A NOTE FROM RICK KLARMANN, LAY DIRECTOR

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

You can watch the news and easily become discouraged when bombarded by all of the bad things going on in the US or in the world.  When things aren’t going well, it is easy to become discouraged.  When we don’t feel well, when the aches and pains of daily living weigh us down; when the cares and needs of family and friends is almost more than we can bear, it can be difficult to see God at work in our lives.  But He is.  He is right there in the midst of the muck and pain and it is He who sustains us through it all.  Therefore, we must turn our thoughts and prayers to the God of the Universe; the God who loves us more than we love ourselves, more than we can fathom or deserve.  We turn to Him because we know that without Him we can do nothing of value. 

As I previously wrote, we have an opportunity for a weekend in December and possibly another weekend early next year.  But the weekends will not happen without you.  We need your prayers and we need your talents.

• Sponsors who are praying and fasting for their friends; in order that their friends may hear the Holy Spirit calling them to a new and deeper relationship
• Candidates hear the Lord calling them to something more and who after prayer and discernment want to learn more about and begin to live the Cursillo method
• Teams of men and women who believe in and are living the Cursillo method in the various environments they find themselves and who will lovingly share their gifts and talents

Typically, a Novena to the Holy Spirit is prayed just prior to Pentecost. In some ways we need another Pentecost.  We need to be fired up by the Holy Spirit to do great things.  We need the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit so that we, the Cursillo Movement in the Diocese of Trenton can lovingly spread the Good News of the Gospel.  Our Blessed Mother, the Apostles, and other disciples spent time in prayer—waiting to be clothed with power from on high—the Holy Spirit.  Once they received the Holy Spirit they were able to do great things for the Lord.  Please join Secretariat and the Cursillo Community of the Diocese of Trenton in praying the Novena to the Holy Spirit beginning today and ending Friday July 14^th. 

Please pray the following intention (as well as any intention you may have):

Holy Spirit, third Person of the Blessed Trinity, Spirit of Truth, Love, and Holiness, proceeding from the Father and the Son, and equal to Them in all things, I adore You and love You with all my heart.

Holy Spirit, confiding in Your deep, personal love for me, I am making this novena for the following request, if it should be Your Holy Will to grant it.  To inspire men and women in our community to willingly and lovingly share their gifts and talents as sponsors and leaders for the benefit of the God’s Kingdom.  And that men and women open their hearts to your call to a deeper relationship with them through the Cursillo method.

Teach me, Divine Spirit, to know and seek my last end; grant me the holy fear of God; grant me true contrition and patience.  Do not let me fall into sin.  Give me an increase of faith, hope, and charity, and bring forth in my soul all the virtues proper to my state of life.

Make me a faithful disciple of Jesus and an obedient child of the Church. Give me efficacious grace sufficient to keep the commandments and to receive the sacraments worthily.  Give me the four Cardinal Virtues, Your Seven Gifts, Your Twelve Fruits.  Raise me to perfection in the state of life to which You have called me and lead me through a happy death to everlasting life.  Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

We will remind everyone to pray the Novena with us today and each day of the Novena.  Then, we will conclude our Novena with a special prayer at School of Leaders on Saturday July 15^th after the 9AM Mass at Epiphany in Brick.

God bless and please pray with us
Rick Klarmann