Remember to bookmark our Cursillo Web site at this new URL:

http://geocities.datacellar.net/Heartland/Village/9112/

You can find information about the Cursillo National Secretariat and Cursillos in other dioceses at:

http://www.natl-cursillo.org/

Imagine you have just accepted a job as co-captain of an ocean liner. You are expected to be in charge 24 hours a day. The voyage is scheduled to last 21 years but it could go longer. For this privilege, you will have to pay well over $200,000. There will be no training except a pamphlet you pick up somewhere entitled "Helpful Hints for Ocean Liner Captains." To make matters worse, your only seafaring experience was a weeklong cruise and you were seasick the whole time. Your co-captain for the trip is no better off. The extent of this experience consists of a sailboat ride around an island and back when they were councilors in summer camp. Over the next few years there is a chance you both will acquire a few more ships and be in charge of a small fleet before the voyage is over.

What I'm describing is what most of us face when we decide to become parents. As ill prepared as we may be, parents are some of the greatest of God's workers. What saves us is the fact that marriage is a vocation, graced by God's love and sense of humor. Left on our own most of us would fail miserably. Through Divine intervention, God invites us to participate in His act of creation. By our cooperation and free will, we transmit God's gift of life through our sexuality. We become a willing means to God's divine end.

As parents we become our children's first and primary teachers. We guide and help them through all the twists and turns of growing. We root them in morals and through values give them wings to fly. The way we live our lives becomes our children's classroom. Our faith as parents provides meaning and direction for our children. Through the way we conduct our lives, our children come to understand that life is only as good as the principles we live by.

In the parenting partnership, God provides fathers with opportunities to play a special role. We come in all shapes and sizes. No two of us are alike; yet we each play an integral part in God's plan. As fathers we have the opportunity to love through the role of servant and protector. We are asked to guard our children from a world filled with adversity. We are challenged to shield our children from the forces that fly against God and family. We are the givers of faith because before God we are responsible for our children's soul. Each of us defines for our child the meaning of father. Our values and our actions, our relationship with our child tells him or her in a hundred ways what it means when they call on God as Father.

A person's whole relationship with God as Creator father is rooted in his relationship with his earthly father. Martin Luther shuttered each time he recited the Lord's Prayer because it called to mind the terrible relationship he had with his own father. If our children are ever to find love and forgiveness in God, they must first experience it in us.

The foundation of all that we can be in our role as father, is love. In God's great scheme, we are called to be lovers. The greatest gift we can give our children is our love for their mother. This love forms the bases of all that goes into our children's care. The love between a husband and wife creates the shelter under which our children dwell. To be a real husband and father, a man must hold tightly to his wife. Together they must create a relationship that will stand against all that the world will send to defeat what they and God have made.

The quintessential meaning of fatherhood was a small hidden man named Joseph from a remote village in the hills of Galilee. He possessed the heart of a true father. His love of Mary made it possible for a new world to come into being. His love for this woman and his faith in God enabled him to be foster father to a fatherless child. For this child he became the living representative of the Creator Father. Joseph's ability to love helped him to remain open to inspiration and made it possible for God to become man. His vigilance, his justice, his love, made it possible for the babe to grow into a man. The poverty, the smallness, the hidden was overcome by the love this man had for his wife and his God.

Jesus reached out and called each of His disciples individually. Each one was different and limited. Each was found wanting to the task at hand. Alone they were weak and small, ill prepared for the task ahead. Through His love, Christ lifted them up. He empowered them and sent them forth into the harvest. He promised to be with them always.

In each generation, the master calls His laborer to the harvest. By faith in Him, we come forward in all our weakness to build the Kingdom of God. Christ's love and gift of faith confounds the world and strengthens us for the task He gives us. Through Him we achieve more than we could ever dare to imagine. It is because of this that we dare to accept the role of parent, setting sail into uncharted waters, ill prepared for what lies ahead. It is because of God's love and grace that we dare the impossible and become willing participants in the greatest vocation two people can share...parenthood.

Deacon Joe Sullivan - husband - father - disciple

Dear sisters and brothers,

The men of the 48^th Cursillo thank you for your prayers and sacrifices. If you attended the Closing Ceremony April 25 or have spent time with any of the 20 new Cursillistas, you already know about the power of palanca - of community prayer. You know of the Light of Christ shining in each man.

Again and again, from the moment Mike Prutting and I began serving as coordinators, until as recently as the June 1^st Ultreya, the Holy Spirit was clearly at work in the men of the Weekend. Your prayers were answered in the heart of each of us.

The Spirit worked, as usual, in unexpected and mysterious ways. Those who would be leaders were made humble servants. Those who came meekly to serve were made leaders. Those in pain found joy. And the eyes and heart of every man were opened to the light shining in his brothers and in himself. It is "the true light, which enlightens everyone" (John 1:9).

How many stories of Grace can be told about our Team formation and Weekend experience - ten, a hundred, more? Too many to include in this note of gratitude to our Cursillo Community. Just know that, in prayerful solidarity with the Community, in small ways and large, every man on the Weekend suffered, somehow died and, through Grace, was raised up renewed.

Shortly after the 48^th Weekend, we lost our brother, servant and friend, Alvah Jessup -- "Mr. Cursillo" and a "grand" father to many of us. In mourning our loss in his passing, the men of the 48^th Weekend can't help but also rejoice in God's gift of Alvah to us. Alvah gave the Grouping and Ultreya talk on this, his 21^st Cursillo. He patiently led and listened during table discussions. In his own way - a way his friends know and love - he spoke and acted so authentically Christ-like. His witness of piety, formation and evangelization was so genuine that his Christian living appeared to be effortless.

Of course, it wasn't effortless - for Alvah or anyone else. That's what makes his gifts to us so precious. We miss Alvah terribly. But the pain of losing our friend and leader is diminished by the much greater sense of gratitude we feel toward Our Lord for having blessed us so graciously with the gift of Alvah in the first place.

Thank God for Alvah Jessup, for our Cursillo Community and for all the undeserved gifts our Father gives us. God bless you and your families.

With love,
Michael Starks
Coordinator

 GRATEFULNESS - THE HEART OF PRAYER

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

It is with gratefulness leading to prayers of Thanksgiving, Blessings, Praise, and Joy that I write today. It was an honor to be entrusted with the gift of serving as coordinator of the Women's 48 the Cursillo weekend.

Thanks to the abundance of prayers, sacrifices and continual support of the community, beginning many months ago, the weekend was truly blessed! We served and were served, we laughed, we cried, we sang, we danced, and above all, our God was glorified through every moment. God is so good - when we remain in His presence - BE - He showers us with His Blessings.

May Cursillo continue to live the prayer of Jesus from John 17:26 "I have made your name known to them and will continue to make it known, so that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and so that I may be in them."

Christ's Peace Be With You,
Mary Jo Kumke
Coordinator

• Toothpick - to remind you to pick out the good qualities in others...Matt 7:1
• Rubber band - to remind you to be flexible, things might not always go the way you want, but it will work out Romans 8:28
• Band Aid - to remind you to heal hurt feelings, yours or someone else's...Col.3:12-14
• Pencil - To remind you to list your blessings everyday Eph. 1:3
• Eraser - to remind you that everyone makes mistakes, and it's okay... Gen. 50:15-21
• Chewing gum - to remind you to stick with it and you can accomplish anything ...Phil 4:13
• Mint - to remind you that you are worth a mint to your heavenly father ...John 3:16-17
• Candy Kisses - to remind you that everyone needs a kiss or a hug everyday ...1 John 4:7
• Herb Tea Bag - to remind you to relax daily and go over that list of God's blessings...1 Thes. 5:18

Our spring weekends again provided a beautiful reminder of the power of Palanca. A huge thank you to all who offered any form of Palanca for the success of our weekends!

Since we are, above all, a praying community, Palanca certainly is essential to the weekends, but it's also essential to pre-Cursillo and the Fourth Day. I know we have had Palanca explained to us on our weekends, but here's a quick refresher:

So, first of all, how does Palanca fit into Pre-Cursillo? In two ways: First, in our prayers for proper discernment about potential candidates ("Speak to God about man before speaking to man about God.") And second, in our prayers and sacrifices for teams during their formation and for the candidates that the Holy Spirit will entrust to us. Once a round of weekends has been completed, the Holy Spirit calls upon us to renew this process. So if you haven't started to offer Pre-Cursillo Palanca for the fall, why not start today?

Second, what's the role of Palanca on the weekend? Very simply, the spiritual success of the weekend depends upon the Palanca that the Community offers prior to and during the weekend. We do this through our prayers, various sacrifices (meals, MUMS, Footprints, etc.) and Palanca which letters which so often reveal to the candidates that people who don't even know them have offered and are offering Palanca on their behalf.

Our Palanca, of course, does not end with the weekend; it extends into our Fourth Day as an interwoven way of life in which we discern daily God's plans for our lives.

Perseverance in our Fourth Day is renewed and enkindled continually by the Palanca we offer for each other and our Community.

We are aided additionally in our Fourth Day by our prayer line, where we offer prayers for ourselves and our loved ones and for many outside of our Community who ask for our prayers. What a powerful evangelization tool we have in our prayer line! And a huge thank you to all who serve on the prayer line so faithfully!

In closing, as we offer our prayer, sacrifices and works of mercy -- our PALANCA -- during Pre-Cursillo, the Weekends and Fourth Day, may we pray unceasingly, persevere in our prayers and always give thanks! And may we bring the Holy Spirit's joy and hope, reigning in our hearts, to all we encounter!

Ed McAuley

JMJ

There's something very special about the women I group with. Even though we are decades apart (Peg is double my age), we share a common bond: our Christian faith. These two ladies have become my closest and most intimate friends.

I started grouping at St. James library about 2 years ago. Peg Toothhill, Ginny Casaria and myself meet faithfully on Thursdays at 9 am. That is of course when Peg's not globetrotting! I remember the first comment Peg ever made. She said, "Enjoy your religion"'. It made me realize people don't want to see my Catholic religion as a cross to bear, they need to see the joy it brings me. When Peg says, "I have nothing to really say", I know she's ready to say something profound. She has taught me that if you humble yourself before you do something, you allow God to enter into whatever you're doing.

From Peg I have learned the art of SIMPLICITY. She teaches me how to find God in the everyday and the ordinary.

From Gin I have learned how to give of myself. She has showed me how very important it is to LOVE and care for people.

When I started grouping with these ladies, I was a fairly selfish and ungrateful person. Their way of dealing with me was to SIMPLY shower me with their LOVE.

This has affected every aspect of my spirituality. I have added to my daily Rosary: morning prayer, meditative music, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, daily Christian reading, volunteer work at a convent visiting the sick and dying nuns, wearing an enormous cross of Christ (given to me by the sisters), and not being afraid to evangelize, but putting Christ and His love into everything I do.

Grouping with these ladies is very important to me. It provides me with the opportunity to stop and take account of my weekly piety, study and action. I feel Gods great love for me through the gift of these beautiful women and this awesome Cursillo Community.

De Colores!

Your little sister-in-Christ,
Eileen Masaryk

It has been a busy spring - and a season of change. As most of your know, the Queen of Saints retreat center in Bridgeport will, for a period of time, be unavailable to us for our Cursillo weekends. Until this center is again available to us, we will be holding our weekends at the Seton-Neumann Religious Education Center in Danbury.

I would like to thank Bishop Edward Egan and Richie Plavnicky for their care and concern in accommodating our needs.

For most of us, our Cursillo weekend is the foundation of our Cursillo experience -- and I know that the weekends held in Danbury will be supported by the community and will be life-changing events for our candidates.

The other changes experienced this late spring are the loss of two beloved Brothers in Christ, Alvah Jessup and Jim Lucier -- men to whom the English Cursillo of the Diocese of Bridgeport owes a great deal of gratitude. Their work on behalf of our movement helped to ensure that our foundation is rock solid. Please note that we will celebrate their lives on Sunday, July 11, 1999 at 2:00 p.m. at Blessed Sacrament, Bridgeport with Mass and a pot luck supper.

I wish you all a healthy and holy summer. May you find some time to thank God for all those, people who built the foundation on which we now stand.

De Colores!
Betty Hendricks
Lay Director

The Miracle of the Rainbow 

What a sad day May 19th was, not only for the Jessup family but for our entire community. At the same time, what a joyous day it must have been up in heaven as one of God's true living disciples came home to Him.

One of the best descriptions I heard about Alvah came from Dea Knapp. She called him a cross between God and Santa Claus. What an accurate and beautiful portrayal of a man who touched more lives than we will ever know. Alvah not only lived out every single one of the Cursillo talks, Alvah lived out the life of Jesus purely and simply by looking at every single person he encountered through the eyes of Christ and loving them.

Alvah was a very special person in my life, not just because I worked with him on this newsletter, not just because he was my friend, not just because I learned a lot from him, but mostly because he healed my image of God the Father. You see, Alvah was a spiritual and earthly father to me in ways that he didn't even know. He knew how much I needed a loving father in my life. He was the father I never had here on earth. Ginny told me at the wake that Alvah mentioned to her one day that "he felt that he had to keep me under his wing." But he also taught me how to spread my wings and fly. He made me feel good about myself, he challenged me to live a more Christian life, but mostly, he made me feel loved in a way that healed a lot of hurt.

His funeral Mass was one that most of us will never forget. It was a beautiful, sunny day and Cursillistas from all over came to say good-bye. There were eight priests on the altar along with four deacons. One of the deacons, Ian Black, told us that Alvah had wanted to be a deacon at one point in his life but he was turned down. So, Ian walked off the pulpit, took his deacon's stole off and "ordained" Alvah by placing his stole on the casket. The music, the homily by Father DeMarco and the eulogies were a true celebration of a life that was lived for the Lord. The Mass was a beautiful tribute to our beloved friend. There wasn't a dry eye in the Church as we were all leaving to say our final farewell at the cemetery.

Alvah and the Lord had a surprise in store for us all, a gift if you will. I love rainbows. After a storm when the sun comes out, I go outside and look for a rainbow - my kids think I'm nuts. While I was driving to the cemetery, I noticed a cloud in the sky that had rainbow colors in it. I thought, it was a sign from Alvah telling me to dry my tears because he was happy. When I got to the cemetery I stood there and looked up for it again and it was still there. I turned to Janet Glennan and said, "Look, there's a rainbow. It's a sign from Alvah," thinking how the rainbow is a sign for Cursillo.

It still was like an abstract painting of colors on a cloud. Father Merry started singing "Amazing Grace" and 125 people joined in as they pulled up to the burial place with the sun shining directly above us. Just as we finished the song and the prayers started, these abstract colors in a cloud turned into a glorious rainbow that formed a gigantic halo around the sun (a sun-bow) with its rays as vivid as they could be. It hadn't rained for at least three days! The halo was so large that if it came down around us standing there, it could encompass us all.

It was mentioned in his eulogy that Alvah loved baseball. Across the cemetery in a field, a ball game was underway. At the exact time that the rainbow appeared, you could here a crack of the bat in the distance and everyone in the stands yelling "Home Run!"

Alvah, you were the star player on our team. You hit a home run in each of our hearts. And that rainbow was God's way of telling us His son, His Most Valuable Player, is home with Him. What a sign from the Lord! What love from Alvah! How blessed we all were to know him. 'Tis grace that brought him safe this far, and grace did lead him home. I love you Alvah.

Clarissa Cincotta

I have known Alvah a shorter time than most everyone reading these words, but he and Ginny have had no less impact. I have been privileged to also work with both in our parish's RCIA formation, as well as grouping with Alvah, Mike Bonomo, Bill Baker, Dan Helfrich and Tom Mason Tuesdays for the last year.

Alvah frequently joked his retirement was so busy with all the ministries to which he was called, he hadn't found time to get involved with the town senior citizens program. He was always the first to our grouping (waiting). His prison ministry, Ultreya and Leaders school were also priorities.

Neither Alvah nor Ginny provocatively display their love for Jesus; but evocatively. "To bear fruit, we must simply live in Jesus and He in us (Jn 15:5). Then the Holy Spirit will produce in us the fruit of holiness (Gal 5: 22 - 23). As a result, holy people lift up Jesus and thereby produce the fruit of evangelization as Jesus draws all people to Himself (JN 12:32). As these holy evangelizers die more deeply to themselves, they produce even more abundant fruit" (JN 12:24). (One Bread, One Body)

So where does this leave us now that Our Lord has called Alvah home?

On the day before Alvah was called home, I was praying to St. Therese at St. Ambrose Church for Alvah. When I repeated this question of her, I was reminded Therese vowed on her deathbed: " Yes, I want to spend my heaven in doing good on earth." I sensed that Therese had already entered Alvah's name into her roster of recruits. That answered my concern for Alvah, and gave me great peace.

But what about our loss as Alvah's Christian brothers and sisters? I was led to Jn 12:14: "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father...unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds...Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me."

Anyone who knows Alvah is certain his life was not one of a single seed. But his leaving us calls hundreds of people he and Ginny have touched to redouble our efforts in bringing others to Jesus!

Father, thank you and praise you for the gift of our brother Alvah. Send forth your Spirit and we shall be renewed and do all we can, with the power of Your Holy Spirit, in bringing as many of your lost sheep closer to You.

God Bless Alvah! God Bless Ginny!

DeColores,
Ed Quigley

We were graced by the loving presence of a quiet man who gave of himself to serve the Lord. Jim Lucier was truly a remarkable being: Self effacing, generous to a fault and, above all, a true Christian.

One of his many gifts was the ability to really listen. He would put his own feelings and needs aside to hear others and to advise only when asked to do so.

I first met Jim in at our parish, St. Leo, in the early 70's. He attended a weekend at the old Watson estate in New Canaan. He was so quiet that others thought the message of Cursillo did not get through. He seemed a bit intimidated by the openness and emotion displayed at his table. Little did we know then how deeply and thoroughly the message had been received. The nightly team meetings during that weekend brought out the fear that he did not understand. How wrong could we be! The end result was a true champion for the Cursillo movement. Quietly efficient, guiding with a firm yet gentle hand, able to read deeply into the needs of the group and a man who really cared for those he came into contact with.

To know Jim was to know a true friend. I had the privilege and honor to be in a weekly grouping with him for 20+ years. He was always present for any that attended. Never controlling or disruptive he was one whose words always carried the message with love and understanding.

As Lay Director of Cursillo, Jim helped create an atmosphere that allowed others to grow. He never sought center stage but encouraged others to strive for greatness. We will miss this quiet man and remember him for what he was .a true gentleman and a loving Christian.

De Colores,
Paul Dumont

Dear Cursillo Family,

 The Living Faith quoted John 17:4 for May 18, the day before Alvah died:

 "Father ... I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do."

We know God still has more and special plans for Alvah and that he is now working more in spirit than when he was here with us in body. We have been overwhelmed, to say the least, by your outpouring of love, concern and sympathy for all of us.

We, as a family, never really appreciated the value of wakes, but gained a new understanding of their purpose when we got to greet all of you Friday at the Mullins funeral home. We know it was Alvah's spirit already working to help us all to start to heal by your hugs, kisses, tears, quiet words, hand squeezing and a special song sung just for him.... And all your love. When we planned Alvah's funeral all of us, his family, decided that it had to be a celebration of him and Jesus hugging each other in person at last.

We thank the Priests and Deacons who helped add to the celebration of the Eucharist by their presence. How proud we were to think so many of you thought enough and loved Alvah enough to take time out from your busy schedules to see him being welcomed. "Good and Faithful Friend", into Gods arms.

The wonderful music you put together, Nick and all the other musicians, helped to make Alvah's funeral celebration another heavenly experience for us, and hopefully all of you. He loved Cursillo music so. It was just the way Alvah would have wanted it.

And what can we say about our grounds keepers, chas, window washers, painters, sweepers, other than our hearts are overflowing with love and gratitude. The gathering back at the McNamara's was made so special because of these very special people.

We are especially thankful to our communicators such as Ed organizing prayer services before Alvah passed for him and us. Thanks you. All the e-mails, rosaries, masses, phone calls, letters, cards and visits to the Blessed Sacrament only proved that our Cursillo is truly a palanca, prayer filled community.

Finally, thank you dear community for the Mass in memory of Alvah. We chose Sunday, July 11^th at Blessed Sacrament Church as the date and place. We're not sure of the time but we look forward to seeing you there to share in the Love of our Lord in Eucharist.

Thanks you dear, dear community, you have no idea how your love has helped us through this most difficult time of our lives.

Love in Christ,
The Jessup Family

 There was a woman who had been diagnosed with cancer and had been given 3 months to live. Her doctor told her to start making preparations to die (something we all should be doing all of the time). So she contacted her pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes.

She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what she wanted to be wearing. The woman also told her pastor that she wanted to be buried with her favorite bible. Everything was in order and the pastor was preparing to leave when the man suddenly remembered something very important to her.

"There's one more thing," she said excitedly.

"What's that?" came the pastor's reply.

"This is very important," the woman continued, "I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand."

The pastor stood looking at the woman not knowing quite what to say.

"That shocks you doesn't it?" the woman asked.

"Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the pastor.

The woman explained, "In all my years of attending church socials and functions where food was involved (and let's be honest, food is an important part of any church event, spiritual or otherwise), my favorite part was when whoever was clearing away the dishes of the main course would lean over and say 'you can keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming. When they told me to keep my fork, I knew that something great was about to be given to me. It wasn't Jell-O or pudding. It was cake or pie. Something with substance.

"So I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you to tell them: 'Something better is coming so keep your fork too.'"

The pastor's eyes were welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the woman goodbye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She KNEW that something better was coming.

At the funeral, people were walking by the woman's casket. They saw the pretty dress she was wearing and her favorite bible and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over the pastor heard the question "What's with the fork?" And over and over he smiled.

During his message, the pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. The pastor told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either. He was right.

So the next time you reach down for your fork, let it remind you, oh so gently, that there is something better coming.