To all Cursillistas,

On behalf of the Secretariat, I would like to wish you and your families a very happy Christmas.

Soon many of us will be thinking of New Year’s resolutions. As Cursillistas I would recommend recommitting ourselves to friendship.

Make a friend, be a friend and bring a friend to Christ. Strengthening our participation and dedication to group reunion and Ultreya is a great tool.

One of the highlights of 2011 was hosting the Cursillo Region VII Encounter at Our lady of Sorrows in Birmingham. Thanks again to Monsignor Muller and the staff at Our Lady of Sorrows for allowing us to use their facilities in such a generous and gracious way.

Thanks to Bishop Baker for celebrating mass and for his words of encouragement and support for the Movement. Thanks also to John Martignoni who gave a great talk on Evangelization.

The generosity of those who gave of their time, treasures and talents towards preparing and putting on the Encounter is the reason it was a huge success. We received many compliments.

The Diocese of Birmingham is well represented in Region VII and we have made a lot of friends over the years.

Planning for 2012 has already started with a Secretariat Retreat which was held at the Sacred Heart Retreat Center on 16th and 17th of December 2011. We joined the Sisters for Lauds and Mass on Saturday morning and generally had a great time, getting to know one another and planning for the year ahead.

We request that you keep us in your prayers as we work on serving you the best possible way while bearing in mind the responsibility that comes from our Bishop who charges us to implement the Movement according to the norms and guidelines established by the National Secretariat.

Thanks to Greg Clark who completed his term as Cursillo Chair.

Welcome to Paul Semmens as the Chairperson of School of Leaders, and Tom Scott as Secretary.

The Secretariat consists of:

• Lay Director: Kevin Kisbey-Green
• Spiritual Advisor: Sister Anne Marie Schreiner DC
• Chairperson of the School of Leaders : Paul Semmens
• Chairperson of the Precursillo: Christina Semmens
• Chairperson of the Cursillo: Kevin Sutton
• Chairperson of the Postcursillo: Larry Reese
• Secretary: Tom Scott
• Treasurer: Sally Smith

Please pray for the upcoming Men’s team who will start Team formation soon, and the potential candidates that you have been working with. Please remember that applications need to be submitted in a timely manner. Please check the website for more details.

Remember the Cursillo National Palanca intentions:

• Mondays - National, Regional, and Diocesan Secretariats
• Tuesdays - School of Leaders
• Wednesdays - Cursillistas in the United States
• Thursdays- National Cursillo Movement’s Apostolic Actions
• Fridays - Cursillo Weekends
• Saturdays - OMCC and NACG Executive Committees

Let us continue to pray and offer palanca for each other.

De Colores
Kevin Kisbey-Green
Lay Director