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From left to right - Front Row: Rich Dorricott, Three-Day Chair, Michael Faber, Secretary, Monica Small, Post-Cursillo Chair, Most Rev. Jaime Soto and Verne Bowers, Lay Director.
Second Row: Kathy Bauer, Pre-Cursillo Chair, Mary Palmer, Treasurer and Jeff Williams, School of Leaders Chair. [Missing from the photo: Denny Shunta, Communications Chair]
Reflections on TRUE APOSTLESHIP-BEING SENT
By Michael Faber
As a member of the Sacramento Cursillo Secretariat, I had the pleasure and privilege of participating in the Rite of Commissioning Mass celebrated by Bishop Soto on Saturday, January 28, 2023. at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Elk Grove.
Bishop Soto presided over a regular Vigil Mass during which he conducted the Rite of Commissioning for 8 members of the Secretariat:
During this Rite, Bishop Soto prayed, “Let us join together in prayer so that God will bless these servant leaders of His, chosen for the ministry of service, so that they may proclaim the Good News that God in Christ loves us and give glory to our Father in heaven through their service in the Cursillo Movement...Will you pledge,through diligent prayer and preparation, proclaim the Gospel to others in your environments...?"
With one accord, the members pledged to remain faithful stewards of the teachings of the Catholic Church and the Charism of the Cursillo Movement.
The community in turn responded, “As members of this Christian community, we accept your commitment to serve as members of the Diocesan Secretariat and we pledge our support to you. May God, the Father of us all, bless you and give you strength, wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.”
At the end of the Rite, Bishop Soto, laid hands on each of our heads and proclaimed, “The Spirit of the Lord has anointed you to serve His people.”
What was so special about this event, is that it made me hearken back to the times in the Book of Acts, when the community of Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas off on their first missionary journey. “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.' Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.” Acts. 13:2-3. Paul and Barnabas didn’t just take off to start a new mission on their own whim. They were chosen by the Holy Spirit, and sent off by the entire community who laid hands on them to commission them for their work.
There is something special, and something holy about “being sent.” The very word Apostle comes from the Greek work Apostolein, which means “to send.” Jesus sent the Apostles to bring the Good News to the ends of the world. The apostles and their successors, send not only ordained ministers but also lay ministers such as ourselves.
By virtue of our Trinitarian baptism, we "bear the responsibilities for mission and service as priest, prophets and kings." CCC#783. We are all called to carry out the work as faithful stewards of God's gifts.
The Cursillo movement is a jewel in the Catholic Church, and I am so honored to be part of this movement, and to have received the Bishops and the Church’s blessing to carry on this work for the next three years as a member of the Secretariat.
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