Retreat reminds Cursillistas of God's mercy, love

HILLSBOROUGH — As they began their faith journey towards Easter, Cursillistas from the diocese took time for an encounter with Christ during a Lenten retreat. “Let Your Face Shine on Your Servant (Psalm 31:16) was the theme of the retreat sponsored by the Metuchen Cursillo Movement held March 4 at Mary, Mother of God Parish.

“This was our 14th Lenten event which helped Cursillistas and guests to be reminded of God’s love and mercy, even as we struggle through the challenges in our lives,” said Bill Grippo, diocesan coordinator for the Metuchen Cursillo Movement.

Cursillo, Grippo explained, is a lay apostolic movement of the Church that emphasizes the importance of a balanced life of piety, continual spiritual study and action to keep Christ as the center of life. “It is an exciting part of our journey with Christ,” he added.

The Lenten retreat began with Mass celebrated by Msgr. Joseph Curry, pastor of Mary, Mother of God. Breakfast followed and then Grippo welcomed the more than 50 attendees and spoke about the power and potential of Cursillo in a person’s spiritual life.

He said, Cursillo can change a life and related examples including one where someone who had been in prison went to a Cursillo Weekend and afterwards started to go to Mass and pray the rosary.

“The purpose of Cursillo is to evangelize and it has been very effective in the world of evangelization for five decades. We want to help Bishop Checchio in his mission of evangelization,” Grippo said. Through the Cursillo Weekend, individuals are energized and prepared to return to their environment and make it more Christlike, he added.

The next speaker at the Lenten Retreat was Deacon Sal Bonfiglio who ministers at Mary, Mother of God. His reflection focused on God’s “love and mercy,” which, he said, “can often be misunderstood.” “I see these terms as referring to God’s compassion for the daily struggles of our human condition. While we often seek God’s help in our physical hardships, his resulting assistance always impacts the bigger picture -- our spiritual health,” Deacon Bonfiglio said.

“Everything God allows has the potential to lead to our salvation.,” he continued. “Although it grieves him, he will allow us to suffer physically, if it can draw us closer to him spiritually. That’s divine mercy. I believe this goes to the heart of the Gospel.

So, to live the Gospel, is to accept this truth in our daily life. If we allow the Spirit of Jesus to dwell in us, we will extend his mercy by joyfully accepting personal hardship, if doing so can ease the suffering of another of God’s children.”

After Deacon Bonfiglio’s talk, the Cursillistas and guests participated in a reflective Stations of the Cross led by Cursillo leader Ken Wolfram. Then Cursillo leader Linda Ambrosio led the group in the Divine Mercy Chaplet of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Mary Wolfram, who coordinated the Lenten Retreat, introduced the main speaker, Father Cyril Adim Offiong, SVD, parochial vicar at St. Cecelia’s Parish, Iselin. Grippo said in his talk Father Offiong captivated the audience with his wit, humor, and deep sense of spirituality. “He encouraged  the group on its Lenten journey to put their faith in Christ,” Grippo said.

“Mercy was the focus of Father Offiong’s talk,” Mary Wolfram said. “He explained to us how mercy is free, but never cheap,” she added. “As Jesus reveals fully on the cross, mercy is always costly to the giver of mercy,” Father Offiong said. He stressed, too, that “one who receives mercy must also in turn give it.”

To convey how mercy is given, Father Offiong referred to St. Gregory who stated, “Mercy shows itself in us when we cheerfully practice almsgiving to the ungrateful, undeserving poor or joyfully do good to our nasty neighbor.”

“After Father Offiong went through all of his points on mercy, he turned to the cross which hangs over the altar at Mary Mother of God Church and looking at Jesus said, ‘Mercy is not cheap.” It was a powerful moment,” Mary Wolfram declared.

By the end of the Lenten Retreat the Cursillistas and guests had encountered Christ at Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, and even Reconciliation.

Commenting on the Cursillo Lenten Retreat, Msgr. Curry said, “The Cursillo is one of those groups that lives faith with a passion. We are blessed as a parish family, to have this and so many other groups that not only live their faith but do so with a love and a passion that are contagious. We are happy to host the Cursillo Retreat and to see the joy that is brought into our midst!”

Anyone interested in learning more about the Metuchen Cursillo Movement is encouraged to visit  its website: www.metcursillo.org or email: [email protected].