Daily Archives: July 8, 2019

School of Leaders

School of Leaders – June 2019

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We have had some lively and thoughtful conversations in School of Leaders so far this year.  A giant THANK YOU to all of the 4th Day who have come to share and listen!

The National Cursillo Movement has published an article on its Website that not only sheds light on the School of Leaders, but also offers an encouraging “warm-and-fuzzy” about the “Leaders.”  It is really a “School of Thought,” where we come together to “explore and deepen” our understanding, and gain wisdom and insight from each other.  These are people who “want to understand the WHY of things. . . . They do not teach by preaching but rather by being living witnesses to the very essence of the Charism.”  The School is a “group of friends,” where we deepen our own understanding of our own role as leaders in our Environments.  “The School of Leaders is first and foremost, a School of Listening, not teaching.”  As a group of friends, our service to others flows from friendship. When we put something into Action, it is no longer a service, a chore, but an act of love.  “Secretariat and School of Leaders: Reaching a Unity of Purpose and Understanding,” John Ciliberti, Region VI English Coordinator, August 18, 2018. https://www.natl-cursillo.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Unity-of-Purpose-Understanding.pdf

So, there you have it.  We listen, we learn.  We learn, we act. We act, we love.

Our School of Leaders will meet on July 9 (in the Parish Center), August 13(in the Parish Center), and September 10(location TBD), 2019, at 7 p.m.,at St. Joseph’s Parish in Freeburg, IL.   Please join your fellow Leaders! 

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 – June 2019

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By now, I believe many of our Cursillistas have heard that changes are being made to our Cursillo program in the Belleville Diocese.  Some of these changes have been promulgated by the National and Regional Offices and some are changes which we are making at the local Diocesan level.

First, we had a large number of women applicants for the Spring Cursillo Weekend who were unable to attend, so the Secretariat has elected to hold a Cursillo for Women at the King’s House in Belleville on October 24-27, 2019.  We are currently in the planning stages for that Cursillo.  We have also discussed moving the regular Cursillo Weekends to the fall to avoid problems with the Lent and Easter activities of the Church in the spring and possibly to a new location.  These changes are still under consideration, so a final decision has not been made.

Second, we have the Step-by-Step Manual changes, which will affect our Weekend schedule and the Rollos.  We have a team, led by Cheryl Rajski, in the process of methodically going through the changes promulgated to us through the National Cursillo Office and modifying our local program and schedule.  These changes will affect the Weekend schedule, the Closing, and the presentation of the Rollos. 

Change is a difficult thing to deal with sometimes.  I ask everyone to reserve their opinion on these changes until we know exactly how the changes will affect our Cursillo program in the Belleville Dioceses. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we are going forward with a positive attitude to accommodate these changes into our local program. 

Love, Joy, Peace, and De Colores!

Bob McCormack

Spiritual Director

Spiritual Director – June 2019

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“He said to them, Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” Mark 6:31

The days of summer are certainly upon us. Although there’s been much rain and many storms, we’ve also been truly blessed with some wonderful days as well.   Through it all, we need not look far to see how God provides in so many ways.  The beauty of His creation, helping hands in time of need, the gift of family and friends, and our skills, talents, and treasures to care for all are ever present.  Summer is the time God gives us to refresh ourselves from the daily grind of our work and commitments, and to enjoy the fruits of our labor.

As work is a right and blessing in and of itself, we mustn’t forget that rest and relaxation is vital to our mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing.  The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church teaches us that “Rest from work is a right.”  As God “rested on the seventh day from all the work which he had done” (Gen 2:2), so too men and women, created in his image, are to enjoy sufficient rest and free time that will allow them to tend to their family, cultural, social and religious life.  (Compendium, No. 284)

A summer retreat is a great way to renew ourselves and draw closer to God.  We have some very fine Catholic retreat centers nearby.  I’ll list a few good ones you may want to consider: 

Kings House Retreat Center in Belleville – http://www.kingsretreatcenter.org/

White House Retreat House in South St. Louis – http://www.whretreat.org/

Chiara Center in Springfield, Illinois – http://www.chiaracenter.org/

St. Meinrad Guest House in St. Meinrad, Indiana – http://www.saintmeinrad.org/retreats/

Our work is often demanding and rightly requires our full time and attention.  And surely the work of evangelizing our environments asks us to be ready and alert.  Alert to the many in need of Jesus’ mercy and ready to share what we, too, have received by grace.  If we fail to take care of ourselves, we risk losing our Joy in the great mission Christ has entrusted to us – his disciples in today’s world.

I hope this summer you may find time for some renewal of mind, body, and soul – if for only a brief time, to unwind, and unplug from the stress and busyness of your lives – whether on retreat, vacation, or time spent with loved ones.  Christ and His Church need us to be rested, healthy, happy, and well.  But above all, Joyful!

De Colores! Deacon Wayne Weiler