1.1.2013

DeColores!

As you may have already heard, I recently accepted the position of Lay Director for our South Jersey Cursillo movement.  First, I would like to thank all of those Cursillo leaders, who over these 40 years, have given their time, talents and treasures to keeping the South Jersey Cursillo movement alive and on fire and to each and every prayer group continuing to follow the Cursillo method.  Without their love, prayers and commitment to Cursillo, there would be no position to accept.  I would also like to send out a special thank you to Monsignor John Frey, who was the face of Christ to me, over 12 years ago when I first said Yes, to Jesus.  And to Monsignor Richard Callahan and Deacon Ed Guidotti, God rest their souls, who on my Cursillo weekend showed me what true Christian action was all about.  And to Father Mal, who loved the Lord and Cursillo so deeply, and who taught us how to laugh with the Lord but most of all, taught us how to take a firm hold of our Catholic faith.  He inspired many of us – he will be sorely missed but never forgotten.

As your new Lay Director, I would like to take this opportunity to affirm my commitment to serving Our Lord by serving you, my fellow Cursilliatas, brothers and sisters in Christ.  We are one body, in Christ, and together we share a very holy, personal, and life changing experience - a Cursillo weekend.  Even though the Cursillo movement is so much more than just the weekend experience, I would still like to say “thank you Lord” for bringing us, by whatever means, to the experience of a Cursillo weekend.  Amen!

To those who, for whatever reason, cannot or will not ever participate in another Cursillo event or function, please know, you are and will always be in our prayers and palanca.  May you continue to always follow Jesus in whatever you do and please keep us in your prayers as we continue to serve Him in our Cursillo movement. 

Our Cursillo movement - you see, this literally is our Cursillo movement and it flourishes or withers primarily on our level of commitment and effort to support it.  We can make our Cursillo movement more beautiful or simply allow it to be ordinary and plain.  It can become a comforting home, and a beacon of light to those of us following the Lord.  It can be a source of encouragement and strength. It can be a loving family.  But to make that happen, it requires one thing…YOU.

To those of us who can or feel the Holy Spirit moving them, now is the time we need your help.  Each of us can let our light of Christ shine forth in this dark world, which is a very good thing, but when we bring our lights together we can start a blaze that can be seen for miles and miles – touching hundreds, if not, thousands of others who need to see, and be part of, just that, Christians, loving one another.  For where there is real love you will find true Christians.

Again, this is “our Cursillo movement”.  It is not mine, not yours, not National’s, not Secretariat’s, but ours – all of us, each and every one of us.  Collectively, God has given us this wonderful gift to nourish, to cultivate, to support, and to encourage with our love.

So, how can you support or give back to our Cursillo movement?  You could say a prayer or do palanca, come to an Ultreya, give a witness, provide music with your musical talents, sponsor a candidate, manage the website, manage our email system, come to a closing, give financial support, keep grouping or find a group, or come to School of Leaders.  Maybe you have your own idea of how you would like to help – let me know. 

Will I make mistakes, you bet!  Will you work together with me to correct them and move our Cursillo movement in a positive and forward direction, I hope so.  Will I do everything in my God-given ability to make our Cursillo movement a blessing to our community and Diocese – guaranteed!

The answer to nurturing our Cursillo movement isn’t just; more weekends, more singing, bigger Ultreyas, more prayer groups, more financial support, more rules, less rules, or more phone calls – it IS  all about MORE LOVE!  For the next three years, as your Lay Director, I hope and pray that can I can serve you with love.

Your Brother in Christ,

Joe Orndorf