The Deacon’s Beacon
January 2012
I’m sitting here on New Year’s Eve thinking about the past year and the year ahead. Tomorrow as we celebrate the new year, we fittingly do so with the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. In 1969 this feast was transferred from October 11th to January 1st replacing the feast of the Circumcision. What a great role model for all of us in Cursillo. For her great journey, Mary had no road map with all of the details of her life any more than we have. Luke’s gospel contains only what Mary received from God before she said “yes”. No one warned her about:
- The long trip while pregnant to Bethlehem and no room in the inn.
- Simeon’s prophecy that a sword would pierce her heart.
- The confusion of losing Jesus for three days when he was only 12.
- Joseph’s death and her own difficulty as a single mother and widow.
- The struggles Jesus would face in his public ministry.
- The nightmare of his arrest and execution.
Yet Mary knew that God was in charge of her journey. The same is true for us in Cursillo as we face this new year. No matter what difficulty lies ahead, we know that God is in charge of the journey because we have his Son. Unlike our relatives that come at Christmas and then leave, Jesus came to us at Christmas and stayed here for the duration. That is why we call him Emmanuel, “God is with us”. Jesus came and has stayed with us, not simply for all of us, but for each of us individually. He came not to magically make everything a fairy tale, but to be with me and you when I’m facing my weaknesses, my failures, my problems, and my fears. That is why we have the strength to continue on the journey and why 2012 will be a great year. Happy New Year!!
De Colores!
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
Advent 2011
As many of you know, I had the opportunity to travel to Israel and the Holy Land in November. I have never been there before, so this was the trip of a lifetime for Sheila and myself. It was such a joy to walk in the footsteps of Jesus and to see the places I have only read about in the Scriptures. Now when I say my morning and evening prayers or pray the rosary, the words come alive and I instantly visualize the places we visited. To stand on the Mount of Olives and see the Holy City of Jerusalem was inspiring. To carry a cross on the Via Dolorosa in the early morning hours was incredible. Especially wonderful was praying for ALL of you and for our Cursillo Movement in this holy place. We had mass in many wonderful places and at the end of mass we sang our song, De Colores. We also sang it in the boat on the Sea of Galilee and in Tiberius in Galilee. When we sang it on the shore of the Sea of Galilee many stopped and were trying to figure out what these Anglos from America were singing. As we enter into this season of Advent then, let us give thanks for the gift of Cursillo in our lives. Let us also continue to pray for one another as we welcome the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. As I viewed the place of His birth I was filled with awe and wonder. Let us always be filled with awe and wonder of His love for us.
De Colores!
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
September 2011
Following the readings and the homily, we stand together and say or sing the Creed, our profession of faith. The Creed is a solemn statement of what we believe as Catholic Christians. It states the core of what we believe about God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Creed we use most often at mass is the Nicene Creed that originated out of the Councils of Nicea in 325 and Constantinople in 381. It originated in a time of great controversy about the divinity of Christ, and therefore the longest section relates to Christ, truly human and truly God. The Creed is both communal and personal. In the RCIA, it is only after listening to the teaching of the Church and professing faith in the Trinity, that the candidate is admitted to the sacraments. So it is every Sunday. We listen to the Word, we profess our faith, and then we come to the altar to be fed. Starting the First Sunday of Advent (November 27th.) we will hear a slightly different translation of the Creed that more closely follows the Latin text. While the translation may be different, the fact remains; we listen to the Word, we profess our faith, and then we come to the altar to be fed.
De Colores!
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
August 2011
We were delighted to host Bishop Eamonn Walsh at the recent Men’s Cursillo #535 and he has invited us to help with a team for a Dublin Cursillo from March 8 -11, 2012. The Bishop’s desire is to build Cursillo among the younger members of the Church so the roots will be both deep and enduring. They will start with a Men’s weekend, with a Women’s weekend following later.
Ten Irish candidates will attend the January Men’s weekend and will form the backbone of the Dublin Cursillo. We would like our Cursillo community to house and entertain them. We will send a team of about 12 to assist them in all aspects of setting up and running the Cursillo and related structures such as Secretariat and School of Leaders. It is expected that the OC Cursillo team will be the rollistas/table presidents.
We know there is a lot of interest in our community and we are forming teams both to support the visit of the Irish candidates in January and to travel to Dublin in March. This project will operate alongside our regular Cursillo and will not impact our regular weekends or our Auction Fundraiser in any way. No general Cursillo funds will be used to support it.
Dublin Team:
Candidates for the Dublin Team should be:
- Experienced rollistas.
- Available from March 4th to March 13th, 2012
- Available to work the January team (January 19-22th, 2012) so they can get to know their Irish colleagues and start forming the Dublin team. If you were planning to work October you may want to defer that and sign up for January instead, in the event you are selected.
- Ideally have special experience that could benefit the Dublin Cursillo such as administrative or Secretariat experience.
- Able to pay your own travel and personal expenses – accommodation will be provided by our hosts in Dublin. Some financial help may be available in special cases thanks to some Cursillista donations specifically given for this trip - but no regular Cursillo funds will be used.
Orange Team:
- This team will coordinate the travel, local accommodation, and entertainment for the Irish visitors
- We are in special need of coordinators for the accommodation of our Irish guests and the travel, not only of the guests, but for our Dublin team. Travel experience would be very useful for the latter.
Deadline for Applications: August 21st, 2011 and team selection will be done by the end of August.
If applying for the Dublin Team, please list the rollos you have presented and any special experience. If interested in the Orange Team please indicate areas of special interest and experience.
If you would like to be considered for any of the above – or if you have any questions - please contact the Dublin Cursillo Coordinator, Nick Williams at CursilloDublin@gmail.com. He can also be reached at 949-903-5373.
And PLEASE, start Palanca now!
De Colores!
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
July 2011
After experiencing a Cursillo weekend, people often come up to me and say, “I wish I had known about Cursillo sooner. This is the best kept secret in the Catholic Church.” Well there is no intention in keeping Cursillo a secret. In fact we would like all Catholics to know about this Movement so they can make an informed decision whether this is for them or not. How do we make ourselves more visible? In our parish once a month, members of the Knights of Columbus wear their badges so people know they are a part of this organization. One of the members of our Secretariat had the idea of us to all wear our “baloneys” one Sunday a month to identify ourselves with Cursillo and perhaps let others know about our movement.
Therefore I would like to initiate “Baloney Sunday” on the second Sunday of the month. I am asking all Cursillistas to consider wearing their baloneys to mass the weekend of August 13th/14th and then ongoing the second Sunday of every month. Perhaps then our movement will no longer be “the best kept secret” in our church.
De Colores!
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
June 2011
This month, I would like to reflect on one of the legs of our tripod, study. The purpose of study is not simply to obtain knowledge, but to enable the person to be a true Christian, not just one who does Christian things. If we are to become perfect, just as our Heavenly Father is perfect, then study in the sense we are talking about in Cursillo is not the same as the study a non-Christian might undertake. A non-Christian might undertake study to learn all there is to learn about Christianity, the church, its history, etc..., but not about being a Christian. Our study is putting our minds at the service of the truth. It is the process of learning to love and respond in faith to reach our potential as fully human and fully Christian persons. Our study calls for the person to be open:
- to God, to know when He speaks and what he is telling us;
- to ourselves, to know ourselves better and to bring about interior renewal;
- to others, to know and love our brothers and sister as the image and likeness of Christ.
Study is more than just reading books or going to school. To live our life in grace we must grow in the knowledge of God and of ourselves. Study is necessary in our search for the answer to life’s deepest questions: Who am I? Where am I going? What is truth?
De Colores!
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
May 2011
A week ago we had a Women Cursillo on Mother’s Day. Many of us on the Secretariat had concerns as to the number of women who might wish to attend and work a Cursillo on Mother’s Day. As you know by now it was a full weekend of 40 candidates and a full team. It was indeed a blessing to share that day with our Mother Mary in heaven, who is the patroness of Cursillo, as well as all the mothers present for this weekend. What a great gift for these mothers and all the ladies who lived their Cursillo. What a great gift for me to hear the Rollos and to reflect upon the great gift of God’s love for all of us. For those of you who prayed for us and sacrificed for us, I say thanks. It is also important for us to reflect that when we doubt, God provides with His abundant love.
Once again, Happy Mother’s Day!!
De Colores!
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
April 2011
On March 19th I attended the 2011 Catholic Man of the Year sponsored by St. Joseph Radio.
This is the seventh Man of the Year Award in our Diocese and the fifth in which Cursillo has nominated someone. This year our nominee was Al Langer. When we first became involved with this award, we were the about the only non-parish to sponsor a worthy Catholic man. This year there six ministries, organizations or movements that sponsored someone, in addition to Cursillo. They included the Knights of Columbus, St. Thomas More Society, Lestonnac Free Clinic, Catholic Charities, Catholic Worker and Mary’s Kitchen. I am very proud that we started a trend and also that we have helped to support St. Joseph Radio in this important fund raising event.
As we come to the end of our Lenten time, let us remember that our prayer needs to lead us into action. It is important to pray for the homeless, but what are we doing to actually feed them? It is important to pray for the victims of natural disasters such as in Japan, but have we sent money to CRS or the Red Cross? It is important to pray for the sick, but have we visited them in the hospital or at home lately? It is important to pray for our Cursillo Movement, but have we made a friend and brought that friend to Christ in Cursillo?
May our Lenten action lead us to the joys of Easter.
De Colores!
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
February 2011
As we begin this New Year, I believe it is a good time to reflect upon how we live our “Life in Grace”. One good way to begin this reflection is to take out the Service Sheet we filled out on our Cursillo and take a moment to review it and renew it. Review and renew the quality of the time and ways we pray. Review and renew our commitment to the interior life of adoration and reconciliation. Review and renew our availability to the reception of Jesus’ body and blood in the Eucharist. Review and renew the important of grouping and Ultreya. Review and renew our commitment to the Cursillo Movement that was a leaven to bring about a conversion in our life and in the lives of so many Catholics for over 60 years.
Don’t take God, or yourself, or others for granted. Life is too precious. Remember always: “Christ is counting on you!”
De Colores!
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
January 2011
Well, here we are entering a new year, 2011. It seems like just yesterday we were all worried about Y2K and all of our computers being rendered useless. It also seems like yesterday I that I received a letter from Bishop Tod Brown confirming my appointment as Spiritual Director for the Orange Cursillo. In actuality, that was nearly five and one half years ago. Since that time, we have seen a dramatic growth in our movement here in the Diocese. We have gone from holding a weekend with less than twenty candidates to a point in time where we accept nearly 50 men and 50 women candidates and still have a waiting list of over 70 candidates. For this we need to give thanks to God for the working of His Holy Spirit in our midst. It also means we need to double our prayer efforts and be good stewards of the gifts we have received. That is why I opened our dinner auction in November by saying we would tithe 10% of whatever we received that night and give that money to the poor. I ask then that our New Year’s Resolution this year be one of continued prayer and sacrifice for our movement here and around the world.
Finally, I would like to thank Mike Blasi, our outgoing Lay Director, for his leadership and love these past four years. He has continued the legacy of those that have gone before him and has guided our movement to a wonderful place. Please pray for Mike, Sharon and their family as they move on to new adventures in Hawaii, or wherever God calls them.
De Colores!
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
November/December 2010
It is amazing to me that as soon as Halloween was finished, Christmas decorations were up in the stores. In fact stores are already promoting Christmas sales. Now there is nothing wrong with buying gifts for those we love, but what happened to Advent?
Jesus reminds us to help those less fortunate than ourselves. The Christmas holiday season is a special time to do that, but it is also important to help the poor and those in need all year long. Because life is so unpredictable, Jesus said, “Be watchful and stay alert! You do not know when the time will come.” (Mark 13:33) When he said this, Jesus was talking about the end of the world. Scary…..? If you follow the star, if you walk in the light of Christ, you have nothing to fear. If you prepare for the coming of the Lord during Advent, if you live in love and help those in need, if you pray and welcome Christ into your heart each day, you will be prepared for His final coming. We can be assured that the Lord will welcome us into His heavenly home if we have prepared for his coming each Advent season and all year long. May his fullest blessing come upon you and your loved ones as you celebrate Christ’s love.
De Colores!
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
October 2010
A very important part of our Cursillo movement is Palanca. The prayers and sacrifices of our community are the fuel that propels our movement. We need to be people of prayer at all times and not just when we are sponsoring or have a candidate making the 3-day weekend. Although these prayers are the “lever” that God uses to remove the hardness that some carry in their hearts, they are also the “leven” that helps each of us grow. I would ask that you consider adding to your prayer routine and daily sacrifices the following weekly intentions:
- Monday – Pray for our National, Regional & Diocese of Orange Secretariats.
- Tuesday – Pray for our School of Leaders.
- Wednesday – Pray for all Cursillistas who are living their Fourth Day.
- Thursday – Pray for the Cursillo movement in the United States.
- Friday – Pray for those Cursillo Weekends taking place around the world.
- Saturday – Pray for the OMCC and World Cursillo movement.
- Sunday – Remember those Cursillistas who have gone on to their Fifth Day.
Also remember to fast one day each week. Fasting does not mean only from food. We can fast from those things that enslave us. I would suggest that if you are addicted to TV or the Internet or your cell phone, then you should fast from them one day each week as well.
De Colores!
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
August 2010
In the Leader’s Rollo it states: a Christian Leader is one who, having heard Christ’s call, influences others guiding them to encounter Christ. A Cursillo Leader therefore is a person who puts all of their abilities in the service of Christ.
All Cursillistas are leaders. We just need to find ways to maintain our commitments and the excitement felt on our 3-day weekend. One of the best ways to do that is to attend our School of Leaders. As leaders, our responsibility within the School of Leaders is to seek to be more centered. To nourish what is fundamental for being a Christian among ourselves, in the Cursillo Movement, and in our daily lives. The School of Leaders is not a factory to produce rollos or rollistas. It is not a school of catechism or a center of pastoral studies. It is above all a group and a way to persevere in our Fourth Day. It is Christianity in Action. Therefore consider attending our School of Leaders which now meets at La Purisima Parish in Orange on the second Saturday of each month.
De Colores,
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
June 2010
At last month’s Cursillo School of Leaders, I shared a poem when talking about the struggles that people often face. We know that while we are struggling, God is close at hand even though He may seem far away. Often time it’s when we struggle that we grow and develop spiritually into mature Christians. Because so many of you wanted a copy of that poem, I decided to include it in this month’s letter. This is by an unknown author.
"For every pain we must bear, for every reason, every care,
There’s a reason.
"For every grief that bows the head, for every teardrop that’s shed,
There’s a reason.
"For every hurt, for every plight, for every lonely pain-racked night,
There’s a reason.
"But if we trust God as we should, it will turn out for our good.
He knows the reason.
De Colores,
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
May 2010
To all Cursillistas, this is the letter Fr. Ray read in his homily at Cursillo on Sunday.
Excerpts of an article written by Sam Miller, prominent Cleveland Jewish businessman - NOT Catholic.
Why would newspapers carry on a vendetta on one of the most important institutions that we have today in the United States, namely the Catholic Church?
Do you know - the Catholic Church educates 2.6 million elementary and high school students everyday at the cost to that Church of 10 billion dollars, and a savings on the other hand to the American taxpayer of 18 billion dollars. The graduates go on to university studies at the rate of 92%.
The Church has 230 colleges and universities in the U.S. with an enrollment of 700,000 students.
The Catholic Church has a non-profit hospital system of 637 hospitals, which account for hospital treatment of 1 out of every 5 people - not just Catholics - in the United States today.
But the press is vindictive and trying to totally denigrate in every way the Catholic Church in this country. They have blamed the disease of pedophilia on the Catholic Church, which is as irresponsible as blaming adultery on the institution of marriage.
Let me give you some figures that Catholics should know and remember. For example, 12% of the 300 Protestant clergy surveyed admitted to sexual intercourse with a parishioner; 38% acknowledged other inappropriate sexual contact. In a study by the United Methodist Church, 41.8% of clergy women reported unwanted sexual behavior; 17% of laywomen have been sexually harassed.
Meanwhile, 1.7% of the Catholic clergy has been found guilty of pedophilia. 10% of the Protestant ministers have been found guilty of pedophilia. This is not just a Catholic problem.
A study of American priests showed that most are happy in the priesthood and find it even better than they had expected, and that most, if given the choice, would choose to be priests again in face of all this obnoxious PR the church has been receiving.
The Catholic Church is bleeding from self-inflicted wounds. The agony that Catholics have felt and suffered is not necessarily the fault of the Church. You have been hurt by a small number of wayward priests that have probably been weeded out by now.
Walk with your shoulders high and your head higher. Be a proud member of the most important non-governmental entity in the United States today. Then remember what Jeremiah said: 'Stand by the roads, and look and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is and walk in it, and find rest for your souls'. Be proud to speak up for your faith with pride and reverence and learn what your Church does for all other religions. Be proud that you're a Catholic.
De Colores,
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
April 2010
As we approach Easter, a day of great joy, we are painfully aware that for many people it is still Good Friday. Every day it seems there is something to remind us of the poverty, injustice, and violence in our world. We are aware that our Easter celebration is an affirmation of hope in a world that appears to experience the pain of Good Friday more than the joy of Easter Sunday. This morning, I had breakfast with a homeless man who has every one of his earthly possessions packed in a Dodge Caravan. Yesterday, I had breakfast with Cursillistas who are losing their home to foreclosure and looking for a place to rent.
Yet we can celebrate Easter in hope and joy because Jesus, the Risen Lord, is with us. He knows us and he knows our struggles, and with affection, calls each of us by name. Easter means that we too can treat each other with justice and with affection. Easter means that we can be heaven for each other, a source of hope and joy in our politically correct world. Easter means that we can sing with Cursillista joy, "He is Risen, Alleluia".
De Colores,
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
March 2010
The Postcursillo is designed to facilitate the nurturing that took place on the Cursillo weekend so that our PSA will grow and develop into true friendship – friendship of the individual with himself, with Christ, and with our brothers and sisters. We are told that the methodology to accomplish this in found by participating in Friendship Group Reunion and Ultreya. Most Cursillistas have first-hand knowledge of the importance of "grouping". Therefore I would like to say a few words this month on the importance of Ultreya. The Ultreya is the gathering of the many Friendship Groups or a Reunion of the Group Reunions. We attend to share what everybody and every group lives - our Fourth Day. We do not go there to acquire knowledge nor to receive instruction. Instead, and consistent with what Cursillo has maintain from the beginning, the aim is to simply provide an opportunity for each person to share their experiences so as to sustain and motivate the pilgrim mentality of conversion. In short, Ultreya is one of the few places where the person who is in the process of conversion can really see that they can be the best of what God sees in them. The Ultreya should show us that we can never become more than what we truly are, children of God. My message to you is simple. Attend Ultreya, and bring your friends.
De Colores,
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
February 2010
Sponsoring candidates is one of the main aspects of the Pre-Cursillo, and the most important factor that contributes to the success of the Cursillo weekend. An invitation to attend the Cursillo should be personal so that the relationship may last a long time as we are advised to make a friend, to be a friend and to bring that friend to Christ. According to the Fundamental Ideas, "the Cursillo Weekend is not something theoretical, but a lived experienced that is oriented toward the Church, toward community, toward real life." We find Total Security by coming to understand that God loves us unconditionally, but this does not mean that life is now free of worries or problems. Therefore as sponsors we need to realize that our responsibilities do not end with the three day weekend, but must continue throughout their Fourth Day. Therefore we must do all we can do to insert them into a friendship group reunion. Remember, "Christ is counting on you".
De Colores,
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
January 2010
Many of us were spiritually and emotionally elated after attending our 19th National Cursillo Encounter in San Bernardino, and our exuberant Fourth World Ultreya held in our own diocese. I personally felt greatly enlightened in our Cursillo movement and filled with gratitude to the Holy Spirit with His wonderful gift of our Cursillo Movement to the Church through Eduardo Bonnin’s foundational charism. Here in Orange we are blessed to have record number of people wanting to live a Cursillo weekend. We have filled up the January English Cursillo weekends earlier than ever before and are close to filling up the April weekend for women.
Even though we are excited about our journey thus far, there is still room for improvement. There is still a shortage of people who are eager to attend the School of Leaders and to serve on our Diocesan Secretariats. While our weekends are filled with candidates, the 3-Day Weekend is only one part of our job. We cannot focus solely on the Weekend and neglect Pre-Cursillo and Post-Cursillo activities. Cursillo literature states; “the Weekend is simply a means to get people from the Pre-Cursillo to the Post-Cursillo.” All of us are called to embrace our Fourth Day fully, but some are called to do the special work of the Cursillo Movement. If you feel so called, I invite you to School of Leaders held at St. Cecelia’s the second Saturday of every month.
De Colores,
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
November 2009
It’s is important for us to realize that being a Cursillo leader is a vocation, a calling from God. I often hear people in our Movement say, “I have made Cursillo my primary apostolate”. When we say that, we need to understand that leadership in the Cursillo Movement is a vocation. It is a calling from God to serve the Church in a special way. It is a calling we need to take seriously. We need to realize that no one fulfills their calling overnight. A vocation develops and evolves as we examine our response to that call and our commitment to that call. Any call from the Lord should be reverenced and respected as such. It should not be the same response we might give to our hobbies or recreation; “when I want” or “when I have time”. Cursillo leaders who work within the Movement then should to see their service to our Cursillo community as a wonderful calling. Choosing to be a leader in Cursillo is an investment of our time, talents, and sometimes even our treasures, because God invites us to be faithful and trustworthy stewards.
To learn more about being a Cursillo leader, come any of our Saturdays when we have School of Leaders at St. Cecilia’s in Tustin.
De Colores,
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
October 2009
I would like to use this month’s article to thank all of our wonderful Cursillistas for their efforts in Evangelizing their Environments and sponsoring worthy candidates to Cursillo. When I took the position as Spiritual Director for the Orange Cursillo four years ago, I told our loving cursillo community that I had a vision of having such a vibrant movement in our Diocese that we would have a waiting list of people wishing to attend. In September, almost exactly four years after articulating this vision, we have achieved this goal. We now have a waiting list to attend Cursillo in the Diocese of Orange for both men and women. This is due to the work of the Holy Spirit in our community and the wonderful Cursillistas who have taken the responsibility of sponsoring seriously. As we continue to grow, let us also continue to pray for one another and for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. With the protection of Mary the Mother of God, we will continue onward.
Ultreya !!!!!!!!!
De Colores,
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
September 2009
As we strive to live as good disciples of our Lord, we realize the importance of spiritual direction as an important toll of spiritual growth. We talk about the importance of having a spiritual director during the three-day weekend, but don’t often discuss it much during our fourth day. Therefore I thought I would share some points from an article I read on spiritual direction.
Spiritual direction guides us to submission to God and to His will so that we might live, love, and learn to be at the service of others. Spiritual direction is important because it helps us learn how to love God, others and, often most difficult, ourselves. It helps us define our roles in the service of the church and to live a fuller life in Christ. Spiritual direction encourages us, enlightens us, and helps us to make decisions. It helps us to identify our virtues, and strengthen or improve those we need. Spiritual direction guides us to wholeness, unity, and team collaboration. It is a very important component of our ongoing formation in Christ. In short, it is the mark of a true disciple.
De Colores,
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
August 2009
This has been an excellent month for me personally thus far. On July 30th I, along with 19 Secretariat members from the Diocese of Orange, joined with 650 other Cursillistas from around North America for the 19th National Cursillo Encounter. On August 1st we gathered with over 5000 Cursillistas from around the world for the IV World Ultreya. Then on August 2nd I left for a glorious week in Hawaii. God is good….!
Through all of this we have been greatly enlightened and our morale uplifted with gratitude to the Holy Spirit for his wonderful gift of our Cursillo Movement to the Church and in our Diocese. Even though we feel excited and optimistic about our Cursillo Movement, we need to stop and evaluate our Fourth Day journey. There is always a need for encouragement as well as room for improvement. We should be honest enough to admit that there is a shortage of knowledgeable and committed leaders who are eager to join the School of Leaders. Thirty to forty people is not enough. Also unless the majority of our Cursillistas are grouping and attending Ultreya, we have not achieved what the movement requires. We need to constantly remind ourselves of the awesome responsibility of being a Cursillo Sponsor. We need to confidently face these challenges and prayerfully work to continually improve. Let us continue to live loved.
De Colores,
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
June 2009
As summer approaches and we look for some relaxation time we try to find ways take time away from the rigors of job to be refreshed. While this is a very good thing to do, it is important that we also realize that we need to take time away from our busyness every day of the year as well. That is why I want to spend o few words on the importance of having a daily routine of prayer. At a recent retreat for the members of your English Secretariat, Sr. Breda Christopher had us focus on the important of prayer. She said “Prayer is the oxygen in the life in the Spirit.” “Silence is God’s first Language.” I wrote these down and have been meditating on them this month. I thought it would be good to share with you some other quotations on prayer for your meditation
“Christian Prayers is love. It is best understood in terms of love. Everything else we may say about prayer revolves around the fact that prayer is love” Fr. Edward Carter.
“The fruit of silence is prayer. The fruit of prayer is faith. The fruit of faith is love. The fruit of love is service.” Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
“The true source of prayer is not an emotion but an insight. As long as we refuse to take notice of what is beyond our sight, beyond our reason, as long as we are blind to the mystery of being, the way to prayer is closed to us." Abraham Heschel.
“After I enter the chapel, I place myself in the presence of God. I begin to tell him of all that concerns me, my joys, my thought, my distress, and finally, I listen to him.“ St. Catherine Laboure
“Talk to your Father, He is worried too!” Anonymous
De Colores,
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
May 2009
May is a very special month in many ways. School is coming to a close. Many of our young people will receive their First Communion and many more will be Confirmed. We celebrate Mary the Mother of Jesus Christ in our prayers and usually have a May crowning to honor her during this month..
This May is also very special to the Cursillo of Orange. In the month of May we will celebrate four Cursillos. The English Women’s Cursillo on May 1st followed by two Vietnamese Cursillos and the Men’s Cursillo in Spanish ending on May 31st. Not only is this a busy month, but the Vietnamese Women’s Cursillo will be the 500th Cursillo lived in the Diocese of Orange. The first Cursillo in our Diocese way also held in May from May 26th to 29th, 1977. This was followed by the first Spanish Cursillo in June of 1977. Since then over 17,500 people have lived a Cursillo with over 8600 of them in English. As we celebrate the 500th Cursillo, let us continue to ask the Holy Spirit and Mother Mary to guide our movement and keep us excited about our Catholic faith.
De Colores,
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
April 2009
On behalf of our Secretariat and School of Leaders from the Diocese of Orange Cursillo, I extend our best wishes for abundant blessing of God’s grace and a blessed Holy Week and Easter Season.
As we enter this Holy Time, we should take a moment to ask ourselves: “What is God calling me to do?” Our founder Eduardo Bonnin responded effectively to this question when he claimed: “You cannot be more than a Christian, but you can be a better Christian”. This reminded me of a story I would like to share with.
Once upon a time there was a wise old man who daily positioned himself by the river and passed out drinks of river water to those who were thirsty. One day someone asked him what would happen when he was gone. The old man responded: “I hope they notice the river”.
What is God calling me to do? As Cursillistas, we who have tasted the river must help others notice it so that they can drink from it as well.
Happy Easter
De Colores,
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
January 2009
It is appropriate for us as Cursillistas to reflect on the life of our Patron St. Paul, as our Catholic Church has been celebrating his Jubilee Year. As Cursillistas we should also study his evangelizing style because St. Paul was very true to what he preached. It is often said that our world today thirsts for authenticity, especially in regard to our youth and young adults. They have a horror of the artificial or false and it can be said that they are searching above all for truth and honesty. These “signs of our times” should find us vigilant. As Cursillistas we are being challenged: Do you really believe what you are proclaiming. Do you live what you believe? Do you really preach what you live?
Let us then imitate St. Paul. The closer we are to Jesus, the more we will recognize Him. If we listen, we can hear Him in the quiet of our hearts, speaking words of love and affirmation. If we look, we will see Him in our family and friends, in our groupies, in our brothers and sisters in Christ, in the poor and needy around us. So let us take Him in our arms, and let Him call each one of us to His heart.
De Colores,
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
December 2008
One of my Dad’s favorite sayings when we were growing up back in the Midwest was; “no flowers, no birds, November”. In California that is not usually the case. As I write this however there is a definite chill in the air and the morning have been really foggy. The change of seasons issue in a change in the church calendar as well. We move from Ordinary Time to Advent, our season of preparation. For many this is a time of difficulty and stress. Many people are reeling from the loss of a loved one, from a foreclosure of their home, from devastating fires, from a loss of savings invested in the stock market. The hurt caused by these difficulties can cloud ones holiday preparation and even dim the desire to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
What can we do as Cursillistas? Obviously only God can heal deep wounds of the heart, but we can lend a hand. We can resolve not to be so busy that we don’t take time for those around us. We can be mindful of those who have experienced a loss this past year. We can be quiet, listen and pray for those around us in need. We can reflect on the words of the poet Ann Weems:
Some of us walk into Advent tethered to our unresolved yesterdays, the pain still stabbing, the hurt still throbbing.
It’s not that we don’t know better; it’s just that we can’t stand up anymore by ourselves.
On the way to Bethlehem, will you give us a hand?
Happy Advent !!
De Colores, Deacon Doug
December, 2008
The Deacon’s Beacon
November 2008
For all of you who voted yesterday, I say thank you. It was a historic election in many ways. We had some serious Propositions to consider the most significant being Prop. 4 & 8. It is so important that as God’s people we continue to pray for his guidance in the affairs of our nation. We were founded as “one nation under God” and we need to pray that we stay true to what our founding fathers envisioned.
As I reflect upon these things, I would also like to share some of the thoughts of the founding father of Cursillo, Eduardo Bonnin who just died this past year. He stated that Cursillo proposes, with the grace of God, to achieve for individuals an understanding, conviction & living experience all that is basic to living our Christianity. Now, what is it that is basic to living our Christianity? Precisely it is the love of God, the love of neighbor, and the love of the world.
He also said the Cursillo is designed to move people from where they are to where they ought to be. It might be compared to a beautiful new freeway which would enable us to reach our destiny without too much difficulty. Naturally, it would be foolish to expect this new freeway to always pass near our homes for our own convenience. Rather we need to seek it where it is located. It is in this quest that we move from belief to love. It is in this quest that we have to take a stand for what is right and choose life.
De Colores, Deacon Doug
November, 2008
The Deacon’s Beacon
August 2008
During the past quarter we have had 6 Cursillos, 2 in each of our 3 cultures. In May the Spanish Cursillo had 21 men and 39 women. Also in May the Vietnamese Cursillo was attended by 42 men and 52 women. In July we had 21 men and 33 women attend the Cursillo in English. In total over 200 people lived their Cursillo in these past months.
I mention this because it is important to remember that our beautiful Cursillo movement is experienced in many languages around the world and in three languages here in the Diocese of Orange. We need to be one community that continues to pray together and to socialize together as one Cursillo. We have this opportunity in September during our next multi-cultural Ultreya on Friday night, September 12th. It will be held at the beautiful Vietnamese Center in Santa Ana. Please make an effort to attend. Also plan to attend an Ultreya in your area, especially if you have not done so in the past year.
As human beings, we realize the need for a plan, a method, and a personal spiritual program. We need to set realistic goals to aim at. We need the input of other Catholic Christians to reassure us at our level and challenge us to rise higher. That is why the Cursillo methodology of Ultreya and Group Reunion is so very important. Therefore make a plan to attend the Ultreya on September 12th. If this is not possible, then attend an Ultreya in your area in the next few months. Christ is counting on you ……….!
De Colores, Deacon Doug
August, 2008
The Deacon’s Beacon
July 2008
This past weekend we celebrated our nation’s independence. Like many of you I spent the evening of July 4th watching a beautiful fireworks display. As I sat there, I couldn’t help but reflect upon how lucky we are in this country to enjoy all the freedoms that are ours. This great experiment called “Democracy” has blessed us greatly in this country. Many of our forefathers and foremothers came to this great land to have religious freedom. We are free to attend mass in the church of our choice, we are free to vote for whomever we feel is the best candidate, and we are free to attend Cursillo. Yet many people do not take advantage of some or all of these freedoms. That also is their choice. Often times we do not realize how lucky we are until what we have has been taken away from us. As we spend these summer months, let us all take the time to give thanks to our God for all of the freedoms we enjoy. Let us be mindful of those who do not have the freedoms we often take for granted. Let us pray to our merciful God to continue to bless and guide our church and our country. Let us pray for our Cursillo movement and offer Palanca for each other. St. Bernard of Clairvaux said; “…if we know how to use the weapon of prayer well, we shall come off conquerors at last, for prayer is more powerful than all the devils”.
De Colores, Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
June 2008
The recent visit of our Holy Father Benedict XVI to the United States was a special time of grace for all of us. He reminded us of the truth of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ and of our responsibility as disciples to evangelize our environments. In his Homily, at the Mass at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York, attended by our Lay Director Mike Blasi and his wife Sharon, he quoted John 14:6 where Jesus says that he is “the way, the truth, and the life”. “Christ is the way that leads to the father, the truth which gives meaning to human existence and the source of life which is eternal joy…”
We who have lived the Cursillos in Christianity totally understand what our Holy Father is saying. Plus we understand our challenge to bring others into that understanding as well. We do this by a simple formula; to make a friend, be a friend, and bring that friend to Jesus Christ. On June 28th, 2008, the Holy Father will inaugurate the celebration of the 2000th anniversary of the birth of St. Paul, a special year focusing on evangelization. Let us here in the Diocese of Orange make it our special effort to evangelize our family and friends and to sponsor them to a Cursillo.
De Colores, Deacon Doug
June, 2008
The Deacon’s Beacon
May 2008
We have accomplished much in the nearly 3 years I have been involved as your Spiritual Director. We have increased attendance at Cursillo with 716 people living their Cursillo during this time period. We have increased attendance at our Post Cursillo Diocesan Ultreya from less than 100 on a Wednesday night at Marywood to over 350 people that attended our last Grand Ultreya Saturday at St. Timothy’s. We have held a Cursillo Information Sunday in 27 parishes with 3 more currently scheduled. We have increased attendance at School of Leaders to a consistent number of 40 people each month. We have increased the number of Parish Representatives to 47. We have a world class web site and are compiling an outstanding database to track the history of Cursillo in the Diocese of Orange.
Why do I mention these facts? Well it’s certainly not to blow my own horn. With Pentecost this Sunday I feel it is important to look back and reflect upon the movement of the Holy Spirit in our Cursillo Community. We have been blessed with many gifts. What better day than Pentecost to pause and consider how we as a Cursillo community, one in Spirit, can utilize these gifts to reach out to our brothers and sisters who are struggling. I was so heartened to see the outpouring of love and support for Marsha at the loss of our brother Deacon Gaston. We have others in need in our parishes and in our Cursillo family as well. We need to always be open to those the Spirit directs us to assist. Our combined resources as a community of love can make a significant difference.
Remember the message of Cursillo. “All of us together are better than any one of us alone.”
De Colores, Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
April 2008
I have read that in Jesus time a carpenter went out to the customer instead of having the customer come to him. Jesus being the son of a carpenter must have accompanied Joseph on many such occasions. At the job site, since it was dirty work, the customer would have a bowl of water and large towel for the carpenter to use to clean up before returning home. We are told that there was a Jewish custom by which the carpenter, when he completed the job to his satisfaction, would after washing up for the last time, fold the towel in half and then fold it in half again to signify that it is finished.
Let us then move forward to Easter morning. Can you imagine what Peter thought when he peered into the empty tomb. What did he see? He saw the cloth that had covered Jesus head lying by itself. Scripture says it was folded in half and then folded in half again. Since Peter knew Jesus to be the son of a carpenter, he must have know that Jesus was saying; “it is finished”.
Jesus came to do the work of his father. It is finished. He completed the job to his father’s satisfaction. Now it is up to us. Are we ready to accept our Baptismal call to let others know the “good news” of Jesus Christ?
De Colores, Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
March 2008
As we prepare to enter into the most sacred time of our church year in the Triduum, I want to share with you some thoughts based upon Luke 25:34.
In crucifixion, a man hung only a few feet off the ground. Bored soldiers stood nearby waiting for his death. His loved ones, perhaps, also stood nearby weeping or offering each other consolation. Others might be there, such as victims of the criminal, to take satisfaction in watching his punishment. The crowd might be large for some or small for others. But surely from his vantage point above the crowd, the man on the cross would see everyone nearby.
What did Jesus see? He saw his mother, of course, whom he entrusted to John. He saw some women friends weeping. Se saw certain religious authorities who were determined to make sure of his death. But his heart saw much more. His heart saw the inner pain and burden each person bore. Jesus knew what could heal them and give them peace – God’s love, given freely. Yet from the cross, his heart also saw that most of them weren’t even aware that they needed to be rescued. So intent on living their lives apart from God’s love, they didn’t bother to look to God for help. They often rejected God just as they had rejected Jesus.
What anguish for him. And so his plea.
Forgive them father, for they know not what they are doing.
Forgive them Father, for they are lost.
Forgive them Father, for they cannot understand they need to be found.
Forgive them Father, for only you can bring them peace.
Forgive us Father, for we are not so different from those gathered around the cross.
May you enter into the sacredness of this holy season.
De Colores, Deacon Doug
March, 2008
The Deacon’s Beacon
January 2008
As we begin 2008, I want to reflect for a moment on this past year in Cursillo. It was an excellent year for our movement. Last year 251 men and women attended the Cursillo in English. The October Cursillo was the 25th largest in our 30 year history in the Diocese of Orange. It was only the second time in our history that more men than women (39 to 38) attended a pair of weekends. We held a Cursillo Information Sunday after the masses in 21 parishes last year. Plus we have had record numbers of people wanting to work on a Cursillo weekend. Our Post Cursillo Ultreya was moved from Marywood to various parishes in the diocese with record attendance. Attendance at School of Leaders is on the increase. Of course none of this would be possible without the dedication of so many people in Cursillo, starting with the members of the Secretariat.
On their behalf, I want to thanks all of my fellow Cursillistas for an outstanding year. I believe 2008 will be another great year for our movement as long as we continue to be a community of prayer and sacrifice. I thank God every day that I can be a part of something really special in Cursillo in the Diocese of Orange.
God Bless you all, De Colores, Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
Dec 2007
The Advent season is perhaps the most overlooked of all seasons. I suppose this is because it is followed by one of the most enjoyable seasons of the year in Christmas. As we celebrate Advent, we should try not to get too caught up in looking ahead to Christmas. I know that is hard to do with all of the shopping, decorating and cooking to be done. It is also very hard because everywhere we go we see signs of Christmas. The stores have been put up Christmas decorations ever since Halloween. While this is understandable, it diminishes for us a season of extreme importance in the church year.
Advent has a two-fold character. It is a season to prepare for Christmas when Christ’s first coming is celebrated. It is also a season when that remembrance directs our minds and hearts to await Christ’s second coming at the end of time. For many this is an extremely difficult time. For the poor in our community it is a stressful time when thought s are directed to worries about having enough money to survive, let alone buying gifts for their children. For others this season will be a very sad time as they recall their loved ones who did not return safely from Iraq, the Middle East, or other far away places of danger. It will be a time when that loss will be profoundly felt in the preparations that are at hand. Therefore let us use this season to adequately prepare our hearts to receive Jesus. Let us continue to be a people of hope. Let us try not to get caught up in the rush of materialism of this busy time. Rather let Advent reconnect us to the reality of Christ’s humble birth.
Christ has come among us. Christ is among us. Christ will come again in glory to be recognized only by those who are not too busy to keep watch.
God Bless you all, De Colores, Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
Aug 2007
This past Saturday we held our 6th annual Cursillo Dinner/Auction.
This event began as a result of the Diocese discontinuing their financial support for Cursillo. At that time it became necessary for us to raise funds to continue this Apostolate in the Diocese. I can report to you that this year’s event was a resounding success.
However, what I was especially pleased about was not the money we raised, but the spirit of the Lord that was present at this event. People were really enjoying themselves and meeting with fellow cursillistas. There was a real Cursillo spirit in the hall at Holy Family Cathedral. There was also a real spirit of Cursillo that day as Jeanne Rathswohl and her team transformed the hall into a “cruise ship”. There was a spirit of Cursillo in the kitchen with Jack and Marsha Ferraro as the “kitchen team” prepared that wonderful meal for all of us. It was a wonderful evening and Paula and Bill Lynn so beautifully put it together.
Finally my thanks to all who were able to attend.
You are the face of Christ to me in all you do.
De Colores,
Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
July 2007
When we receive a birthday present or some other gift, I would say that most of the time we treasure this gift. We at least treasure the love of the person who gave it to us. If it is something we really wanted, we also know how to use that gift properly. If it is something of value, we know how to safeguard it and protect it.
I believe that what is true of our earthly material gifts is also true of our spiritual gifts. All of us have been given gifts by our loving God. The gifts we receive from Him are not only very practical gifts, that we need to use each day, but are also gifts of great value. The gifts we receive from God thus are to be used not only for our own good, but also for building up the kingdom of God. The beauty of our church is that we possess so many wonderful people with very unique and talented gifts. I am an engineer by training and college degree. I choose this profession because I find that is true to my gifts and my strengths. I am very organized and like to organize and keep track of things in great detail using the computer. However if you asked me to draw something or create a new web site for example, I would be lost. I do not have artistic talents. However in our church and Cursillo we have people with awesome artistic talents. My wife Sheila has awesome artistic talents that I have often used when needed for a project. The beauty is my wife and I complement each other very well. Now multiply this by the thousands of people in Cursillo and you get an idea of the potential we possess as a community of faith.
Each of us is called by our God to be grateful stewards of the gifts we have received and to use them to build up His kingdom here on earth. We are fortunate because we have so many ministries in which we can use these gifts. Find an organization that best fits you and volunteer your time. Be involved in Cursillo by coming to School of Leaders. Without you we can do nothing.
God Bless you all,
De Colores, Deacon Doug
The Deacon’s Beacon
June 2007
This year we will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first Cursillo weekend held in the United States in Texas in 1957.
This month we are also celebrating the 30th. anniversary of the first Cursillo held in the Diocese of Orange, which was June 1977 at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Westminster, California.
As I reflect upon these two great events, I am compelled to think about the lives that have been changed because of this great movement and the impact it has had on our church.
My own weekend 33 years ago changed my life in a way that I could never have imagined. As a “cradle-catholic”, I thought I knew a lot about Jesus. What I discovered however was not that I knew about him, but that I truly knew him personally. Through his love I was transformed and continue to be transformed in ways know only to Him.
I pray that all Cursillistas will continue to be open to this transformation in their lives and continue to grow in God’s love and spirit. In this way our Cursillo here in Orange will continue to grow and be transformed into His image and likeness.
I can only imagine what the next 30 or 50 years will bring.
DeColores, Deacon Doug
