Deacon Bobby Peregrino, Spiritual Advisor of the Sacramento Filipino Cursillo Movement, has kindly shared his homily with us from last Sunday’s Mass.  It is titled, “The Joy of the Gospel and Being Fishers of Souls”, and is well worth reading or listening to.  You will find the link to the audio recording and the full text of his excellent homily below. 

*****************************************

Homily on “The Joy of the Gospel and Being Fishers of Souls” based on the Gospel reading (Mt. 4:12-23) for the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time:

Click on the link below to listen to the audio of the homily: 

http://stcatherinevallejo.org/wp/2014/01/26/homily-on-the-joy-of-the-gospel/

Here’s the text:

Again - to be clear – this season of ordinary time does not have to do with things ordinary versus extraordinary.  But this has to do simply with the numbering of the weeks of the year… ordinal weeks… and in that sense we are in ordinary time… but there is never anything ordinary about the message of the Gospel.

Jesus is clear - “This is the time of fulfillment – Repent!  The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”  

It is always a time of fulfillment.  God is always acting, always leading, always calling us and we must always be ready to respond – always ready to follow where He leads us – always ready to serve…. with flexibility – with openness – with trust in God’s grace to strengthen us, to lead us and to save us.  In other words, we cannot take a break from being a disciple of Christ.

We must not make the mistake of dividing life into the sacred and the secular… between ordinary and extraordinary…  The truth is - with Christ, there is no such thing as an ordinary life.

All of life is sacred when it is touched by the presence and power of Christ. You do not have to quit your job and leave everything to follow Christ.  You can do that right where you are, regardless of your status in life.  It has nothing to do with how you make your living; it has everything to do with how and why you live. 

As St. Paul said: “And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:17)

… and so we can say we are no longer just catching fish, or planting crops, or sweeping floors, or just selling clothes or just washing dishes. Whatever we’re doing, we’re in business with God; we’re following Christ… and always has something to do with service… dying to self – dying to self-centeredness – dying to self-absorption.

Making money is okay but if your primary consideration is yourself - it very soon turns to greed.  Having fun is all right, nothing wrong with having a good time; but if all that matters is the entertainment of self, it opens the door to moral decline.  

In the Gospel, Jesus gave Peter and Andrew, James and John something better to live for - than self.  They were still fishermen, but they had a higher purpose when they decided to follow Jesus. He will do the same for any of us who has the courage to follow Jesus… leading us to fullness of life and joy.

On that note - I will share excerpts from Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation – The Joy of the Gospel – addressed not only to the bishops, clergies, and consecrated persons but very importantly - to all the Lay Faithful – us.

-           powerful challenging words of The Exhortation – which  points to a problem, gives a diagnosis of the problem, and offers a solution filled with joyful hope.

What is the Problem? The Pope says that the Great Problem is the almost complete lack of missionary zeal on the part of Catholics… because of people’s lack of knowledge - lack of awareness of the apostolic character of the Catholic faith by the great majority of Catholics – who forgot that we are the People of God- the Beloved Sons and daughters of God - “holy, catholic, and apostolic Church” and that we are all also called to be Fishers of Souls… to fish people out of darkness, hatred, violence, guilt into God’s wonderful marvelous life.

So - Why do Catholics NOT share their faith and NOT lead others to Christ? The Pope says: Catholics lack joy: because if we have joy, then no one needs to tell us to share and spread the faith, as we will do so naturally and spontaneously, the same way that we share anything that we are passionate about.

This lack of joy is because of lack of deep spirituality which turns into pessimism, fatalism, and mistrust. Some people do not commit themselves to mission or do not proclaim the Good News because they think that nothing will change and that it is useless to make the effort. They think: “Why should I deny myself my comforts and pleasures if I will not see any significant result anyway?” This attitude makes it impossible to be a missionary. It is only but a malicious excuse for remaining caught up in one’s comfort, laziness, vague dissatisfaction and empty selfishness. It is a self-destructive attitude, for “man cannot live without hope: life would become meaningless and unbearable”. 

If we think that things are not going to change, we need to recall that Jesus Christ has already triumphed over sin and death. Jesus Christ truly lives. The Gospel tells us that when the first disciples went forth to preach, “the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message” (Mk 16:20). The same thing happens today. We are invited to discover this, to experience it. Christ will not deprive us of the help we need to carry out the mission which He has entrusted to us. 

We need to realize that Christ’s resurrection is not an event of the past. Where all seems to be dead, signs of the resurrection suddenly spring up. Often - it seems that God does not exist: all around us we see persistent injustice, evil, indifference and cruelty. But it is also true that in the midst of darkness something new always springs to life and sooner or later produces fruit. 

However dark things are, goodness always re-emerges and spreads. Each day in our world - beauty is born anew.  Human beings have arisen time after time from situations that seemed doomed. Such is the power of the resurrection, and all who evangelize are instruments of that power. People do not realize that.

So, Pope Francis proposes this solution to this lack of joy and lack of deep spirituality and therefore lack of missionary zeal among Catholics:

He says: “I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ (meaning – having our own personal intimate relationship with Christ and not just going through the motions as Catholics), or at least an openness to letting Him encounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly each day. No one should think that this invitation is not meant for him or her, since “no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord”.

The Lord does not disappoint those who take this risk. Whenever we take a step towards Jesus, we come to realize that He is already there, waiting for us with open arms. Now is the time to say to Jesus – the Pope leads us in this prayer: “Lord, I have let myself be deceived; in a thousand ways I have shunned your love, yet here I am once more, to renew my covenant with you. I need you. Save me once again, Lord, take me once more into your redeeming embrace”.

The Pope continues: “How good it feels to come back to the Lord whenever we are lost! Let me say this once more: God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking His mercy. Time and time again He bears us on His shoulders. No one can strip us of the dignity bestowed upon us by this boundless and unfailing love.”

“With a tenderness which never disappoints, but is always capable of restoring our joy, He makes it possible for us to lift up our heads and to start anew. Let us not flee from the resurrection of Jesus, let us never give up, come what will. May nothing inspire us more than His life, which impels us onwards!”

It is the Risen Christ who tells us, with a power that fills us with confidence and unshakeable hope: “Behold, I make all things new” (Rev 21:5).

My brothers and sisters in Christ, we will find our joy when we proclaim and share this Good News and bring others to Christ.

Reduced National Encounter Fee; Homily; Daily Mass Readings & Meditations for Friday, 1/31/2014: St. John BoscoInboxxBen Agustin Jan 30 (12 days ago)
to Ben Dear Sisters & Brothers in Christ,

Some Cursillistas have asked if there is a reduced “commuter” registration fee available for those who would like attend the National Cursillo Encounter at Chapman University from Thursday, July 31 to Sunday, August 3, 2014 without lodging in the dorms.  These individuals may already live within driving distance to Chapman University or desire other housing alternatives.  Hoang Tran, the National Cursillo Service Administrator, has informed me that there will 50 “commuter” spaces available for each ethnic group at a reduced fee if $250 (the normal fee is $335; and then $385 after June 1st).  These 50 spaces will be made available in two blocks of 25 on a first-come, first-served basis.  The first 25 spaces are available now.  The remaining 25 spaces will be made available after 500 on-campus (full registration fee) spaces are filled.  Here’s the link to register online:  https://www.natl-cursillo.org/encounter.  If you wish to first confirm that there are still reduced “commute fee” spaces available, please call the phone number shown on the registration form (512-746-2020), and identify the ethnic group to which you are affiliated. 

Deacon Bobby Peregrino, Spiritual Advisor of the Sacramento Filipino Cursillo Movement, has kindly shared his homily with us from last Sunday’s Mass.  It is titled, “The Joy of the Gospel and Being Fishers of Souls”, and is well worth reading or listening to.  You will find the link to the audio recording and the full text of his excellent homily below. 

 

Here are links for today’s Mass on Friday, January 31, 2014:  Memorial of Saint John Bosco, Priest

1.  Readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/013114.cfm (from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops website)

2.  Video reflection:  click on “Daily Reflections – Video” shown below the calendar on the above link.  Then click on the correct date.

3.  Daily meditation: http://www.rc.net/wcc/readings/jan31.htm (from the Daily Scripture Readings & Meditations website)

4.  Biography of St. John Bosco: http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=63  (from the Catholic Online website)

“Make a friend.  Be a friend.  Bring your friend to Christ.”

De Colores!

Deacon Ben Agustin

Email:  benagustin@juno.com

Cell:  (510) 388-1551
========================================================================

Homily on “The Joy of the Gospel and Being Fishers of Souls” based on the Gospel reading (Mt. 4:12-23) for the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time:

Click on the link below to listen to the audio of the homily: 

http://stcatherinevallejo.org/wp/2014/01/26/homily-on-the-joy-of-the-gospel/

Here’s the text:

Again - to be clear – this season of ordinary time does not have to do with things ordinary versus extraordinary.  But this has to do simply with the numbering of the weeks of the year… ordinal weeks… and in that sense we are in ordinary time… but there is never anything ordinary about the message of the Gospel.

Jesus is clear - “This is the time of fulfillment – Repent!  The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”  

It is always a time of fulfillment.  God is always acting, always leading, always calling us and we must always be ready to respond – always ready to follow where He leads us – always ready to serve…. with flexibility – with openness – with trust in God’s grace to strengthen us, to lead us and to save us.  In other words, we cannot take a break from being a disciple of Christ.

We must not make the mistake of dividing life into the sacred and the secular… between ordinary and extraordinary…  The truth is - with Christ, there is no such thing as an ordinary life.

All of life is sacred when it is touched by the presence and power of Christ. You do not have to quit your job and leave everything to follow Christ.  You can do that right where you are, regardless of your status in life.  It has nothing to do with how you make your living; it has everything to do with how and why you live. 

As St. Paul said: “And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:17)

… and so we can say we are no longer just catching fish, or planting crops, or sweeping floors, or just selling clothes or just washing dishes. Whatever we’re doing, we’re in business with God; we’re following Christ… and always has something to do with service… dying to self – dying to self-centeredness – dying to self-absorption.

Making money is okay but if your primary consideration is yourself - it very soon turns to greed.  Having fun is all right, nothing wrong with having a good time; but if all that matters is the entertainment of self, it opens the door to moral decline.  

In the Gospel, Jesus gave Peter and Andrew, James and John something better to live for - than self.  They were still fishermen, but they had a higher purpose when they decided to follow Jesus. He will do the same for any of us who has the courage to follow Jesus… leading us to fullness of life and joy.

On that note - I will share excerpts from Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation – The Joy of the Gospel – addressed not only to the bishops, clergies, and consecrated persons but very importantly - to all the Lay Faithful – us.

-           powerful challenging words of The Exhortation – which  points to a problem, gives a diagnosis of the problem, and offers a solution filled with joyful hope.

What is the Problem? The Pope says that the Great Problem is the almost complete lack of missionary zeal on the part of Catholics… because of people’s lack of knowledge - lack of awareness of the apostolic character of the Catholic faith by the great majority of Catholics – who forgot that we are the People of God- the Beloved Sons and daughters of God - “holy, catholic, and apostolic Church” and that we are all also called to be Fishers of Souls… to fish people out of darkness, hatred, violence, guilt into God’s wonderful marvelous life.

So - Why do Catholics NOT share their faith and NOT lead others to Christ? The Pope says: Catholics lack joy: because if we have joy, then no one needs to tell us to share and spread the faith, as we will do so naturally and spontaneously, the same way that we share anything that we are passionate about.

This lack of joy is because of lack of deep spirituality which turns into pessimism, fatalism, and mistrust. Some people do not commit themselves to mission or do not proclaim the Good News because they think that nothing will change and that it is useless to make the effort. They think: “Why should I deny myself my comforts and pleasures if I will not see any significant result anyway?” This attitude makes it impossible to be a missionary. It is only but a malicious excuse for remaining caught up in one’s comfort, laziness, vague dissatisfaction and empty selfishness. It is a self-destructive attitude, for “man cannot live without hope: life would become meaningless and unbearable”. 

If we think that things are not going to change, we need to recall that Jesus Christ has already triumphed over sin and death. Jesus Christ truly lives. The Gospel tells us that when the first disciples went forth to preach, “the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message” (Mk 16:20). The same thing happens today. We are invited to discover this, to experience it. Christ will not deprive us of the help we need to carry out the mission which He has entrusted to us. 

We need to realize that Christ’s resurrection is not an event of the past. Where all seems to be dead, signs of the resurrection suddenly spring up. Often - it seems that God does not exist: all around us we see persistent injustice, evil, indifference and cruelty. But it is also true that in the midst of darkness something new always springs to life and sooner or later produces fruit. 

However dark things are, goodness always re-emerges and spreads. Each day in our world - beauty is born anew.  Human beings have arisen time after time from situations that seemed doomed. Such is the power of the resurrection, and all who evangelize are instruments of that power. People do not realize that.

So, Pope Francis proposes this solution to this lack of joy and lack of deep spirituality and therefore lack of missionary zeal among Catholics:

He says: “I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ (meaning – having our own personal intimate relationship with Christ and not just going through the motions as Catholics), or at least an openness to letting Him encounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly each day. No one should think that this invitation is not meant for him or her, since “no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord”.

The Lord does not disappoint those who take this risk. Whenever we take a step towards Jesus, we come to realize that He is already there, waiting for us with open arms. Now is the time to say to Jesus – the Pope leads us in this prayer: “Lord, I have let myself be deceived; in a thousand ways I have shunned your love, yet here I am once more, to renew my covenant with you. I need you. Save me once again, Lord, take me once more into your redeeming embrace”.

The Pope continues: “How good it feels to come back to the Lord whenever we are lost! Let me say this once more: God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking His mercy. Time and time again He bears us on His shoulders. No one can strip us of the dignity bestowed upon us by this boundless and unfailing love.”

“With a tenderness which never disappoints, but is always capable of restoring our joy, He makes it possible for us to lift up our heads and to start anew. Let us not flee from the resurrection of Jesus, let us never give up, come what will. May nothing inspire us more than His life, which impels us onwards!”

It is the Risen Christ who tells us, with a power that fills us with confidence and unshakeable hope: “Behold, I make all things new” (Rev 21:5).

My brothers and sisters in Christ, we will find our joy when we proclaim and share this Good News and bring others to Christ.

Click here to Reply or ForwardFree Scores Now - 3 Bureau Credit ReportView your latest Credit Scores from all 3 bureaus in 60 seconds for $0!Why this ad?Ads – 2 GB (13%) of 15 GB usedManage©2014 Google - Terms & Privacy Last account activity: 2 hours agoDetails

Feastday: January 28
Died: 1274

St. Thomas Aquinas, priest and doctor of the Church, patron of all universities and of students. His feast day is January 28th. He was born toward the end of the year 1226. He was the son of Landulph, Count of Aquino, who, when St. Thomas was five years old, placed him under the care of the Benedictines of Monte Casino. His teachers were surprised at the progress he made, for he surpassed all his fellow pupils in learning as well as in the practice of virtue.

When he became of age to choose his state of life, St. Thomas renounced the things of this world and resolved to enter the Order of St. Dominic in spite of the opposition of his family. In 1243, at the age of seventeen, he joined the Dominicans of Naples. Some members of his family resorted to all manner of means over a two year period to break his constancy. They even went so far as to send an impure woman to tempt him. But all their efforts were in vain and St. Thomas persevered in his vocation. As a reward for his fidelity, God conferred upon him the gift of perfect chastity, which has merited for him the title of the "Angelic Doctor".

After making his profession at Naples, he studied at Cologne under the celebrated St. Albert the Great. Here he was nicknamed the "dumb ox" because of his silent ways and huge size, but he was really a brilliant student. At the age of twenty-two, he was appointed to teach in the same city. At the same time, he also began to publish his first works. After four years he was sent to Paris. The saint was then a priest. At the age of thirty-one, he received his doctorate.

At Paris he was honored with the friendship of the King, St. Louis, with whom he frequently dined. In 1261, Urban IV called him to Rome where he was appointed to teach, but he positively declined to accept any ecclesiastical dignity. St. Thomas not only wrote (his writings filled twenty hefty tomes characterized by brilliance of thought and lucidity of language), but he preached often and with greatest fruit. Clement IV offered him the archbishopric of Naples which he also refused. He left the great monument of his learning, the "Summa Theologica", unfinished, for on his way to the second Council of Lyons, ordered there by Gregory X, he fell sick and died at the Cistercian monastery of Fossa Nuova in 1274.

St. Thomas was one of the greatest and most influential theologians of all time. He was canonized in 1323 and declared Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius V.

Dear Sisters & Brothers in Christ,

Please see the attached memo from Hoang Tran, our National Cursillo Service Administrator, about the appointment of Bishop Carlos Sevilla (from the Diocese of Yakima, WA) as our next National Episcopal Advisor when Bishop Eusebio Elizondo’s term ends on September 30, 2014.   Bishop Sevilla will deliver the keynote address at the National Cursillo Encounter which will be held from July 31 – August 3, 2014 at Chapman University.  Here’s the link for more information:  http://www.natl-cursillo.org/encounter/encounter.pdf.   Please reserve your place by submitting your registration form found on this link:  https://www.natl-cursillo.org/encounter.

Feastday: January 24
Patron Saint of Journalists, Writers
1567 - 1622

Born in France in 1567, Francis was a patient man. He knew for thirteen years that he had a vocation to the priesthood before he mentioned it to his family. When his father said that he wanted Francis to be a soldier and sent him to Paris to study, Francis said nothing. Then when he went to Padua to get a doctorate in law, he still kept quiet, but he studied theology and practiced mental prayer while getting into swordfights and going to parties. Even when his bishop told him if he wanted to be a priest that he thought that he would have a miter waiting for him someday, Francis uttered not a word. Why did Francis wait so long? Throughout his life he waited for God's will to be clear. He never wanted to push his wishes on God, to the point where most of us would have been afraid that God would give up!

God finally made God's will clear to Francis while he was riding. Francis fell from his horse three times. Every time he fell the sword came out of the scabbard. Every time it came out the sword and scabbard came to rest on the ground in the shape of the cross. And then, Francis, without knowing about it, was appointed provost of his diocese, second in rank to the bishop.

Perhaps he was wise to wait, for he wasn't a natural pastor. His biggest concern on being ordained that he had to have his lovely curly gold hair cut off. And his preaching left the listeners thinking he was making fun of him. Others reported to the bishop that this noble-turned- priest was conceited and controlling.

Then Francis had a bad idea -- at least that's what everyone else thought. This was during the time of the Protestant reformation and just over the mountains from where Francis lived was Switzerland -- Calvinist territory. Francis decided that he should lead an expedition to convert the 60,000 Calvinists back to Catholicism. But by the time he left his expedition consisted of himself and his cousin. His father refused to give him any aid for this crazy plan and the diocese was too poor to support him.

For three years, he trudged through the countryside, had doors slammed in his face and rocks thrown at him. In the bitter winters, his feet froze so badly they bled as he tramped through the snow. He slept in haylofts if he could, but once he slept in a tree to avoid wolves. He tied himself to a branch to keep from falling out and was so frozen the next morning he had to be cut down. And after three years, his cousin had left him alone and he had not made one convert.

Francis' unusual patience kept him working. No one would listen to him, no one would even open their door. So Francis found a way to get under the door. He wrote out his sermons, copied them by hand, and slipped them under the doors. This is the first record we have of religious tracts being used to communicate with people.

The parents wouldn't come to him out of fear. So Francis went to the children. When the parents saw how kind he was as he played with the children, they began to talk to him.

By the time, Francis left to go home he is said to have converted 40,000 people back to Catholicism.

In 1602 he was made bishop of the diocese of Geneva, in Calvinist territory. He only set foot in the city of Geneva twice -- once when the Pope sent him to try to convert Calvin's successor, Beza, and another when he traveled through it.

It was in 1604 that Francis took one of the most important steps in his life, the step toward holiness and mystical union with God.

In Dijon that year Francis saw a widow listening closely to his sermon -- a woman he had seen already in a dream. Jane de Chantal was a person on her own, as Francis was, but it was only when they became friends that they began to become saints. Jane wanted him to take over her spiritual direction, but, not surprisingly, Francis wanted to wait. "I had to know fully what God himself wanted. I had to be sure that everything in this should be done as though his hand had done it." Jane was on a path to mystical union with God and, in directing her, Francis was compelled to follow her and become a mystic himself.

Three years after working with Jane, he finally made up his mind to form a new religious order. But where would they get a convent for their contemplative Visitation nuns? A man came to Francis without knowing of his plans and told him he was thinking of donating a place for use by pious women. In his typical way of not pushing God, Francis said nothing. When the man brought it up again, Francis still kept quiet, telling Jane, "God will be with us if he approves." Finally the man offered Francis the convent.

Francis was overworked and often ill because of his constant load of preaching, visiting, and instruction -- even catechizing a deaf man so he could take first Communion. He believed the first duty of a bishop was spiritual direction and wrote to Jane, "So many have come to me that I might serve them, leaving me no time to think of myself. However, I assure you that I do feel deep-down- within-me, God be praised. For the truth is that this kind of work is infinitely profitable to me." For him active work did not weaken his spiritual inner peace but strengthened it. He directed most people through letters, which tested his remarkable patience. "I have more than fifty letters to answer. If I tried to hurry over it all, i would be lost. So I intend neither to hurry or to worry. This evening, I shall answer as many as I can. Tomorrow I shall do the same and so I shall go on until I have finished."

At that time, the way of holiness was only for monks and nuns -- not for ordinary people. Francis changed all that by giving spiritual direction to lay people living ordinary lives in the world. But he had proven with his own life that people could grow in holiness while involved in a very active occupation. Why couldn't others do the same? His most famous book, INTRODUCTION TO THE DEVOUT LIFE, was written for these ordinary people in 1608. Written originally as letters, it became an instant success all over Europe -- though some preachers tore it up because he tolerated dancing and jokes!

For Francis, the love of God was like romantic love. He said, "The thoughts of those moved by natural human love are almost completely fastened on the beloved, their hearts are filled with passion for it, and their mouths full of its praises. When it is gone they express their feelings in letters, and can't pass by a tree without carving the name of their beloved in its bark. Thus too those who love God can never stop thinking about him, longing for him, aspiring to him, and speaking about him. If they could, they would engrave the name of Jesus on the hearts of all humankind."

The key to love of God was prayer. "By turning your eyes on God in meditation, your whole soul will be filled with God. Begin all your prayers in the presence of God."

For busy people of the world, he advised "Retire at various times into the solitude of your own heart, even while outwardly engaged in discussions or transactions with others and talk to God."

The test of prayer was a person's actions: "To be an angel in prayer and a beast in one's relations with people is to go lame on both legs."

He believed the worst sin was to judge someone or to gossip about them. Even if we say we do it out of love we're still doing it to look better ourselves. But we should be as gentle and forgiving with ourselves as we should be with others.

As he became older and more ill he said, "I have to drive myself but the more I try the slower I go." He wanted to be a hermit but he was more in demand than ever. The Pope needed him, then a princess, then Louis XIII. "Now I really feel that I am only attached to the earth by one foot..." He died on December 28, 1622, after giving a nun his last word of advice: "Humility."

He is patron saint of journalists because of the tracts and books he wrote.

Dear Sisters & Brothers in Christ,

We are very fortunate this year in having several special occasions to gather as Cursillistas from throughout Region XI and the Nation.   Please reserve the following important dates on your calendar for our 2014 Regional and National Cursillo Encounters:

April 11-13, 2014: Spring Region XI Encounter at Dicocese of Fresno Pastoral Center, 1550 North Fresno St., Fresno, CA

July 31-Aug 3, 2014: 24th National Encounter of the Cursillo Movement of the U.S. at Chapman University, One University Drive, Orange, CA (this is 5 miles from Disneyland in Anaheim, CA)

October 3-5, 2014: Fall Region XI Encounter at Diocese of Fresno Pastoral Center, 1550 North Fresno Street, Fresno, CA


Here are the topics to be presented at the 2014 National Encounter on July 31-August 3:

- Keynote: “CURSILLO AND THE NEW EVANGELIZATION” - Bishop Carlos Sevilla,  SJ

- History of Cursillo:  speaker from Mallorca, Spain

- Evangelization through Friendship:  Jackie D-Gray

- Servant Leaders’ Call and Responsibility, Diocesan, Regional and National:  Omar Baez

- Doctrinal rollo: topic TBD -  Deacon Ben Agustin

- Conflict Resolution Workshop:  Steve Krause

- Stewardship in Cursillo Movement:  Hoang Tran

I have been asked to give a 30-minute Doctrinal Rollo at the National Encounter, so I’d like to solicit your thoughts about what topic(s) would be of greatest interest to you.  Would you kindly email me your ideas? Please leave your suggested topics by commenting below.

De Colores!

Deacon Ben Agustin

Feastday: January 17

Two Greek philosophers ventured out into the Egyptian desert to the mountain where Anthony lived. When they got there, Anthony asked them why they had come to talk to such a foolish man? He had reason to say that -- they saw before them a man who wore a skin, who refused to bathe, who lived on bread and water. They were Greek, the world's most admired civilization, and Anthony was Egyptian, a member of a conquered nation. They were philosophers, educated in languages and rhetoric. Anthony had not even attended school as a boy and he needed an interpreter to speak to them. In their eyes, he would have seemed very foolish.

But the Greek philosophers had heard the stories of Anthony. They had heard how disciples came from all over to learn from him, how his intercession had brought about miraculous healings, how his words comforted the suffering. They assured him that they had come to him because he was a wise man.

Anthony guessed what they wanted. They lived by words and arguments. They wanted to hear his words and his arguments on the truth of Christianity and the value of ascetism. But he refused to play their game. He told them that if they truly thought him wise, "If you think me wise, become what I am, for we ought to imitate the good. Had I gone to you, I should have imitated you, but, since you have come to me, become what I am, for I am a Christian."

Anthony's whole life was not one of observing, but of becoming. When his parents died when he was eighteen or twenty he inherited their three hundred acres of land and the responsibility for a young sister. One day in church, he heard read Matthew 19:21: "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." Not content to sit still and meditate and reflect on Jesus' words he walked out the door of the church right away and gave away all his property except what he and his sister needed to live on. On hearing Matthew 6:34, "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today," he gave away everything else, entrusted his sister to a convent, and went outside the village to live a life of praying, fasting, and manual labor. It wasn't enough to listen to words, he had to become what Jesus said.

Every time he heard of a holy person he would travel to see that person. But he wasn't looking for words of wisdom, he was looking to become. So if he admired a person's constancy in prayer or courtesy or patience, he would imitate it. Then he would return home.

Anthony went on to tell the Greek philosophers that their arguments would never be as strong as faith. He pointed out that all rhetoric, all arguments, no matter how complex, how well-founded, were created by human beings. But faith was created by God. If they wanted to follow the greatest ideal, they should follow their faith.

Anthony knew how difficult this was. Throughout his life he argued and literally wrestled with the devil. His first temptations to leave his ascetic life were arguments we would find hard to resist -- anxiety about his sister, longings for his relatives, thoughts of how he could have used his property for good purposes, desire for power and money. When Anthony was able to resist him, the devil then tried flattery, telling Anthony how powerful Anthony was to beat him. Anthony relied on Jesus' name to rid himself of the devil. It wasn't the last time, though. One time, his bout with the devil left him so beaten, his friends thought he was dead and carried him to church. Anthony had a hard time accepting this. After one particular difficult struggle, he saw a light appearing in the tomb he lived in. Knowing it was God, Anthony called out, "Where were you when I needed you?" God answered, "I was here. I was watching your struggle. Because you didn't give in, I will stay with you and protect you forever."

With that kind of assurance and approval from God, many people would have settled in, content with where they were. But Anthony's reaction was to get up and look for the next challenge -- moving out into the desert.

Anthony always told those who came to visit him that the key to the ascetic life was perseverance, not to think proudly, "We've lived an ascetic life for a long time" but treat each day as if it were the beginning. To many, perseverance is simply not giving up, hanging in there. But to Anthony perseverance meant waking up each day with the same zeal as the first day. It wasn't enough that he had given up all his property one day. What was he going to do the next day?

Once he had survived close to town, he moved into the tombs a little farther away. After that he moved out into the desert. No one had braved the desert before. He lived sealed in a room for twenty years, while his friends provided bread. People came to talk to him, to be healed by him, but he refused to come out. Finally they broke the door down. Anthony emerged, not angry, but calm. Some who spoke to him were healed physically, many were comforted by his words, and others stayed to learn from him. Those who stayed formed what we think of as the first monastic community, though it is not what we would think of religious life today. All the monks lived separately, coming together only for worship and to hear Anthony speak.

But after awhile, too many people were coming to seek Anthony out. He became afraid that he would get too proud or that people would worship him instead of God. So he took off in the middle of the night, thinking to go to a different part of Egypt where he was unknown. Then he heard a voice telling him that the only way to be alone was to go into the desert. He found some Saracens who took him deep into the desert to a mountain oasis. They fed him until his friends found him again.

Anthony died when he was one hundred and five years old. A life of solitude, fasting, and manual labor in the service of God had left him a healthy, vigorous man until very late in life. And he never stopped challenging himself to go one step beyond in his faith.

Saint Athanasius, who knew Anthony and wrote his biography, said, "Anthony was not known for his writings nor for his worldly wisdom, nor for any art, but simply for his reverence toward God." We may wonder nowadays at what we can learn from someone who lived in the desert, wore skins, ate bread, and slept on the ground. We may wonder how we can become him. We can become Anthony by living his life of radical faith and complete commitment to God.

In His Footsteps: Fast for one day, if possible, as Anthony did, eating only bread and only after the sun sets. Pray as you do that God will show you how dependent you are on God for your strength.

Prayer: Saint Anthony, you spoke of the importance of persevering in our faith and our practice. Help us to wake up each day with new zeal for the Christian life and a desire to take the next challenge instead of just sitting still. Amen

Copyright (c) 1996-2000, Terry Matz. All Rights Reserved. Quotations from "Life of St. Anthony" by Saint Athanasius. Translated by Sister Mary Emily Keenan, S.C.N. Copyright 1952 by Fathers of the Early Church, Inc.

Rector Bro. Ric Calma; Rectora Sis Myelene Legaspi. St. Peter's Church, Pacifica, CA. JAN. 11, 2014

Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Epiphany. "The Lord and ruler is coming; kingship is his, and government and power." With these words the Church proclaims that today's feast brings to a perfect fulfillment all the purposes of Advent. Epiphany, therefore, marks the liturgical zenith of the Advent-Christmas season. — Pius ParschOrdinarily today is the feast of St. John Neumann which is superseded by the Sunday Liturgy. The Solemnity of the Epiphany is celebrated either on January 6 or, according to the decision of the episcopal conference, on the Sunday between January 2 and January 8. The young Messiah is revealed as the light of the nations. Yet, as the antiphon for the Magnificat at Second Vespers reminds us, three mysteries are encompassed in this solemnity: the adoration of the Christ Child by the Magi, the Baptism of Christ and the wedding feast at Cana. Extra candles and/or lamps may be placed around the sanctuary and in other parts of the church to honor Christ revealed as the Light of the Gentiles (Ceremonial of Bishops). It is customary to replace the images of the shepherds at the crib with the three Magi and their gifts. — Ceremonies of the Liturgical Year, Msgr. Peter J. Elliott, Ignatius Press.

Click here for commentary on the readings in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

The feast of the Epiphany, which was kept in the East and in certain Western Churches before being observed in Rome, seems to have been originally a feast of the nativity; January 6, for those churches where it was kept, was the equivalent of Christmas (December 25) in the Roman Church. The feast was introduced at Rome in the second half of the sixth century and became the complement and, so to say, the crown of the Christmas festival.

Epiphany means manifestation. What the Church celebrates today is the manifestation of our Lord to the whole world; after being made known to the shepherds of Bethlehem He is revealed to the Magi who have come from the East to adore Him. Christian tradition has ever seen in the Magi the first fruits of the Gentiles; they lead in their wake all the peoples of the earth, and thus the Epiphany is an affirmation of universal salvation. St. Leo brings out this point admirably in a sermon, read at Matins, in which he shows in the adoration of the Magi the beginnings of Christian faith, the time when the great mass of the heathen sets off to follow the star which summons it to seek its Saviour.

That is the meaning, too, of the wonderful prophecy from Isaias which the liturgy appoints to be read in the first nocturn at Matins and at the Epistle of the Mass. This same thought of universal redemption the Church returns to as she sings, in the antiphon to the Magnificat at 2nd Vespers, applying the words to herself, of the union with Christ typified by the wedding feast at Cana, by the baptism of her children foreshadowed by that of Christ in the waters of the Jordan. Formerly the Epiphany was an additional day for solemn baptisms.

The Twelfth Day of Christmas

Solemnity of the Lord's Epiphany

Many traditions and genuine manifestations of popular piety have been developed in relation to the Solemnity of the Lord's Epiphany, which is of ancient origin and rich in spiritual content. Among such forms of popular piety, mention may be made of:

• the solemn proclamation of Easter and the principal dominical feasts; its revival in many places would be opportune since it served to make the connection between the Epiphany and Easter, and orientate all feasts towards the greatest Christian solemnity;
• the exchange of "Epiphany gifts", which derives from the gifts offered to Jesus by the three kings (cf. Mt 2,11) and more radically from the gift made to mankind by God in the birth of Emmanuel amongst us (cf. Is 7, 14; 9, 16; Mt 1, 23). It is important, however, to ensure that the exchange of gifts on the solemnity of the Epiphany retain a Christian character, indicating that its meaning is evangelical: hence the gifts offered should be a genuine expression of popular piety and free from extravagance, luxury, and waste, all of which are extraneous to the Christian origins of this practice;
• the blessing of homes, on whose lintels are inscribed the Cross of salvation, together with the indication of the year and the initials of the three wise men (C+M+B), which can also be interpreted to mean Christus Mansionem Benedicat, written in blessed chalk; this custom, often accompanied by processions of children accompanied by their parents, expresses the blessing of Christ through the intercession of the three wise men and is an occasion for gathering offerings for charitable and missionary purposes;
• initiatives in solidarity with those who come from afar; whether Christian or not, popular piety has encouraged a sense of solidarity and openness;
• assistance to the work of evangelization; the strong missionary character of the Epiphany has been well understood by popular piety and many initiatives in support of the missions flourish on 6 January, especially the "Missionary work of the Holy Child", promoted by the Apostolic See;
• the assignation of Patrons; in many religious communities and confraternities, patron saints are assigned to the members for the coming year.

— Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy

Feastday: January 4
Died: 1821

Elizabeth Bayley Seton was the first native born American to be canonized by the Catholic Church.

Born two years before the American Revolution, Elizabeth grew up in the "cream" of New York society. She was a prolific reader, and read everything from the Bible to contemporary novels.

In spite of her high society background, Elizabeth's early life was quiet, simple, and often lonely. As she grew a little older, the Bible was to become her continual instruction, support and comfort; she would continue to love the Scriptures for the rest of her life.

In 1794, Elizabeth married the wealthy young William Seton, with whom she was deeply in love. The first years of their marriage were happy and prosperous. Elizabeth wrote in her diary at first autumn, "My own home at twenty-the world-that and heaven too-quite impossible."

This time of Elizabeth's life was to be a brief moment of earthly happiness before the many deaths and partings she was to suffer. Within four years, Will's father died, leaving the young couple in charge of Will's seven half brothers and sisters, as well as the family's importing business. Now events began to move fast - and with devastating effect. Both Will's business and his health failed. He was finally forced to file a petition of bankruptcy. In a final attempt to save Will's health, the Setons sailed for Italy, where Will had business friends. Will died of tuberculosis while in Italy. Elizabeth's one consolation was that Will had recently awakened to the things of God.

The many enforced separations from dear ones by death and distance, served to draw Elizabeth's heart to God and eternity. The accepting and embracing of God's will - "The Will," as she called it - would be a keynote in her spiritual life.

Elizabeth's deep concern for the spiritual welfare of her family and friends eventually led her into the Catholic Church.

In Italy, Elizabeth captivated everyone by her own kindness, patience, good sense, wit and courtesy. During this time Elizabeth became interested in the Catholic Faith, and over a period of months, her Italian friends guided her in Catholic instructions.

Elizabeth's desire for the Bread of Life was to be a strong force leading her to the Catholic Church.

Having lost her mother at an early age, Elizabeth felt great comfort in the idea that the Blessed Virgin was truly her mother. She asked the Blessed Virgin to guide her to the True Faith. Elizabeth finally joined the Catholic Church in 1805.

At the suggestion of the president of St. Mary's College in Baltimore, Maryland, Elizabeth started a school in that city. She and two other young women, who helped her in her work, began plans for a Sisterhood. They established the first free Catholic school in America. When the young community adopted their rule, they made provisions for Elizabeth to continue raising her children.

On March 25, 1809, Elizabeth Seton pronounced her vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, binding for one year. From that time she was called Mother Seton.

Although Mother Seton was now afflicted with tuberculosis, she continued to guide her children. The Rule of the Sisterhood was formally ratified in 1812. It was based upon the Rule St. Vincent de Paul had written for his Daughters of Charity in France. By 1818, in addition to their first school, the sisters had established two orphanages and another school. Today six groups of sisters trace their origins to Mother Seton's initial foundation.

For the last three years of her life, Elizabeth felt that God was getting ready to call her, and this gave her joy. Mother Seton died in 1821 at the age of 46, only sixteen years after becoming a Catholic. She was canonized on September 14, 1975.