Greetings of Peace and De Colores
My Journey of Faith by Verne Bowers
Greetings of Peace and De Colores to My Cursillo Family in the Diocese of Sacramento!
I am the incoming Lay Director for the Sacramento Cursillo Movement. I'd like to share with you how living my Cursillo weekend deepened my faith journey.
My journey began in the Phillippines when I was a young adult searching for my meaning of life. Once, I explored the possibility of joining the cloistered Discalced Carmelites, but God had other plans for me. I met a Jesuit priest who was spearheading an organization with a Democratic Socialism platform in response to our (then) dictatorial form of government under Ferdinand Marcos. We sought to bring Christ to the poor and to secure their basic rights of food, water and shelter. I lived and worked in the poorest of the poor communities, in urban settings and beyond, I embraced Liberation Theology. Living and working with destitute families left an indelible mark in my soul.
"Accept surprises that upset your plans, shatter your dreams, give a completely different turn to your day and - who knows? - to your life. It is not chance. Leave the Father free to weave the pattern of your days." [by Servant of God Archbishop Helder Câmara of Brazil - informally called the "bishop of the slums" for his clear position on the side of the urban poor. With other clerics, he encouraged peasants to free themselves from their conventional fatalistic outlook by studying the gospels in small groups and proposing the search for social change from their readings.]
My arrival in this country in 1975 shifted the path I took. Adjusting to a new culture and living in a "secular world," I embarked on a new path of living my Catholic faith . . . . For 20 years I lived as an ordinary Sunday worshipper.
I lived my Cursillo on October 23-26, 1997, Cursillo #262 in the Diocese of Oakland. My husband Jerry Bowers lived his Cursillo the weekend before mine. We both immersed ourselves in parish life ministries in our home parish in Alameda and connected with a 4th Day Group through our sponsors.
We moved to the Orlando Diocese the following year, and there we began our 2-year formation to become Third Order Carmelites. Another move in 2001 took us to the Joliet Diocese, where we actively engaged in the social justice ministry in our parish. Separated from the Cursillo Community during our stay in Florida and Illinois, Jerry and I relied on each other's presence to live our 4th Day.
In Illinois, after working as a Litigation Paralegal for over 22 years, I chose to leave the legal field to serve nonprofit organizations as a social justice advocate and a grant writer. I was employed by the Wheaton Franciscan Sisters (near Chicago) to work in their Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) Office. There, I monitored legislation that supported the marginalized members of our civil society and I wrote letters for the Sisters’ signatures that were addressed to state and federal legislators. We visited government representatives to advocate for issues that promoted the common good. Through the JPIC Office, we collaborated with Bono of the band U2 to fight the AIDS pandemic, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Through our active advocacy, the Global Aids Fund received millions of dollars in aid from the U.S. government.
Another move in 2003 brought us back to California. With my newfound career in nonprofit development, I worked for nonprofit organizations serving immigrants and youths-at-risk. In the greater Catholic community, I served for two terms as a member of the Board of Directors of Sacramento Cristo Rey High School. Later, I was appointed and served as Southern Deanery Representative in the Diocesan Pastoral Council where I also served as Chair for two terms. In between these volunteer work, I've worked - pro bono - as a grant writer for nonprofit organizations.
Once again, we immersed ourselves with all the different types of parish life ministries at Good Shepherd - from journeying with the bereaved, the divorced and remarried (as a Parish Advocate), to serving as Liturgical ministers. We co-coordinated our RCIA Process, by restructuring the curriculum and recruiting RCIA Team members assigned to work on the different facets of the process. Once the program was established and running smoothly, we turned over the RCIA coordination to another couple, and started another ministry for fallen-away Catholics. We used the Catholics Returning Home program as our model for reaching out to non-practicing Catholics who might wish to become active.
Sometime in 2006-2007, I discovered a fellow Cursillista at Good Shepherd, Rommel Declines. We started studying our environment so we could build our Good Shepherd Cursillo Family. In 2008, I was delighted to join the Women's Cursillo Weekend. It was also in 2008 that five women Cursillistas and one man Cursillista from our parish lived their Cursillo. To date, we have grown to almost 100 and counting registered Cursillistas in our midst.
The Covid pandemic brought yet another adjustment in my life. I chose to spend my time to live a “monastic” way of life, getting rid of all the distractions from the outside world from various social media outlets. St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila and St. Ignatius of Loyola comforted me with their words of wisdom, adopting their way of thinking and spirituality.
“God does not fit in an occupied heart.” (St. John of the Cross)
This period of inward looking prepared me to an unexpected turn from our God of surprises…my breast cancer journey of healing.
During my medical treatment, I stepped away from all parish life ministries. Now that I am in remission I’ve discerned that it’s time to give back to my Cursillo Community.
Our current Lay Director, Mary Arledge moved to Louisiana to be closer to her aging parents. She continues to facilitate our Secretariat meetings via Zoom. My term begins in January 2023. In the meantime, I will continue to carry out my role as the Secretary as I prepare to take on the responsibilities of a Lay Director. During this period of transition, I plan on getting to know Cursillistas in leadership roles and to discern the best way to energize our Movement. I will be leading the members of the Secretariat with a Pastoral Plan to ensure:
"...pastoral objectives based on the conviction that the environments of the world can best be evangelized by transformed people because they have found the risen Christ. In order to transform the different environments the presence of renewed men and women are necessary." [From the Foundational Charism of the Cursillo Movement: National Cursillo Center Mailing (June 2010)]
Also in the coming months, I'd like to get your assistance in understanding the needs of our community. I will be sending out an opinion survey questionnaire to determine where we all are in terms of living an authentic Christian life and exercising Piety (Holiness), Study (Formation) and Action (Evangelization). Perhaps I can learn from you, too, how to strengthen our School of Leaders.
I am grateful for Deacon Rommel Declines, Denny Shunta, Will and Patty Friesen and Mary Arledge, along with so many others with their genuine friendships, the hallmark of our Cursillo charism. They all encouraged me to be part of the bigger Cursillo Family in the greater Sacramento area.
Make a Friend, Be a Friend, and Bring a Friend to Christ.
St. Paul, pray for us!