Mimi’s Message

Hi all,

I love the Advent season. For me it is a time of connecting with friends through cards and phone calls and of course now through e-mail.

On Friday, Dec 2, we can spend some time with God and Cursillo friends at Missionhurst at 7:30 for an evening of prayer, music and some light refreshment afterwards. Please bring a snack and a beverage and enjoy some time together.

December 9-11 at the Dominican Retreat House is the date for the Retreat for the Seriously Ill. The weekend is staffed with priests and medical professionals and provides a time of spiritual renewal and refreshment. There is no charge for his weekend. For more information, please contact the retreat house at 703-356-4243. Also there is a Sunday morning serenade at 8:30. Bring yourself and flowers.

Finally, we will gather on Dec. 10 at Sacred Heart in Manassas for School of Leaders at 9:30 to hear the two candidates for Lay Director, Jack Finnerty and Phil Kiko share their vision for cursillo in the coming years. Join us to hear their thoughts and ask questions.

The Secretariat will meet on Tuesday, January 24 at St. Charles for mass at 7:00 and will then choose the new lay director. The community is invited to join us for mass and refreshments afterwards.

Many dates – time for prayer and time together! I hope you will join me.

God bless,

Mimi Fitzgerald
Lay Director, Arlington Cursillo

Hi all,

Just a quick reminder of the Diocesan Ultreya this Saturday night at 7:30 at Holy Family in Dale City. Details on the website www.arlingtoncursillo.org on the calendar. Now is the time to invite a friend to join you. We have rectors for the spring weekends – Christy Grossman for the Women’s Weekend, March 22-25 and Tim Brady for the Men on April 19-22. Both are at Missionhurst. It’s not too early to remember them in prayer and offer palanca. 

Hope to see you on Saturday night. Bring a friend, bring a snack to share. 

God bless,

Mimi Fitzgerald
Lay Director, Arlington Cursillo

Hi all,

I am still not operating from my own computer, so not sure what number message this is. Not important!! What is important is that we are going with our eight candidates for the Men’s Weekend. The team is ready so it is a go! We do need help in the kitchen and there are some spaces on the Palanca Calendar. We would like to have some of you join us in the kitchen. It does not require previous experience – wouldn’t you like to learn to make creme brulee? Hope some of you will fill in the blank spaces. And if you have any last minute candidates, send them along. See you at San Damiano!!

God bless,
Mimi Fitzgerald
Lay Director, Arlington Cursillo

Hi all,

Happy Summer! Hopefully many of you will be able to take some time off in the next few weeks to relax, to refresh and renew yourselves with our God , with family and friends. Members of the Secretariat will do a bit of that this weekend as we spend Friday night overnight and part of Saturday at Mt. Tabor to do just that. Fr. Joe Nangle, O.F.M. will join us and help us to share some thoughts and prayers. I ask you for your prayers as we consider the past year and the one to come and the ways in which we can best serve our God and our cursillo community. God bless.

Hi all,

Is anyone out there building an ark? Not related to the weather, but due to the fact that there has been very little interest in the September 17th Octoberfest , we have decided to cancel. Thanks to those who volunteered and were planning to join us. We appreciate your setting aside the time and hope this will come together sometime in the future.

Spaces are plentiful on the palanca calendar for the women’s weekend and on the cooking calendar. Join us in prayer and in the kitchen. Cooking is always fun and the drive to San Damiano a little extra palanca. Also I just looked at the info for the Men’s Weekend in October. We need candidates, cooks and prayers. Maybe best to start with the praying people.

See you on Saturday for School of Leaders at St. Joseph’s in Alexandria. Details are on the website: www.arlingtoncursillo.org under calendar.

Mimi Fitzgerald
Lay Director, Arlington Cursillo

Hi all,

Hope you are all keeping cool and having some time for fun with family and friends in the heat of the summer.

Two events coming up: From down south – St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Fredericksburg (1009 Stafford Avenue) is hosting a Cursillo Information Night on Wednesday, August 10 from 7:00 to 8:30pm in the John Paul II Meeting House. Bring a friend who might be interested in getting more information about cursillo.

Up in Northern Virginia our next Cursillo School of Leaders is on Saturday, August 13, 9:30 to noon at Good Shepherd Catholic Church (8710 Mount Vernon Highway, Alexandria, 22309). Father Tuck Grinnell will kick off our new series for the upcoming year. “The Fruit of God’s Spirit in our Fourth Day.” We’ll also discuss chapter 1 of “Spiritual Exercises for Church Lead” by Dolores Leckey. Bring your group reunion – Join us!!

Save the Date! Save the Date!! Mark your calendars for Octoberfest on Saturday, September 17, 6:00 to 10:00 at St. John Neumann, 11900 Lawyers Rd., Reston, VA 20191. Join us for an evening of brats, beer and fun!! More coming on the website!

Who says summer is dull – two teams in formation, palanca and cook team calendars are up. Time to Make a friend.

God bless,

Mimi Fitzgerald
Lay Director, Arlington Cursillo

Help is needed!! The cook at Missionhurst is going on vacation on May 9 until the end of the month. A cook is needed to shop and prepare dinner each night from May 9 until May 31 for 7 people. Please contact Father Mike Hann at 703- 528-3800.

Happy Tuesday!! It’s not quite the beautiful day that yesterday was but starting with some quiet time, early morning Mass at Missionhurst, and coffee with a friend is a great way to start the second day of a busy week.

Thanks to all who supported the weekend, the team, families, friends who prayed and cooked, to Father Mike at Missionhurst who – along with Father Hall at St. Joseph’s welcomed us – and all those who worked hard over the past months to make this possible.

We were nurtured by the words of our new cursillistas on Sunday. I remember the comments about making new friends, about being on an amazing journey, about deepening relationship with Christ. We might consider gently sharing the enthusiasm of our friendship with Jesus with others. In the past we have asked new cursillistas to go carefully and not overwhelm their friends with invitations to cursillo. Perhaps it is time to continue to bring friends to Christ with the September and October Women’s and Men’s Weekends in mind. And to remember that we bring friends not just to cursillo but indeed to Christ.

I hope to see you on next Saturday morning, April 16 at Our Lady Queen of Peace – School of Leaders Orientation is at 9:30. Check the website under the calendar for more information. Enjoy a fine faith filled fourth day!!

I have been thinking of sending a message to all of you for the past couple of days. We have a Men’s Weekend scheduled for April 7-10 at Missionhurst and at this point we have three candidates. Nagging people isn’t my style, nor is guilt!! I have been searching for the words and just received them from the Rector of the Men’s Team, George Darnell. The team had their potluck last night and to quote George: “The Team is all dressed up and ready to dance. We just need partners.” And so we pray and get to work.

We had ultreya last night at St. Charles and were joined by several of our new cursillistas – seven, I think. Great evening with a wonderful witness from Elise Cleva, who made her weekend last year. It is truly a delight to hear from our younger cursillistas.

Help!! In the last couple of days, we have added one new candidate, Mai Pham from St. Raymond’s and today another Karolina Dembinsky-Lemus from Our Lady of Angels who I am sponsoring. So as you are writing palanca please take a few extra moments and add a couple more notes. Karolina had contacted me about cursillo some months ago, but couldn’t make this weekend because of a class on Saturday. She just received word that the class was cancelled, could she come. Absolutely!! What is e-mail and a community for!! Again check the cook crew and the palanca calendar! Thanks much!!