Hello Sister and Brother Cursillistas …

Ash Wednesday is February 26 and the start of our solemn Lenten journey towards our Lord’s Passion as we await the glorious celebration of Easter.

Lent is my least favorite season. It’s difficult to “rend my heart” and bare my sins and my weakness to Jesus. It requires me to be vulnerable and trusting – two actions that I don’t do well. Journeying with you, my Sister and Brother Cursillistas (and other Catholics), helps overcome my fear of vulnerability and strengthen my trust in God. I’ve learned from our Cursillo community to feast on love, peace, acceptance, and service. I had one of my better Lents last year, when I focused not on the black and gray of penance and guilt, but I focused on the gifts of my life, others around me, and greens, gold, reds, and blue of spring and the new beginning that I hoped for with Easter. Journeying with you all made all the difference.

You’ll see below the invitation and reminder to join us for our Cursillo Lenten retreat on March 12. It’s one way to journey through Lent together. I look forward to seeing you all there.

De Colores – all the best you in journey together as Christians to love and serve our Lord and one another.

In This Newsletter …

• Call to Sponsorship – Spring 2020
• Secretariat Update
• 2020 Weekend Dates

Upcoming Events

February 2020 Ultreya

Tuesday, February 18, 2020
6:45PM to 9:00PM

Santa Teresa
794 Calero Ave
San Jose, California 95123
[ Google Maps ]

If you can, please RSVP via Facebook Event.

The entire Cursillo Community is invited and encouraged to attend the February Ultreya.

The Ultreya will be sponsored by the Fall 2019 Women’s “Bless the Lord” Weekend Team led by Rector Laura Castellano.
Julie Goschy-Stalions and Richard Morales, co-School of Leaders Chairs, will discuss and excite you with their plans, themes, and ideas for our upcoming series of School of Leaders.

Come and join together as we welcome our new Cursillistas, celebrate with the team, pray, sing, and support each other on our spiritual journey.

We are told “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Come join us as we celebrate and support each other as we journey together as “Grace-filled Christians”

Lenten Retreat
“Give Us Living Water”

Wednesday, March 12, 2020
6:30PM to 9:00PM

St. Christopher Church
2278 Booksin Avenue
San Jose, CA 95125
[ Google Maps ]

If you can, please RSVP via Facebook Event.

Please join your brothers and sisters in Christ as we reflect and meditate this Lenten Season and prepare ourselves for Easter.

Hospitality starts at 6:30PM. We encourage all to bring your favorite snacks!

Retreat will start at 7:00PM

Call to Sponsorship – Spring 2020

It’s a blessing to walk with our candidates as they prepare for a weekend. And it’s a responsibility to journey with and guide them after their weekend: assist them in joining a 4th-day group, bring them to School of Leaders and Ultreya, and support them as they increase their personal witness to Jesus Christ in their environments.

If you made your Cursillo weekend in Fall 2019, you can only sponsor once you get a co-sponsor who has been a Cursillista for at least 1 year. Perhaps ask your sponsor of your weekend to also be a co-sponsor.

If you are serving the Spring 2020 weekend, you will need a co-sponsor who has been a Cursillista for at least 1 year.

This excellent 12.5 minute YouTube video Sponsorship Training details the responsibilities of being a sponsor. Please reach out to Cathy Allen (our Pre-Cursillo chair) or any member of the Secretariat with any questions.

“Make a friend, be a friend, bring a friend to Christ” … then invite them to make a Cursillo!

Secretariat Update

Sue Winklebleck, Assistant Lay Director and Michael O’Connell, Treasurer complete their respective Secretariat service terms at the end of June. As such, we are asking Community to prayerfully discern your willingness to serve for either of the two positions. Terms are for three years starting on July 1.

Please each out to Sue, Mike, or Larry Cargnoni for more information if you are interested. You can contact us and find a summary of the roles at www.sanjosecursillo.org/secretariat.

Post-Cursillo Chair Update

Amy Blalock-Castillo resigned as one our two Co-Post Cursillo Chairs. We will miss Amy’s passion, love, and creativity on the Secretariat. She won’t be far as she is very active in Community. Bobby Montalvo has agreed to continue in the role of Post-Cursillo Chair. Please keep Amy and Bobby in prayer.

2020 Weekend Dates

In Closing …

As a reminder, here are the themes for the weekend:

• Men’s theme is “Choose Christ“
• Women’s theme is “I Will Trust In You“.

Please keep Spring 2020 Rector Chris Lavond and Rectora Jennifer Ventura and their teams in prayer!

The current weekend page can be found at www.sanjosecursillo.org/2020-spring-weekends including the theme song and the scripture they have chosen.

There is room for both Men and Women candidates this Spring. Your personal invitation and witness to the Gospel are the best ways to motivate a person to attend a weekend.

Applications can be found here: www.sanjosecursillo.org/forms.

Won’t you please reach and invite a friend to make their Cursillo?

Keeping each of you in daily prayer….

Larry Cargnoni
Lay Director

Stay Connected

Stay up-to-date with our events by integrating the San Jose Cursillo event calendar to your personal calendar via Google Calendar or iCal.