Calendar of Events
May 7, 2005                   Secretariat Meeting - 9:30am, Blessed John XXIII Diocesan Center
June 11, 2005                 Secretariat Meeting - 9:30am, Blessed John XXIII Diocesan Center
June 25, 2005                 Secretariat Meeting - 9:30am, Blessed John XXIII Diocesan Center
July 10, 2005                  40th Anniversary Celebration - 4:00pm Mass, Blessed John XXIII Diocesan Center;
                                       Banquet following in Dawson Hall (see yellow registration form).
July 15-16, 2005             School of Leaders (quarterly reunion) - 7:30pm Fri-4pm Sat, Location TBA
July 28 - 31, 2005           Cursillo National Encounter, Benedictine College, Atchison, KS
August 6, 2005                Secretariat Meeting - Time and Location TBA
October 6-9, 2005          Men’s Weekend, St. John the Baptist, Minden, NE
October 20-23, 2005      Women’s Weekend, St. John the Baptist, Minden, NE
 

News From Secretariat ...
 
 

Reminder to Cursillo Musicians ... If you sing and/or play an instrument and would like to take part in a "Cursillo Choir" forming for the Mass to be held in conjunction with the 40th Anniversary of Cursillo in the Lincoln Diocese, please contact Terry Little at: tlmusic@alltel.net, or call (402) 296-4170.  More details, including a gathering and one-time rehearsal at a central location, will follow as the time nears.

News From Secretariat (continued) ...

+ School of Leaders (SOL) ...

+ (Comments submitted 3/21/05, by Diane Pribyl, Participant at February 2005 SOL):
    “Before I attended a School of Leaders, this is what I thought School of Leaders was: a place where you learned how to write talks (rollos) or how to be a leader for the retreats (Weekends).  What I experienced, however, was much different: I found that School of Leaders was really a mini-retreat that reinforced my faith in God.  During the School of Leaders, I was also able to spend some time with Christ in prayer, go to Confession, and pray the Stations of the Cross.  The only thing that I had trouble with was sleeping on the floor because of a medical condition.  I recommend that you give School of Leaders a try.  It was certainly very different than I thought it was going to be.   It was a pleasant, blessed surprise!” Diane Pribyl

+ NEXT SOL ...
    The next quarterly SOL will be held July 15-16, 2005.  The location has not yet been decided, but we wanted to give you adequate notice, so you can put it on your calendar now.

    The Technique Talks will be taken from the book Structure of Ideas, which presents the main ideas of the Cursillo in the notes of Eduardo Bonnin, Bernardo Vadell, and Francisco Forteza.  The Doctrinal Talks will be taken from Pope John Paul II’s Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles Laici: (On The Vocation and the Mission of the Lay Faithful in the Church and in the World; Dec. 30, 1988).  The document may be downloaded at: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/ apost_exhortations/index.htm
    Please consider coming in July ... there is no beginning and there is no end ... you might be as pleasantly surprised as Diane was!
 

+ (Comments submitted 3/20/05, by Chuck Micek, regular participant at SOL):
    Who is a Leader?  A leader is described in the dictionary as “one who goes first!”

    I made my Cursillo Weekend in September 2002. Shortly after that, I received in the mail a packet of information about a Cursillo Regional Encounter that was to be held in David City, Nebraska, in October 2002.  I filled out the registration form and sent it in, along with my fee.  A seasoned cursillista later told me that I did not have any business at that conference because I was not a Leader in the Cursillo Movement.  I attended anyway, and found it to be very informative in terms of learning about the Cursillo Movement.

    As part of the Encounter, lay persons and a priest gave talks/rollos that related to various aspects of the Cursillo Movement, and I found them to be very informative – I was beginning to understand some of the history behind the Cursillo Movement.  After each talk/rollo, we discussed what we heard in small groups made up of cursillistas from across the 8-state region, then reported back to the entire group what we shared.  Then, following a short business meeting where the various dioceses reported on the happenings within their borders, an Ultreya was held.  The Ultreya began with small group sharing (Ultreya-style), and I had the opportunity to group with persons from across the region, both Spanish-speaking and English-speaking, that I had never met before, but with whom I had the common experience of having lived a Three Day Weekend.  The group sharing was followed by two witnesses – one given in English (that was translated into Spanish) and the other given in Spanish (then translated into English).   All in all, the Regional Encounter was a great learning experience and I felt the call of Cursillo even stronger.  Upon leaving the Encounter, I thought, “So, where do I go from here?”

    I soon found myself in School of Leaders …  What is the School of Leaders?  If I attend the School of Leaders, does that mean I’ll have to give talks (rollos) on Cursillo Weekends?  Absolutely not!  The School of Leaders is about discovering the fundamental ideas of the Cursillo Movement -- how and why Cursillo works the way it does.  It will deepen your faith, and allow you to form personal friendships with people that feel and share the same love of Christ that you do.  It will also give you direction for inviting other Catholic Christian people to share in that love of your Catholic faith and love of Christ.

    I am very grateful that God gave His only Son for my salvation.  And I know that I do not pay adequate respect to that Great Gift by simply attending Mass on the weekend for one hour and calling it good for another week.  Christ wants more from us, and we need to gather strength to bring other people to Him.  We need to spend more time in prayer to Him.  We are given so much and, yet, we give so little in return.  Isn’t it time for that to change?  Come to the School of Leaders, and see where our Lord leads you!

De Colores! . . . . . . . . . . Chuck Micek

+ Precursillo:

    (Submitted 3/26/05, by Chuck Micek, Precursillo Chair)
   My message in the last newsletter was about building Christianity.  In order to build, we must first study our faith.  Having done that, how do we build Christianity (i.e., evangelize) and live what is fundamental to the Catholic Christian life?  We first learn about our faith, then we need to live that faith … be an example!  We evangelize in the Precursillo by studying Scripture, by studying Church history, by studying the Church’s doctrines and teachings, AND in addition, by having a firm belief in (and living) the Eucharist – the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.  However, we cannot use the need to study as an excuse for not evangelizing until we are experts in our Catholic faith … we need to be making that friend and being that friend, whether or not we are experts … we must evangelize NOW … He promises to make up for that which we lack!

    If you are about to speak to an individual about God or about Cursillo (that would be doing the work of Precursillo), or if you just want to obtain a stronger Catholic faith, you must be in constant conversation with God … prayer with God. Talk to Him … answers will come to you.  Jump and the Lord will catch you!  Evangelize!

    Interestingly, we as Catholics want to convert the world to Catholicism.  However, non-Catholic evangelization should not be our primary focus.  It’s not that we do not want to evangelize non-Catholics, but rather, there is a dire need to convert Catholics … “weekend Catholics” … we need to help them become strong fundamental Catholics.  Since Cursillo is for Catholics only, and since it is all about deepening our relationship with our Lord (actually, it’s about coming to a better understanding of our Catholic faith, too) and showing us how we might become witnesses of all that He does in our lives, being active in the work of Precursillo … preparing candidates to live the Three Days … is a wonderful way to evangelize.  Maybe some of the weekend Catholics might realize there are a few other days in the week, and live the Fourth Day in a truly transformed way.

    So, how might we learn more about our Catholic faith and its teachings?  The Southern Nebraska Register, with its many wonderful articles and its announcements about faith-building events throughout the Diocese, is an excellent resource in that regard.  Books by Catholic authors (e.g., Scott Hahn’s book on the Sacraments … “Swear to God”) are also very good resources for learning more about our Catholic faith.  And, of course, the Bible … the best of the best!!  Try reading and studying a particular passage from Scripture … think about what God is telling you in that passage … pray about it … then put it into action in your life.

    As an example, in I Corinthians (Chapter 2), St. Paul tells the people of Corinth, “When I came to you, brothers, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom.  For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.  I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of Spirit and power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.”  After reading/reflecting on/praying about this passage, I feel strongly that we can do the same as St. Paul … Saul (only later, Paul), upon his arrival in Damascus, remained blind for three days (Three Days of being in a cloistered environment … hmmmm …).  Only at the end of the Three Days was he ready to begin his mission of bringing the Lord’s message to the Gentiles.  After his initial encounter with Christ on the way to Damascus, and the Three Days he spent in seclusion, St. Paul took time to learn all about the faith he was being called to preach.  We, too, should take time to study our Catholic faith and its teachings … we should take time for conversation with God … and we should then be evangelizers … just like Paul!!  Onward!!  Let’s go forth and tell about the Good News!!  And let’s do it now … in the Precursillo … let’s fill those October Weekends!!!!

De Colores . . . . . . . . . . . . Chuck Micek

+ Fall Cursillo Weekends ...

+ Men’s - October 6-9, 2005 (new date ... moved one week ahead ... formerly Oct. 13-16)
+ Women’s - October 20-23, 2005

    The Fall Weekends will be at St. John the Baptist Parish, Minden, NE.

+ Postcursillo:

+ 40th Anniversary Celebration ...
    In 2005, the Cursillo Movement in the Lincoln Diocese will be celebrating its 40th anniversary, with over 1,000 persons having lived a Cursillo Weekend.  Plans are being made for a Diocesan-wide celebration during Summer 2005 to mark the anniversary.  See details on prior page ... more info to come as the details become known ...

+ Secretariat Visits to Ultreya Centers ...
   The Secretariat is in the process of visiting each Ultreya Center to encourage cursillistas throughout the Diocese to live the Fourth Day.  The visits have been good and it is nice to renew old friendships and make new ones.  Take time to participate in these special Ultreyas when they come to your area!

+ Christ’s Gift of Cursillo to Me

    (Submitted 3/21/05, by Mark Pribyl, Three Day Chair, after visit to the Plattsmouth Ultreya Center.)
   Not long ago, I had an opportunity to share with some of my Cursillo brothers and sisters the reason I stay very active in the Cursillo Movement.  I would like to take this opportunity to share these thoughts with the rest of my Cursillo Family.  Being part of a faith-filled (Cursillo) family that is in love with the Lord and continually striving for holiness is a huge blessing from our God for my faith journey.  I know that every week at my Group Reunion I am given the opportunity to share everything about my spiritual life.  Those in my Group are supportive and encouraging.  We set goals and share our successes and failures.  These are true friends that I would not have known if not for Cursillo.

    And then, through the monthly Ultreya, I am given the opportunity to see some of those cursillistas that I don't get to see as often -- my extended Family, so to speak.  The opportunity I spoke about at the beginning of this article was a gathering in Plattsmouth to discuss Ultreya (Plattsmouth is not my Ultreya Center … the Secretariat was visiting to encourage cursillistas to live the Fourth Day method of perseverance ... Group Reunion and Ultreya).  I saw many of the guys who were candidates on my Weekend and I felt absolutely renewed and re-energized as I grouped with them, and I wondered why people don’t come to Ultreya to experience that same reunion with those who lived their Weekends with them.  We grow so close on the Weekend and want to never lose what we found … yet we are very quick to let it go in choosing not to take advantage of the 1-1/2 hours of pure grace that Ultreya offers.  The more of life’s experiences that we share with one another, the more I learn and grow in my own faith. You never know what you are going to get out of someone else’s sharing at Ultreya, or what you are going to give to someone else through your sharing.  What I do know, is that Cursillo – both Group Reunion AND Ultreya -- has given me a sure-fire way to strive for holiness.

    So, if you ask me, “Why Cursillo?”  I’d tell you: Before Cursillo, I asked God to show me more. God said, "Cursillo is what you need".  At first, I resisted.  God persisted, "Resistance is futile; you did not choose Me, I chose you.”  And He was right (imagine that!!) …  Cursillo WAS what I needed and it still IS, and I am ever so glad I lived my Cursillo Weekend – and that now I have a way (Group Reunion and Ultreya) to grow in holiness with my Cursillo Family that will help build up the kingdom of God as I myself am being built up.

    Do you remember when you received your Cursillo Crucifix?  I do!  I think it went something like this:  Father said, "Christ is counting on you," and I replied, "and I am counting on Him!"  And I am …

De Colores! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mark Pribyl

From the Lay Director ...

    At the April SOL, the two lay rollos were on the topic of the Postcursillo (taken from the book, Structure of Ideas) … and I was reminded of the power and grace of the tools we are given during the Three Days to live the Fourth Day in the Postcursillo.  I was also reminded of the responsibility the rollo team has to adequately and accurately convey these tools to the candidates so that they, too, might have the opportunity to grow daily in holiness (piety), formation (study), and evangelization (action) by living the Cursillo Method.

    In the first of these SOL rollos, the comment was made that “it is important indeed to have souls encounter God, but it is even more important to motivate them to follow Him.”  The comment made me think of the connection between the Three Days and the Postcursillo.  Often candidates (and the team, too) encounter our Lord in an entirely new and deeper way during a Three Day Weekend, and that encounter is very beautiful and meaningful to us … at the time.  Then we re-enter the world … we begin to live our Fourth Day … and the intensity of the Three Day encounter (lived in a cloistered environment) fades and the demands of everyday life kick in, and soon, the Weekend is just a pleasant memory.  Occasionally, in a moment of stillness … momentary escape from the world … we might recall and, in a way, relive that encounter.  It makes us long to experience it again, which explains to some degree the desire that some cursillistas have to be on the Palanca team or the rollo team for a subsequent Weekend …

    But the real significance of the Weekend, and the encounter that occurs during that period of being cloistered, is that the team is trying to motivate the candidates to FOLLOW Him Whom they have found (and not just be content with the encounter they experienced).  And Cursillo offers a method to do just that … a way to FOLLOW Him …  And that is the Cursillo Method of Group Reunion and Ultreya … meeting weekly in a small friendship group, then meeting monthly with cursillistas in the larger Cursillo community at the Ultreya (the Ultreya is nothing more than a reunion of Group Reunions, and we are given the opportunity to share with cursillistas that we don’t normally see on a regular basis … and in this too, there is that rekindling of the Weekend when we see others who have experienced one or more Weekends with us).  And Group Reunion and Ultreya motivate us to follow Jesus (not just encounter Him) as we share on a regular basis how we are trying to grow in the areas of holiness (our attempts to set ourselves apart from the world to provide opportunities for us to encounter Christ) … formation (putting on the mind of Christ) … and evangelization (taking Christ out into the world … into those places where our Lord placed us to do His work).  Just as the apostles followed Him when called, we, too, need to follow Him and take Him with us (from our Group Reunion and Ultreya) into the world …

    In terms of living the Cursillo Method, we received Service Sheets toward the end of the Three Days on which we indicated that we would make specific attempts to grow in holiness, formation, and evangelization.  The comment at the top of the sheets says that, “Christ needs you.  He wants you holy so that you can help Him in the sanctification of all with your own … holiness, formation, and evangelization …”  Do you recall what you committed to?  Do you ever take out your Service Sheet and consider how far (or not) you have come, and how you might continue to advance?  That Sheet wasn’t meant to be used once … during the Weekend to set an initial plan, then packed away with your Cursillo folder.  It was meant to be used on an on-going basis.  The Structure of Ideas refers to the Service Sheet as a bridge that extends between our inescapable limitations as humans and our lofty ideal that keeps us focused on the Infinite.  This wasn’t a bridge that we dared to cross once … at the end of the Three Days when we felt so full of the Holy Spirit … so empowered.  It is a bridge that we should daily cross … we need to commit and re-commit and re-commit to the varied ways that God is calling us to grow.  We cannot stay in one place in our faith lives … if we’re not growing … moving forward … we are, in fact, losing ground.  Don’t be lukewarm … consider pulling out your Service Sheet and picking just one specific way that you can grow this week.  Then next week, review your progress …  Maybe you are being called to pick another area to work on, or maybe you need to spend more time working on the area of commitment you picked for this week.  The key is to know where we are going … to cross the bridge over and over and over again … heading for the ideal … and it would be great to bring your friend(s) with you!!  According to Structure of Ideas, “Only a true ‘Service Sheet’ suited to the abilities and needs of each person is capable of showing him his individual place in the Church, and of being the first step toward his permanent activity in the vanguard of the Lord.”  The Service Sheet should be adjusted to life!!

    Structure of Ideas also talks about the Service Sheet being a practical means for making us feel that we can make our life a continuous pilgrimage toward the Father, “pushing and dragging all our brothers along with us” …   I like that …  It’s uncomfortable to be the one who always seems to do the “pushing and dragging” … it’s much easier to let others “do their own thing” … you know, “live and let live” … but that’s not what God calls us to.  He calls us to challenge one another to grow in holiness, formation, evangelization each and every day … and that challenge is often uncomfortable.  But don’t let go of your brother as you’re pushing and dragging him along with you … you may be his only link to God ...  The person giving the rollo referred to this relationship in a very beautiful way: “We should make contact with those who will make us better … and we should also make contact with those who we can help to become better” … we need to push and drag one another (and hopefully, we’ll eventually surrender to Him entirely!!).

    I’d like to conclude by talking briefly about the back side of the Service Sheet.  On it, there is a picture of a thermometer, which has gradations that range from 0 to 100 … and across the thermometer is the question, “Where are you now?”  The responses begin with a very cold response of 0 (“I don’t want to”) and increase in increments of 10 … “I can’t” … “I don’t know how” … “How can I do it?” … “If I only could” … “Perhaps I could” (we’re up to 50 now) … “I could if” … “I believe I can” … “I can” (this is 80 … there’s still more?) … “I will” … until the mercury finally hits 100, “I do.”  The Sheet includes an admonition as well: “Every surmountable excuse in the fulfillment of your commitments of honor shows that the thermometer of your will does not reach 100.”  We should use the Service Sheet as an on-going tool … and we should challenge one another in our Group Reunions and Ultreyas to WANT to keep growing … to reach 100 … and not to count the cost …  We need to strive for that “I do!!!”  And THAT’S how we’ll do more than just encounter Christ … that’s how we’ll FOLLOW Christ in the Fourth Day.

De Colores!! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kathy Springer
 
 

From the Spiritual Advisor ...

    At the Region VI Spring Encounter, held April 8-10, 2005, in Omaha, NE, one of the presentations was from the First Conversations at Cala Figuera.  These talks were first given in Mallorca, Spain, at the Fiftieth Anniversary of the First Cursillo on August 19-21, 1994.  There is much to reflect on.

    In the talk on Normality, the speaker observed: “We would like to be on the Cursillo weekend forever, to see each other again.  Cursillo has prepared everything.  If you want to see your leaders again, if you want to see the Priests that heard you unburden your conscience, to see your companions at your ‘decurias’ (table) again, there is a way.  We believe the best way to accomplish this is, that those who need and desire to see each other again reunite once a week, and this is called Ultreya, ‘Onward’.”

    These words speak of emotions and thoughts that some have experienced over the years.  There is a tendency for us to want to live in the past ... to go back to our experience of being on the Three Day Weekend.  Many times, cursillistas focus too much time on wanting to “re-live” their Weekend or to get a “shot in the arm” by being on the team for a Three Day Weekend.

    However, the focus should not be on the past, or on the future, or on ourselves (either our strengths or our weaknesses), but the focus should be on the Lord and on His will for us in the present.  We are to live our lives in the present ... which is the only way we can live our lives.

    The founder of the Cursillo Movement, Eduardo Bonnin, gave us the Group Reunion and the Ultreya to help us to live our lives in the present moment.  Those persons who were very instrumental in our lives when we lived our Three Day Weekend, we can continue to meet with, to encourage and be encouraged by ... in our monthly Ultreya gatherings and our quarterly SOL gatherings ... those are great opportunities for our continued growth in the present.

    I am reminded of the event on Mount Tabor, when our Lord took Peter, James, and John up the mountain and He was transfigured before them.  Peter wanted to build three booths or tents to stay there ... but Jesus reminded them that they must go back down the mountain ... there was work to do in the valley!  The Apostles were given the transfiguration experience in order to be encouraged during the days that they were called to take up and carry the cross during valley duty.

    So, in our lives, sometimes we might want to stay on the Three Day Weekend, or to go back to the Three Day Weekend and re-live it ... but there is work to do in the Precursillo and in the Postcursillo.  In order to do the work, we need to meet regularly with others who have had a mountain-top experience and are trying to live their lives in the valley doing the work that the Lord has called them to do where He has put them.  The Normality rollo refers to the ordinariness of our lives ... and it is in living our ordinary lives in an extraordinary way ... in the Precursillo and the Postcursillo ... that we will grow in piety, study, and action ... in the present moment.  Take one of your friends with you to an Ultreya or to a SOL and encourage each other to live your Fourth Day in the present moment ... each day.

De Colores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Father Mark Seiker
 
 

From the April 2005 National Newsletter (available on the National Cursillo Web page) ...

January 28, 2005

Dear People of God,

Over the years God has raised up new spiritual movements in the Church to evangelize and deepen the life of his people. One of these is the Cursillo Movement.

I made the Cursillo weekend when I was a young priest in November of 1969 in Prairie Ronde, LA, under the direction of Fr.
Fidelis. I went with a group of men from our parish, St. Joseph, Rayne, LA.

Having already had a number of profound spiritual experiences, the weekend was a continuation of the realization of God’s love for me and his plan in my life. For the men from the parish it was a life-changing, grace-filled weekend. It was a joy to watch their transformation and new experience of God’s love for them.

We are blessed to have Cursillo Movement here in our diocese. I am grateful to the dedicated teams of men and women who work the Cursillo weekends and the follow-up gatherings.

As the Bishop of this great diocese, I encourage all to consider the possibility of making a Cursillo weekend and to grow in awareness of God’s plan for each of you as well as his tremendous love.

With personal good wishes, I remain,

Sincerely yours in the Lord,
+ Sam G. Jacobs

Most Reverend Sam G. Jacobs
Bishop of Houma-Thibodaux

(Printed with permission from Bishop Sam G. Jacobs)
 
 

(Insert #1)

(Insert #2)

Name: ___________________________________________       Number attending   * _____________  (a)

Street Address: ____________________________________      Price per meal          $_____________  (b)

City/State/Zip: _____________________________________      Total for meals         $_____________  (c)=(a) x (b)

Phone: ___________________________________________       Add'l Donations   **$_____________  (d)

Email Address: ____________________________________       Total Enclosed         $_____________  (c) + (d)

*    Total number including family and friends.
**  To help with the work of Cursillo in our Diocese.