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I Was Running Out of Gas: Cursillo Gave Me Jet Fuel
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Having arrived back in this area last October, I am now discerning in which ministries
God wants me at St. Andrew. My primary apostolate has been Cursillo [pronounced “Cur-see-oh” meaning little course in Spanish] since I attended a Cursillo weekend in April, 2002 in the Diocese of Venice, FL. Looking back, I wish I had known about Cursillo in the 70’s or 80’s when I was raising my family. So many others have mentioned this lament as well. But I was working full time, had 3 kids, husband, house, dog, the whole nine yards. Going back to college at age 32 was also a life changer, but also caused my spirituality to wane.
It wasn’t until I was 50 that I moved to Florida to help my daughter with my two granddaughters so she could go to college. It was there that I felt the need to “get gas” for my faith as weekly Sunday Mass was just not working for me. Cursillo gave me jet fuel. It reminded me of the richness of our Catholic faith, the rosary, Stations, Adoration, the vast graces in the Sacraments, and just recognizing God’s answers to prayer and the way He shows us His love to which I was oblivious before! The Mass and all the other components of Catholicism was now something I WANTED to do, and no longer was it out of obligation.
I also felt the gifts of the Holy Spirit I’d received in 4th grade at my Confirmation kicking in! I was no longer embarrassed to pray before eating in a restaurant. In fact a friend of mine would say to the waiter/waitress, “We’re about to pray, is there anything you would like us to pray for you?” I was flabbergasted the first few times as they would say,” yes,” and then relate about a sick child, their grandma, a car problem, whatever. Sometimes their eyes would water and maybe they just felt for a moment that someone they didn’t know, cared. Cursillo taught me how to be Christ to others, if not just on that weekend, but in emulating the people I now called my brothers and sisters in Christ.
I began to trust in God’s Providence as well. Prior to Cursillo, I would have given up on God
answering my prayers, but after Cursillo I prayed the rosary daily and went to Mass as
often as my job would allow, praying to either find my 20-something year-old son or pray for his soul if he had passed. After six years of prayer, we found each other in a hospital cafeteria as his wife was having gallbladder surgery, and my son-in-law, open heart. Same hospital, same day, same time looking for coffee in a cafeteria, no coincidence in my mind. And Mary had a hand in it as it was the feast of Our Lady of Fatima, May 13. I still choke up remembering that day and the love I felt for and from God and Our Lady.
To say Cursillo made me a better person, daughter, sister, mother, neighbor, least of all, a better Catholic, is a gross understatement. Prayer, reading, listening/viewing good materials has made me feel like when you get presents at Christmas as a kid, and you can’t wait to show your friends, “Look what I got!”
I was so happy to learn that there are Cursillo weekends in this area. They are held at Camp
Dainava, near Manchester. For Fall 2022 the men’s one is September 22-25 and the women’s on October 20-23. If you’d like to speak to someone about them, these parishioners are more than happy to answer any questions: Bill Soisson, 734-395-0354; Jackie Rowe, 734-645-5267; Alice Rock, 734-730-9610, or myself, 941-404-9624.
It’ll be the best three days you will have ever invested in your spiritual life because you will feel God loving you like never before.
