Blessings to you, dear Cursillo brothers and sisters, as well as guests who are new in getting to know our Cursillo community.
In spite of, or perhaps, because of the challenges presented by the pandemic, I am so inspired by, and grateful for the Vancouver Secretariat team along with many Cursillistas who have made terrific efforts to keep the spirit of Cursillo, ‘De Colores’, alive! We are such a diverse community sharing our many gifts for the benefit from each other.
God has certainly blessed us with the enthusiasm, encouragement, wisdom, and love of a wonderful spiritual director, in Fr. Mark. Many graces come through him and especially Fr. Mark’s love of the Holy Eucharist and his efforts to help us grow and express our love for Jesus by providing the opportunity (so far, via zoom) to spend time in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at the end of Ultreyas. We look forward to doing so now, in person at St. Joseph’s ‘in person’ Ultreyas.
When I accepted the role as Lay Director in the spring of 2020, my plan was to serve for one year, not the usual two-year term. Covid had just turned our ‘in-person’ gatherings to virtual ones. Enjoying much grace, Larry and I adjusted very well to the new ‘ab-normal’ of social distancing and isolation. Well rested up were we, when my diagnosis of endometrial cancer came in December. Surgery took place in February 2021, with chemotherapy starting on the feast of St. Catherine of Siena, April 25. The closer it came to the AGM, somehow stepping aside from the role of Lay Director was not the message at all, that I was getting from the Holy Spirit, nor the Secretariat team. So here I am, just finished 25 sessions of radiation and ready to start another round of chemo next week. God has given me ‘good days’ when I’ve especially needed them, and I am blessed by the privilege and responsibility that have come with my role. I could never thank God enough for the endless gifts I am given through Cursillo, from 1999 till now. I truly understand the meaning of the word ‘METANOIA’ (my continual & progressive conversion). I am very conscious of the fact that my growth in faith happens because of ‘you’! Accompanying each other on our journeys as we share our walk with Christ, is such a treasure, as well as the waterfall of prayers which have carried me in grace during my journey through cancer and the chemo and radiation therapies.
Thanks to Fr. Mark, who prays on our behalf at Mass for those who pray for us, these words of Jesus to St. Faustina became very real to me. I am aware of the overabundance of grace I am being given, and I pray that grace radiates back to you.
“I am Love and Mercy itself.
When a soul approaches Me with trust,
I fill it with such an abundance of
graces that it cannot contain them
within itself but radiates them to other souls.” (1074)
