Newsletter of the Joliet Cursillo Fall 2014 Inside this Issue Father Joe—1, 6-16 Road Trip! 24th National Encounter—2 The Prescription is Pasta—3 Into Africa—4 Fr. Shimanek: A Personal Father Joe (by Robert Barron) Reflection - 17 It was a familiar route. He had driven it many times. He turned My Back Pages - 18 left out of the driveway of his home at 438 North LaGrange Road in La Grange Park – aside from dormitories, barracks and rectories, the only home he had ever known – and headed south. No one From the Lay Director can be quite sure what his thoughts were as he traveled the We are being called to twenty-one miles to the St. “spread the Kingdom of God” Charles Borromeo Pastoral Center by bringing about the Chris- tian transformation of society for the Closing of the Women’s such that the Mind of Christ 96th Cursillo Weekend. Was he penetrates society and that praying as he drove? Did he forget His teachings and His law re- about the invitation to dinner be- new society and fill it entirely fore the closing? as Pius XII said. We do this using the Cursillo method Meanwhile at the Lockport resi- reaching out to one person at a time. dence of Deacon Rob and Judy th Weierman (Men’s 34 , Women’s But why would we do Father Joseph M. Shimanek, 1986 th 25 ), a group of Cursillistas had this? Why would we want to assembled to enjoy dinner with bring our friends to their former Spiritual Director be- Christ? Answer: To save souls Fr. Joseph M. Shimanek, fore making the short trip across and lead others to heaven. 1919—2005 the river to the Pastoral Center to How important is that? Well take part in that evening’s Closing. if others don't get to heaven There would be plenty of time as Closings generally started late in then they end up in eternal those days. However, concern began to build as the evening wore damnation. That's a very seri- on and the honored guest did not arrive. This was not like him as ous matter. Does this give he had a reputation for punctuality. He never did arrive at the you a fresh perspective on Weierman’s. your discipleship in Christ? At the Closing, Rectora Marta Spiezio (Women’s 58th) wondered to De Colores! herself who she would call upon during that part of the Closing when the Diocesan Spiritual Director addresses the new Cursillis- Tim Moore tas and the Fourth Day community. Father Mark Jendrysik (Men’s Lay Director—Joliet Cursillo 87th), then Spiritual Director (Continued on page 6.) ROAD TRIP! 24th National Cursillo Encounter (By Barb Linek) In July, Juan Francisco Villalobos and I had the good fortune to attend the 24th National Cursillo Encoun- ter at Chapman University in Orange County, Califor- nia. This was my second National Encounter and Juan’s first—and surely not our last! We traveled Miguel Serada, friend of Eduardo Bonin, speaks about the history of Cursillo was a friend and “groupie” of Eduardo Bonnin, the founder of our movement, by the name of Miguel Sureda. Miguel gave a wonderful talk entitled The History of Cursillo and also shared his understanding of Eduardo’s vision with us one on one. Juan and Cirilo were lucky enough to hear him speak at the Our team at the 24th National Encounter. (L-R) local School of Leaders the night we arrived. Juan, Yesmenia, Barb and Cirilo Other Rollos included, Evangelization Through Friend- ship, Christian Leaders, Growing in Holiness through with our Region V Spanish Coordinator, Lilia Del Real, the Cursillo, Stewardship in the Cursillo and The Joy and the Lay Director of the Peoria Diocese’s Spanish of the Gospel. Movement, Cirilo Lachino. We’d like to invite you to the 25th National Encoun- Lilia had to attend the National Secretariat meeting ter! It will be held at Villanova University in Philadel- before the Encounter. Therefore we arrived in Or- phia on July 23-26, 2015. I promise you will learn a ange one day early and enjoyed our time visiting great deal about our beloved movement but more some of the local tourist attractions, such as Mission importantly, you will be inspired by the fascinating San Juan Capistrano. Cursillistas you meet from all over the USA and the world. The National Encounter was attended by 680 Cursillis- Barb Linek (Women’s 72nd) is a member of St. tas from dioceses all over the United States and the Dominic’s Parish in Bolingbrook and currently serves world with many language groups represented, in- as Lay Director for the Spanish Movement of the Joliet cluding English, Spanish, Tagalog, Chinese, and Viet- Cursillo. namese. The most notable of the international participants 2 The Prescription is Pasta (By Tom Mayer) the Joliet Cursillo Community, Father Alfred was able to execute his mission. I first met Fr. Alfred Tumwesigye at the 124th Men’s Cursillo weekend. He was a candidate and I was work- The money was used at the medical center to make a ing my first weekend in the Palanca chapel. At that payment on the land and to pay for a new septic sys- tem, shutters for the doors, electrical and plumbing work that will allow the medical center to start seeing patients this November. A portion of the donations was used in a special way to support a local 20-year-old first year midwife stu- dent by the name Ninsiima Christine. She had made a request of our board to pay for her school fees so she could “… achieve my de- sired goal and dream of becom- Over 200 attend pasta dinner fund raiser at St. ing a midwife Petronille’s for Friends of Shalom. who will readily assist pregnant time in 2012, Father was completing a Master’s de- mothers to have gree at DePaul University in Chicago and planned to safe deliveries, return to Uganda in August of that year. After our to promote life friendship grew so did my call to help Father Alfred’s and generally to mission to build a medical center in his home village offer my dedicat- of Nyakyera and to service the surrounding Ntunga- ed service to Fr. Alfred addresses the mo District in Uganda – East Africa. After the medical God’s people attendees. center is completed, this remote and rural area of professionally.” Uganda would provide medical care for about 30,000 Upon completion of her midwife degree Ninsiima will people. work at the medical center bringing her skills to the care and comfort of those in need. In August 2013, Father returned to the US with a spe- To be a part of this work and to be called to help raise cific need to raise funds for the roof of the medical funds that care for the poor and needy half way center. After understanding and defining Father’s around the world is a truly awesome experience. To mission, Friends of Shalom for Uganda was formed as provide an education to change a life that will help the US entity to support Father’s plan. In January of bring life to countless others is the work of the hand 2014 our group was incorporated under the laws of of God. the State of Illinois and this August the IRS recognized us as a 501(c)(3) public charity. If anyone wishes to help support Father Alfred’s work, I invite you to become a “Friend” of his and On August 22nd our first fundraiser was held at St. send a donation to: Petronille in Glen Ellyn where over 200 people joined Friends of Shalom for Uganda us for a delicious spaghetti dinner and fellowship. 65 N. Ott Ave. Father Alfred presented to the attendees the work he Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 is doing in his village to provide health, spiritual, psy- chological, and hospice care to the local people. http://www.friendsofshalomforuganda.com/ Tom Mayer (Men’s 122nd) is a member of St. After the event, with the generous support of parish- Petronille’s parish in Glen Ellyn and serves as School ioners from St. Francis of Rome parish in Chicago of Leaders chair for the Joliet Cursillo. where Father lived and served while in Chicago, and the generosity of many other family and friends from 3 Into Africa (By Lee Wirth) that many pastors of different churches were working together to bring the Gospel to the Kisii area. My part in serving the Lord in this outreach for the first three days was on the mobile team that traveled around Kisii on a flatbed truck, sing- ing, preaching, dancing, and announc- ing the festival. We had two DJs, a well-known celebrity couple who did the singing and dancing and two won- derful male dancers. I’m not very good at singing, but I did some danc- ing and lots of preaching. We were able to see much of the area of Kisii and this was an excellent way to reach many people for the Lord. Large crowds came around our truck to see the performers, sing and dance. The African people love their Lee Wirth makes a friend and convert for the Lord in Kisii, Kenya music and they love to dance! James and I preached the Gospel to them from the flatbed truck. Many I want to share with you the work of the Lord done through us in Kenya. I first want to thank you for your prayers. Without the prayers of the saints, the work of the harvest of souls for the Kingdom would never be accomplished.