WITNESS SIS MERLA - SEPT 25,2004 ULTREYA

Good afternoon Brothers and Sisters in Christ. I am Sis. Merla Cardenas Cursillo #287, Aug. 1974 Tagalog co-ed Cursillo, at St. Benedict's Center, SF. Decuria Sta. Catalina.

The Cursillo movement is my primary apostolate and ministry. I would like to share with you my pilgrimage to our Eternal Father the last 30 years since I lived my 3-day Cursillo in the cold, but heavenly, gym of St. Benedict's Center in SF. Don't be alarmed because it will not be a 2-hour story like "Maalala mo Kaya." I would like to share with you the joy of perseverance in the Cursillo movement.

Like most of you, the 3-day Cursillo weekend was a turning point in my life. I was the Decuria president and I was the witness speaker of 4th day Workshop, Monthly Ultreya and Grand Ultreya. I served almost yearly in different capacities from cleaning and unclogging of the bathroom at St. Benedict's Center to cooking uncooked rice and washing dishes in the kitchen, to delivering Rollos and being Dean of Piety, Study and Action. I attended and still attend School of Leaders, Monthly and Grand Ultreyas, Cursillo de los Cursillos in Fresno and in 2000, I even went to the World Ultreya in Rome. I served in the Secretariat as the Secretary when Bro. Ding Viray was the Lay Director, as post-Cursillo co-chairperson with Bro. Richard Gleeson, and Grand Ultreya co-person with Bro. Sam Pasion.

I give praise and glory to God because at one monthly Ultreya when I was the witness speaker Bro. Nestor Uy called me "a model Cursillista." In the early '80s-1993 when I left for Florida, Bro. Moises Gines and I were part of a group reunion, which our main apostolate was the Breakfast Mananita. We traveled in the Vanpool of Bro. Hermie and the late Sis. Pilar Afuang to many different Cursillo retreats for Breakfast Mananita. We also went caroling and even have a recording of the Filipino way of the Mananita Song in the Long Playing Album of Bro. Larry Love. Our group reunion fed the homeless at the Mother Teresa Soup Kitchen in SF, as well. Along with being a praying community, our families got together for camping and snow trips.

In obedience to God's will and plan, our group reunion members have bloomed where they're planted. Like our Bro. Sam and Sis. Aster Pasion where one of the pioneers of the San Jose Cursillo.I did not share so much of my P/S/A because "I sort of gave a witness talk last Aug. 28, 2004 when I was supposed to give an affirmation talk to Sis. Rose Sharpan's witness talk." I apologize.

My acts of Piety/Holiness include starting and ending the day offering my works of the day for the greater honor and glory of God, the intentions of the Holy Father, and my special intentions and praying for those that harm and hurt me and those I harm and hurt. I pray the Holy Rosary, Chaplet of the Divine Mercy, pray to my guardian angel and seek spiritual direction. Presently, my spiritual director is Fr. William Lauriola of the Chapel of Immaculate Conception. I attended retreats at Vallambrosa, meditate in a holy hour at the Perpetual Adoration at San Bruno's Church. I celebrate mass at the 7pm, Wednesday nights at San Bruno, 8pm Thursday nights at the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception's Healing Mass of Fr. William Lauriola. I mostly attend the 12:10pm mass of my favorite church: St. Mary's Cathedral SF.

For my study and formation, I like attending religious seminars like Marriage Encounter, the Christian Life Program (CLP) of the Couples for Christ, the Annual Convention of the Handmaid's of the Lord, and just last 9/11/04 the Life in the Spirit Seminar (LSS) at St. Paul of the Shipwreck 3rd St. SF with my special friend, Edna Austria Rodis.

For my apostolic action and evangelization, I serve as a Lector and Eucharistic Minister at All Souls Church, South San Francisco. I am blessed that I can evangelize to my patients and students as an RN and RN instructor. For the past 7 years, I joined my daughters, Mimi and Mia, in their apostolate and youth ministry in the Junior Apostolates for Christ (JAC) by going to Mananitas and sometimes cooking for the youth. I take my children to feed the homeless at St. Anthony's Dining Room, Glide Memorial Church, and streets in San Francisco during special occasions like Thanksgiving, Christmas and birthdays. I have planned apostolate and unplanned apostolate because I try to perform charitable acts whenever given the opportunity.

I said in the beginning that I will share with you the joy of perseverance. I give praise and glory to God for giving me my new group reunions: Sis. Linda Thomas, Sis Luz Chin, and Sis. Ning Ludivico as part of the big group reunion organized by Sis. Norma Palisoc and School of Leaders permanent group reunion Sis. Linda Thomas and Sis. Marylou Santos. My ultimate joy is the presence of my children, Miriam and Maria, my mother and aunt here because I think that my children are my main group reunion and P/S/A.

De Colores and God Bless.

My name is Sis. Arlene Romero, Cursillo #754, Decuria of St. Therese. I lived my Cursillo on June 16-18, 2005.

I'd like to share with you a little bit about who I was before the Cursillo. I have never been a church person. I do repetitious prayers with no sincerity. It's sad to say that I only to go church whenever I have problems thinking God will do something about it. It's difficult for me to forgive and most of all to forget the incident. Lots of things went on with the family wherein serious health problems hit my mother and father both diagnosed with cancer, two of my uncles passed away, problems with my teenage daughter. Bro.Jim, my husband, who came from a religious family had asked and begged me million times to go to church regularly with the kids instead of spending time at work. Of course, I always have excuses for not going. Then, one day I realized that with all the money I was making, all the material things I've acquired, the attention, and enjoyment from my socialization, I felt something was missing. I wasn't happy. I thank God for giving me Bro. Jim, who was so patient with me and through his love and encouragement, I started going to church every Sunday with him and my daughters. Listening to God's Word gave me peace of mind and fulfillment. It strengthened my faith in God. I learned to trust Him. God continued to give me trials, though. But, I now understand that He has purpose for all these trials. I believe that even when life doesn't make sense, God will make sense out it if I just continue to serve Him. Not everything I asked for was answered but I believe that He will give me an answer in His own good gracious time. And, God later blessed me by bringing me to the Cursillo weekend.

Thanks to the 3-day Cursillo retreat, it taught me a lot especially on how to forgive others and myself. God touched me deeply through the speakers. I also learned to pray sincerely with my whole heart. I would like to thank Sis. Ning Ludovico, who brought me to the Cursillo.

As part of my holiness, I make sure that I say my personal morning and evening prayers. And, with God's grace, I am now praying the rosary 3 times a week. I carry now with me my rosary, prayer book and Magnificat. I visit the Blessed Sacrament twice a week. As part of my formation, I make and find time to read God's Scriptures. I'm currently reading Rick Warren's "The Purpose Driven Life" book. And, my plan to better form myself spiritually is to read more spiritual books and to know more about God. As for my evangelization, I honestly feel that I am not ready to evangelize. At this point, I am trying to absorb all what I have learned from the Cursillo. I cannot evangelize out there without evangelizing myself first. De Colores!

I am Sis. Lilibeth Villaro. I lived my Cursillo last July, Cursillo #754, Decuria of St. Rita. After my 3-day Cursillo weekend, here are some of the things that I've learned and have been doing everyday.

For my Piety and study, I've been religiously praying my morning prayers and reading the daily Scriptures. This is the first thing I do when I open my eyes in the morning. I noticed that since I've been doing morning prayers and Scripture reading, and think of God only, my day go smoothly and I don't need to worry about things. Reading the Bible is quite new to me as I've never really read the Bible before. I attend Mass daily during my lunch hour. I find it comforting to talk to God. I said hello to Him when I arrive at Mass and say goodbye when I leave and promise to come back the following day. I pray the rosaryevery night with my children and also pray the evening prayers. Serving as a Eucharistic Minister at St. Andrew Church also helps me in my holiness.

For my action or evangelization effort - I start, of course, with my family, especially with my children. When I notice that their behavior is not acceptable, I bring it to their attention and tell them what their behavior should be. I'm happy to say that after not having a permanent job for over a year I was glad to land a job on August 8. My first day at work, a co-worker was already complaining to me about his job. God put me right away to evangelize. With a calm voice and with the Holy Spirit guiding me how to deal with this co-worker, I calmly told him that he should be thankful to God that He's got a job and should really appreciate whatever he's got and stop complaining. I told him that I really feel good and thank God for getting me a job. This is a wonderful gift from Him. Suddenly, he stopped and kept quiet.I am trying really hard to apply to myself and my family the spiritual knowledge I learned during the 3-day Cursillo weekend.

I hope through the grace of God, I will be able to make it. And I always pray to Him that I will be sensitive to all his messages especially messages in dealing with daily struggles in life.

De Colores,