aid in bringing the world back to Christ and morality in our own backyards and beyond. Christ is counting on us!

6 6 TYPE TITLE HERE Scranton Cursillo ATTN: Donna Valenti 106 Exeter Avenue West Pittston, PA Phone (570) ALSO: Tina Filone (570) Go therefore, and Be Messengers of JOY! ~ Pope John Paul II Upcoming Events! 57 th Women s Cursillo: September 30 Oct 3, 2010 Natalie Kocsis, Rectora 51 st Men s Cursillo: November 11 14, 2010 Bob Mayshock, Rector 58 th Women s Cursillo: March 17-20, 2011 Ann Hopkins, Rectora About Our Movement Cursillo (pronounced cur-seeyo) is Spanish for little course, specifically in the teachings of Jesus. The goal of the Cursillo Movement is to make Christ the prime influence in society. Cursillo is often described as a retreat. While there is quiet time and reflection, there is more discussion among peers than in most retreats. 52 nd Men s Cursillo: March 31 April 3, 2011 Derek Heppding, Rector School of Leaders (9:30-11:30) August 21, 2010 St. Gabriel s, Clarks Summit September 18, 2010 St Mary s, Avoca Perhaps, it is best described as an experience of living in Christian community. The Cursillo Movement is worldwide. It began in Spain in the mid-1940s and came to the United States in the 1960s. All local dioceses in the US are affiliated with the worldwide Cursillo through the October 23, 2010 St Gabriel s, Clarks Summit Ultreyas: October 17, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. St Gabriel s, Clarks Summit, (Sponsored by Nativity BVM) National Cursillo Secretariat in Dallas, Texas. The Cursillo weekend in the Diocese of Scranton begins Thursday evening and ends Sunday evening, and is conducted by a team of priests and lay people. Weekends are held at St. Gabriel's Retreat Center, in Clarks Summit. SCRANTON CURSILLO ATTN: DONNA VALENTI 106 EXETER AVENUE WEST PITTSTON, PA CURSILLISTA NAME STREET ADDRESS ADDRESS 2 CITY, ST ZIP CODE We re on the Web! See us at: ScrantonCursillo.homestead. com

Secretariat Officers Installed. rectoras. Those in. deposit of faith, so help them God. At the close of the homily, Father Phil called

Secretariat Officers Installed. rectoras. Those in. deposit of faith, so help them God. At the close of the homily, Father Phil called Onward! WINTER 2010 EDITION A Newsletter for the 4 th Day of the Scranton, Pennsylvania, Cursillo Community Special Interest Articles ~ Christmas with the Sisters ~ New Officers Installed ~ Day of Reflection