Daily Archives: January 7, 2019

School of Leaders

School of Leaders – December 2018

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As we enter the New Year of our Lord 2019, looking both forward and backwards from the present moment, I’d like to take a minute to reflect on my personal Cursillo Journey.

To put it plainly, I am having an absolute blast chairing the School of Leaders!  Since I was a kid, I have always wanted to be a sincere, authentic, child of God.  I had a hard time following the fad or fashion of the day, unless it was sincere. I could not enjoy a friendship unless it was authentic.  And I could not imagine my life without the love of God to guide me, to inspire me, to admonish me, to drive me forward, and to rein me in from time to time.

The School of Leaders allows me to be that sincere, authentic, child of God.  Like an Olympic skier visualizing theturns and gates, before strapping on his skis, I have spent my life “internalizing” this opportunity to offer my witness, my voice, my heart, and to open my eyes and my ears in this service for Christ and His Church.  My goal is to make the School of Leaders a welcoming place where all Cursillistas can offer up their sincere, authentic selves as children of God, to lead their environments to Christ.

Our School of Leaders is on vacation during Formation, but we will meet again, after the 2019 Weekends, on April 9, 2019, at 7 p.m. in the Parish Center of St. Joseph’s Parish in Freeburg, IL.  Please join your fellow Leaders!  Happy New Year on your Journey!

Romans 1: 12: “What I mean is that both you and I will be helped at the same time, you by my faith and I by yours.”

De Colores and Peace! John I Schaberg

Lay Director

Lay Director – December 2018

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December Ultreya

With the Cursillistas in Du Quoin from last year’s Weekends and the new Cursillistas anticipated to attend the Cursillo Weekends this spring, there are enough Cursillistas in Du Quoin and the surrounding area to support a regularly scheduled Ultreya.   To start this process, an Ultreya was held, with support from the Belleville Ultreya, in the Parish Center at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Du Quoin, IL, on December 8, 2018.  The Ultreya was well-attended and should serve as a good example to follow for future Du Quoin Ultreyas.

Plans are on schedule for the Cursillo Men’s and Women’s Weekends at the Adorers of the Blood of Christ Motherhouse in Ruma, IL, in March 2019.   However, the number of applications received for the Women’s Weekend exceeds the capacity of the Motherhouse in Ruma.   A second Weekend for women is being considered in anticipation of additional applications that will be added to the waiting list of women candidates.  A host of issues such as date, location, team, and spiritual direction need to be resolved before a second Cursillo Weekend can be held. 

The Belleville Ultreya closed 2018 with a fun-filled Christmas social run by Jerry Palmisano.  In addition to the usual grouping and goodies, we enjoyed a Christmas Trivia session and a wonderful Christmas songfest accompanied by the guitars of Terry Kostel and Steve Hughes.

I want to thank everyone who has worked to make 2018 a successful year, and I look forward to working with everyone in 2019.  

Love, Joy, Peace, and De Colores

Bob McCormack

Spiritual Director

Spiritual Director – December 2018

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“…they departed for their country by another way.”  Matthew 2:12

The story of the Magi making their way to find the new born king is one for us to ponder with great hope for our own journey of faith.  Led by a sign from God, a star, they find Jesus the One sent by God to rescue and redeem the world by a message of Love, Joy and Peace. 

The journey of the Magi was surely one of uncertainty and many questions.  What would their search lead them to?  What would they report back to Herod, and what would his response be to what they found?  Who would they meet along the way?  Would there be doubters trying to sway them from what they sought?  Would the star occasionally be overshadowed by clouds?  Would they need to correct their bearings or even change course?  When they arrived would something more be asked of them?

The obstacles the Magi may have encountered are not different from what we encounter in our search for Jesus.  Fear, uncertainty, doubt, distractions and questions can overshadow our signs, our stars.  Likewise, what the Magi found is not unlike what we too find–the pure love and wisdom of God in our Lord Jesus Christ.  They would not encounter a king on a throne, but rather a king in an unusual and humble setting—a manger.  They would meet a king who comes to rule by humility and compassion. 

Scripture tells us that the Magi would not return from this meeting by the same route.  So too is our journey of faith and encounter with Jesus.  When we truly meet Him, we simply cannot return from where we came in the same way.  When we receive Him in the sacraments we’re changed.  When we give of ourselves, and offer our self-gift in the service of others, we too experience an epiphany.  And like the Magi, our pilgrimage takes us on a different road than from where we came. 

We, too, will find Christ if we are willing to search for and recognize the signs from God in our own time that lead us to Him.  As this Christmas Season comes to a close, we’ve once again experienced the great mystery and the reality of Emmanuel—God with us.  May they bring about our own Epiphany in this New Year—a closer walk with the One who comes to save all of mankind!   

De Colores!

Deacon Wayne