Welcome to the third 2008 edition of the Communique for the Hamilton, Ontario Diocese Cursillo community. For more information about the Hamilton Diocese Cursillo Movement visit www.4thday.ca.
Women's Weekend
October 30th - November 2nd, 2008
Mount Mary, Ancaster
Men's Weekend
November 13th - November 16th, 2008
Demerton
It is not too early to speak to God about a candidate, speak to the candidate about God and invite the candidate to a weekend. Click here for an application form and here for a want to be on team form.
There are no School of Leaders meetings this summer. The meetings will resume in September on the third Saturday of the month - September 20th, October 18th, November 15th and December 20th.
Here are some pictures from the June 1st Eduardo Bonin Memorial Mass and General Ultreya:
MEMORIAL MASS WITH TRIBUTE TO EDUARDO BONIN AND GENERAL ULTREYA – JUNE 1ST. 2008
The Holy Mass celebrated by Bishop Gerard Bergie, tribute to Eduardo Bonin and General Ultreya held Sunday, June 1st at St. Anthony Daniel’s in Kitchener was a very uplifting and moving experience. Many thanks to Bishop Bergie, a Cursillista, for his glowing tribute to the founder of the Cursillo movement and his encouraging words in regards to the good work that Cursillistas do in bringing Christ to their environments, building Christian communities based on Jesus Christ. He shared that even before Vatican II, Eduardo had the vision of the importance of Christian communities in building the church on solid rock foundation of Gospel values. We preach every day by our actions and God gives us the help we need through the power of the Holy Spirit to do so. We must continue to build up Our Houses, not on sand but on the rock of Jesus Christ. We are truly blessed and thankful to have Bishop Bergie’s full support.
Many friendships were rekindled and new friends were made. We enjoyed some very delicious food and many thanks go to the St. Anthony Daniel Ultreya for that.
Make plans now to join many other Cursillistas from our diocese for the Cursillo Enrichment School of Leaders in September. The first session will be September 20th , 10 am at St. Joseph’s in Guelph.
I wish you all a very restful summer holiday time and ask for your prayers as I will be attending the Canadian Conference of Catholic Cursillo in Kelowna, British Columbia, June 26-30.
In friendship and service
Marg Weber
Post Cursillo/School of Leaders Coordinator
Goodbye and thanks to Gerry Crewson who served on Secretariat for many years, most recently in the Pre-cursillo role. Her term of office expired earler this year.
Hello to Stefan Zara who joined the Secretariat in June.
The Hamilton Diocese Secretariat is hosting the 2009 National Cursillo Conference. The conference runs from July 2nd, 2009 to July 5th 2009 and will take place at Wilfrid Laurier University. Secretariat has already appointed a Coordinating Chairperson and some committee heads and 22 people have already signed up as volunteers. We will be having an organizing meeting on September 20th after the Cursillo Enrichment School of Leaders meeting at St. Josephs in Guelph. If you haven't already volunteered we'd love to see you at the organizing meeting. As you can see below we have lots of committees. Each one needs several volunteers and some of them still need a committee head.
Committee |
Committee Head |
|---|---|
Coordinating Chairperson |
Sandi Farwell |
Palanca |
Stefan Zara |
Finance |
Rodney Bell |
Registration |
Joyce Hause |
Transportation |
to be determined |
Music Ministry |
to be determined |
Hospitality |
to be determined |
Advertizing |
to be determined |
Entertainment |
to be determined |
Liturgy |
David Milne |
This month's witness talk is a talk that Bonnie Frizzell presented to the St. Anthony Daniel's Ultreya on April 26, 2008.
My name is Bonnie Lynn Frizzell. I made the 69th women's Cursillo (Step out in Faith) on April 25-28, 2007. 1 sat at Mother Teresa's table. It is my one year anniversary- my silence is now broken.
Before Cursillo I was very comfortable in my 'boat'- doing it my way. My sponsor, Pat Guay, kept talking about going for a Cursillo weekend. Circumstances didn't allow me to accept the first invitation. I accepted the second invitation- everything was set. I was nervous. I didn't know what to expect, but I had hopes for great things to happen.
On Thursday evening I stepped out of the 'boat' (Pat's car), and began wading through my spiritual journey. Tensions (myself/others) were high. There was no way out. No turning back. That night after settling in, we were left on our own for quiet reflection.
The following days we moved through routines of: Prayer/Mass; prayer/eating together; singing together; sharing our talents/ thoughts; listening to speakers; and De Colores (Did you know that Dora sings this song?) Each time we'd sing that song and walk to the dining room, slowly one by one, people would link arms with me. 'Lifting me up' showing me the way. God's love was lifting me up. I didn't want this to end. I loved the connection.
Papers and messages started arriving. I was shocked by the number of people, I didn't even know, who had prayed and offered PALANCA for us. Then in the Chapel, I saw my name on a prayer candle. I felt I had been called. Hot tears splashed on my cheeks. The tears continued as I opened a gift from my sponsor. I knew at that moment my life would never be the same. I'd been lifted up. But it was up to me to put things into action. "Christ was counting on me."
At the closing ( I knew that sponsors would be coming) I was pleasantly surprised, in awe actually, at the number of people in attendance. It was so powerful. One woman in the line of Cursillistas congratulating us, said to me, "Good Luck on your Fourth day, you're going to need it." I was a little confused/ puzzled. I had the assistance of my sponsor and God. Everything through God.
Since Cursillo
My sponsor accompanied me to mass and introduced me to this Ultreya. My circle of friendship. 'One body' singing/praying together (where two or more are gathered...) I enjoy the witness talks, discussion in small groups. It's always there- constant.
I have made many new friends. I'm more active, less passive; more talkative; still keeping time for quiet reflection, prayer and study. I enjoy using the 'Come Holy Spirit' prayer- "so that I may know, really love and practice Thy truth and make others share in it." I wear the crucifix as a reminder that I am following Jesus—He is leading me.
I'd like to share one of my highlights this year. This story involves a man who has crossed my path, 3 times in total (2 personally), impacting my life. First-negative experience; second- positive; and third- both positive and negative (most confusing/frustrating).
When he was 21, he was a supervisor at Savage Shoe where my dad worked. He was half my dad's age. That, and the attitude of this younger boss was very difficult for my dad to handle. I remember seeing my dad suffer. This man was the last person to see my dad alive. (Was he at the funeral?) I don't think I met him then.
My second encounter- (this time with physical presence). His daughter was placed in my care while he and mom went to work. He was grateful, polite, caring, thoughtful. (Even through a messy separation).
Years later, I moved into an apartment house. He was the tenant above me -Apt. #3. He gave me money to feed 'the movers'. I used it for my first meal. We developed a nice friendship. But I learned he had a darker side- Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde ( I called him). He was vulgar, miserable and full of rage when drinking. The most impacting incident was the LAST one. In a loud, angry voice he ranted about my selfishness with regards to the heat control, in my unit. Cursing and swearing, threatening, then a month of silence.
The Quilt Story
While shopping for Christmas and for fabric for a project at work, I saw a wonderful panel with a religious theme "How great Thou art". The colours were blue and green with 'God's light coming from the white clouds. I searched for golden rainbow metallic thread to accent the sun's rays. I purchased green flannel fabric for backing and fiber fill. I was not sure who I would give it to, at the time. Then it came to me. It was the perfect gift for a giving friend and to show that I had forgiven him. I began embroidering the 'shimmer' in God's rays starting the second week of December (finally found the metallic thread). This took a week and a half. I doubted I would finish on time. Two days before Christmas I began machine 'quilting'. On Christmas Eve, his daughter visits but doesn't stay-he has been drinking heavily. He cries out in anger, threatening to kill everyone. I had trouble sewing as hot tears run down my face. I pray to God to console him. Soon all is quiet—he sleeps. I finish the quilt around 10 pm and quickly wrap it with bright purple, pink, yellow, green, blue tissue paper with an equally bright matching ribbon (to cheer him up and 'awaken' him. I placed it on the landing in the stairwell, and waited. On Christmas morning I phoned him to wish him a "Merry Christmas." "Have you been out of your apartment this morning?" I asked. "I think Santa has been here." I felt so warm and so good. When he finally came to see me the next day, I told him that "every time you wrap yourself in that quilt you need to remember that God loves you." I don't know where these words of wisdom came from. They seemed to come out of me but were from God!
It took him a while to understand. Each time he looked at the quilt he found a new feature and realized that I had made it. He was deeply touched and 'moved'.
He has since made a decision to move to a new community and join a 'Gospel assembly' instead of 'doing it his own way', on his own. I have made a real friend—for life, and have come to really understand about forgiveness and living God's word.
'Ripples'
I began sharing my story with my friends. They questioned my motives and made jokes. Old, 'distant' friends were forgiven and we celebrated with a great meal together on New Year's Eve. Did my story 'spark' a change of heart, I wonder?
Please send me (drmilne@sympatico.ca) any talks you think should be published so we can publish a witness talk every month. Please realize that I will have to use my judgment on whether or not a talk is published so it's possible that not every talk will get published.
Earlier this month I had the pleasure of attending a "Roots to Wings" retreat given by Margaret Silf at Loyola House in Guelph. One of Margaret's points was that fear is a huge obstacle in our becoming fully human and fully alive and that Jesus said "be not afraid" many times during his time on earth. The retreat rejuvenated me and has given me hope for the future. Earlier this week I found myself (alone at home) belting out "Yahweh I know you are near, standing always at my side. You guard me from the foe and lead me in ways everlasting.". That's what keeps me from being afraid. What about you?
De Colores!