Calendar of Events
January 5, 2002             11:00am Secretariat Meeting at St. Mary School, David City, NE
January 10-13, 2002      Men’s Weekend at St. Mary School, 580 “I” St, David City, NE
January 13, 2002           Men’s Closing (4:00pm Mass) at St. Mary School, David City, NE
January 17-20, 2002      Women’s Weekend at St. Mary School, 580 “I” St, David City, NE
January 20, 2002           Women’s Closing (4:00pm Mass) at St. Mary School, David City, NE
April 26-28, 2002           Cursillo Regional Meeting at Fairbault, MN
July 11-14, 2002            12th National Encounter, Bellermine University, Louisville, KY
 

PRAYER/ADORATION HOURS for the David City Weekends (listed by Ultreya Centers)
Thursday, 7:00pm - Midnight Hastings
Friday, Midnight - 5:00am Lincoln
Friday, 5:00am - 10:00am Beatrice
Friday, 10:00am - 1:00pm McCook
Friday, 1:00pm - 6:00pm Beatrice
Friday, 6:00pm - Midnight Plattsmouth
Saturday, Midnight - 5:00am Wahoo
Saturday, 5:00am - 10:00am Hastings
Saturday, 10:00am - 2:00pm Plattsmouth
Saturday, 2:00pm - 7:00pm Lincoln
Saturday, 7:00pm - Midnight Wahoo
Sunday, Midnight - 6:00am McCook
Sunday, 6:00am - 4:00pm David City

SEND PALANCA LETTERS -- for the David City weekends to: St. Mary Church, 580 “I” St, David City, NE 68632.  ATTN: MEN’S CURSILLO or ATTN: WOMEN'S CURSILLO.  General Palanca letters are encouraged, & specific letters to Candidates from the sponsors, spouses, & pastors.  If you have access to the Internet, please check the Cursillo Diocesan Website for the names of Candidates added after this newsletter is printed!
http://www.alltel.net/~sj05420/cursillolincoln.html

INFO FOR CLOSINGS -- There will be a catered meal for men’s & women's closings.  Cost: $5.00 per person, including the talk team & palanca team.

Candidates, Team, Palanca for the David City Weekends
Candidates for Men's Weekend -- Larry Bowman, Jr., Matthew Conrin, Fr. Thomas Dunavan, Tim Gatewood, Fr. Jeremy Hazuka, Dennis Kellogg, Kelly Nelson, Mike Lindley, Josh Miller, Fr. Bill Ryland, Jared Storm, Steve Witte, Kenneth Case, John Balana, Joe Laird, Juan Estrada, Marc McClure, Doug Vrbka, Jeff Yates, Larry Maiefski, Hector Lorenzo, Don DuBay, Tom Kober, Luke Benes.

Talk Team for Men's Weekend -- Bobby Joe Spangler(Coordinator), Bob Codr, Terry Little, Stan O’Brien, Mark Pribyl, Tom Schik, Mike Skoch, Ron Sladky, John Springer, Bill Swanson,  Fr. Ron Homes, Fr. Mark Seiker & Fr. Bill Holoubek.

Palanca Team for Men's Weekend --
Ron Yarger (Coordinator)  Fr. Paul York.

Candidates for Women's Weekend -- Joanne Balana, Lucy Bean, Michelle Bowman, Brenda Carroll, Kimberly Conrin, Tracy Gatewood, Marilynn Happold, Jennifer Kellogg, Cindy Kober, Janet Lindley, Jean Wakefield, Connie Witte, Kathleen Deavers, Janice Case, Peggy Bruce, Crystal Stara, Alice Benes, Angela Harwick, Roddy Spangler, Joan Ryland, Virginia Tardy, Winnie Lorenzo.

Talk Team for Women's Weekend -- Cathy Sladky (Coordinator), Julie Chilcott, Willow Holoubek, Joan Junkin, Vickie Kauffold, Bernadette Liberto, Mary Lou Salazar, Joan Scdoris, Deb Svec, Fr. Mark Seiker, Fr. Bob Barnhill, Fr. Larry Gyhra.

Palanca Team for Women's Weekend --
Chris Yarger (Coordinator), Fr. Brian Connor.

From the Lay Director:
     Christ is born anew … as He should be in our hearts each and every day.  Each (fourth) day should be a journey that brings us ever closer to the child-like wonder of what He has done for us – it should cause us to ponder what He would do through us if we would only let Him.
    Part of my Advent journey was to read the book, “The Reed of God” by Caryll Houselander (it’s not yet Christmas and the book is not yet finished).  The book is about Mary, through whom God gave us His Word.  She is alternately described as a reed (“through which the Eternal Love was to be piped”), a flowerlike chalice (“into which the purest water of humanity was poured, mingled with wine, changed to the crimson blood of love, and lifted up in sacrifice”), and a warm nest (rounded to the shape of humanity to receive the Divine Little Bird).  All three – the reed, the chalice, and the nest – begin with an emptiness … but before God fills that emptiness, He waits for Mary’s fiat … her “yes.”
    Houselander tells us we should sift and sort out everything that is not essential and that fills up space and silence in us that we, too, might discover what shape the emptiness in us is.  Only then can we learn what sort of purpose God has for us – in what way are we to fulfill the work of giving Christ life in us?  Are we reed pipes?  Is He waiting to live lyrically through us?  Are we chalices?  Does He ask to be sacrificed in us?  Are we nests? Does He desire of us a warm, sweet abiding in domestic life at home?
    In our journey toward Christ and, in order to help others on their journey to Christ (which is what Cursillo is all about), we must take seriously the disposition and preparation required of us.  We are all leaders in those places He has put us, and in order to lead properly, we need to ensure that we are being formed in His image and likeness.  Leading is not about being on the Talk Team or the Palanca Team … it’s not about how many candidates we bring to the weekend … it’s not about being in charge.  It’s about carrying Him in our hearts to wherever He wants to go … and there are many places to which He may never go unless we take Him to them.  Study environments (all environments) and see who might be able to take Him into those environments – ask Him to give you His eyes that you might know who will accept Him into their hearts to take Him where He wants to go.  Pray these people to Cursillo (both before and after you invite them), but make sure that you do extend the invitation … just as God invited Mary to be the Mother of God through Gabriel, God is counting on you to extend the invitation to Cursillo.
    Let us prayerfully consider beginning this new year by emptying ourselves of all the trifling unnecessary things in our lives, and ask God to let us see ourselves as if we had just come from His hand and had not yet gathered anything to ourselves.  Let us begin each fourth day anew … live it as He leads us … let Him fill up the emptiness we create in ourselves with His plans and purpose for our lives.  May we lead by imitating and being open to His leading.
    Please pray for the team and candidates on the upcoming weekends … for those who have been invited and for those who have yet to be invited.  And throughout the new year, keep in mind that – God is good … all the time!!  All the time … God is good!!
De Colores!! Kathy Springer, Lay Director

Completed Applications
    All completed applications should first be sent to the lay director, Kathy Springer (1410 E. 15th St., Crete, NE 68333), and she will forward them to the appropriate men’s and women’s coordinators.  Completed applications consist of: (1) the candidate’s portion of the application, along with a $10 application fee (approved at the October 2001 Secretariat meeting as an alternative to raising the $45 fee requested during the MOP talk); and (2) the sponsor’s portion of the application, including the pastor’s signature.  If candidates cannot afford the $10 application fee, it should not be a deterrent to coming; they should attend and contribute what they can.   Some sponsors may choose to submit the fee on behalf of their candidates. Please make checks payable to “Cursillo of Lincoln”.