I was a part of Cursillo weekend #91 and my wife weekend #92. This was thanks to God’s love and Mario and Linda Marino of Santiago de Compostela Catholic Church at that time celebrating in the El Toro High School gym with Fr. John Shetler, our Pastor. Mario was the
insurance agent for the Knight’s of Columbus Council and a very active Knight as well. Susie
and I had recently been married and it was truly a time of new beginnings. We had just moved
to the area from Houston, Texas and we were both starting new jobs. As a new husband I was
trying to set a good foundation for our life together and was seeking the Lord and a closer walk
with Him. Susie was as well. We were making baby steps. I had a strong upbringing as a cradle
Catholic, parochial catholic schools and then a Jesuit Boarding School called Georgetown
Prep. While at Prep Vatican 2 was taking place and we at Prep fully embraced it. My wife had
received initiation and first communion but little else. Our committment as newly weds was
happening in many small ways. So during this very first year of our new life we made our
Cursillo weekends and encountered Jesus, Our Lord and yes, our friend. Speaking for myself
and Susie is a bit difficult as all husbands know but it is safe to say we had incredible moving
weekends that have set the tone for the pilgrimage that has followed. It is nearly 37 years and
the spirit of cursillo still lives very much in our lives and in the smiles of our brothers and sisters
as we share “de colores” with each other. Our lives and our marriage have in many ways been
shaped by our weekends but they were just a beginning and in what has followed we have
been incredibly blessed but that would take me well past my allotted 200 words. Let me finish
by saying Christ is alive in our lives and we are being transformed daily slowly into he whom we
receive in the Eucharist. De Colores!