When Catherine and I completed our Cursillos, we embraced the never-ending opportunities at LaSalette. These included becoming Sextants (setting up for Mass), Sacristans (preparing the Altar), and liturgy hosts (meeting with a group to prepare for the liturgy). We joined the chorus and sang for the holidays. We attended “home gatherings” where we started to get to know the members of the community more deeply. We discovered a sincere and open group wanting to learn about themselves, and also to serve the larger community, especially those in need. We played in the yearly softball game, and rode on a rented bus to Boston to see the Black Gospel night at Symphony Hall. There were also a variety of possibilities for follow-up after our Cursillos. We helped serve meals to the new Cursillo participants, called Cursillistas, and attended prayer meetings to pray for them. Most significant for me was my “reunion” group. A reunion group is either all male or all female. Its purpose is to integrate the energy and spirit of the Cursillo into daily life. Soon after my Cursillo, Jim invited me to join his reunion group that had been running for many years. Being a part of this group for the next 15 years was a gift. It was wonderful to share our ups and down and create life-long friendships. Lenten Retreat LaSalette had planned a community weekend retreat at the beautiful Rolling Ridge conference / retreat center in North Andover. See https://www.rollingridge.org/ It was run by Father Joe and Sister Elizabeth, both of whom were loved by the community. At this point, we had been at LaSalette almost one year, and I wanted to give a present to the community. I wrote a song, learned to pick it on my banjo and sang it at the retreat. It was as if I poured my whole year into one song. I had not thought about this song for almost 20 years, and was glad to find the lyrics in my old banjo case. It has a bit of a John Denver vibe. Written for the LaSalette Community, February, 2000 THROUGH PRAYER AND BY PLAY Through an angelic presence, at an Audubon supper We were summoned to come forth, and appear at a shrine That was housed at a fairground, which was next to a stable On the day that Christ rose, blessed by bread and by wine We were welcomed by arms, extended and open We could feel the strong presence of God on our way And sweet voices sang out, relaxed and inspired And very soon after, we decided to stay Chorus Oh, a small group of people, who have gathered together To praise all creation, by what they do and they say, Are like streams from the mountains, that flow into a river And water God’s fields, through prayer and by play As pilgrims we gathered, in the rooms of your houses We saw humor and kindness, shared laughter and tears We felt lucky and happy, to be completely included In an on-going venture that has lasted for years. We played baseball, ate pizza, rode a bus into Boston Sang a Mass on the beach, blessed by water and sand Feeling a moment of no separation Like waves in the ocean, like wheat on the land CHORUS Now the language turned Spanish, we made our Cursillos I was whisked on a voyage to a magical place And guess who was waiting with arms open wide It again was Christ risen, and He showered his grace He was written on letters, He was draped on the walls He was painted on posters, and it wasn’t too long That I saw his light shining inside all my brothers And we shared deep communion through silence and song CHORUS Married 24 years to a wonderful woman There are so many lessons that have opened my heart I thought we were quite fine, before LaSalette But now I feel sure that was only a start. I’ve found a deep love renewed, for my own dearest wife I’ve been able to share more than ever before Had this blessing alone, been my only gift Then I would be content, and ask for no more. CHORUS Walking with God, as a daily companion Sensing the beauty of life all around Laughing and dancing in true celebration With my hands in the air, my feet on the ground Many thanks to you, my LaSalette family That stretches through history, to the time of Christ’s birth For your deep commitment to live His commandment To tenderly love all creatures on earth CHORUS The retreat itself was like a “graduate course” of the Cursillo. Most of the LaSalette community had made their Cursillos and also had been working on themselves for years. Many had been through a “12 step” program, one of the truly successful social programs of the last century. There was a quality of attention and silence that was available from almost all of the individuals. The retreat allowed plenty of time for reflection and connection. Father Joe and Sister Elizabeth’s talks incorporated the profound teachings of Thomas Berry whose work had already been transformative for me. I had wondered how to integrate his teachings of seeing ourselves as part of the Earth community into a Catholic / Christian community. I had already shifted my perspective from a human-centered approach and wondered if this was possible in a Catholic context. It was very gratifying to see that it was. As a surprise bonus, the images and metaphors that I had used in my song were the ones chosen for the retreat. A final gift from the retreat Sunday morning was a Mass. As it began, I looked out the window of the beautiful library we were in, and it appeared to me that the trees were dancing, dancing in the wind. I had the strange but definite impression they were inviting me outside to join them. Some enormous receptor had opened in me and my every breath was filled with awareness. My interest and curiosity about everything around me were heightened. I stood up quietly and walked down the stairs of this beautiful eighty-year-old building. I noticed the black and white tiles which were completely alive for me. Who were the men who had put these tiles in eighty years ago? Perhaps the Italian and Irish immigrants? They had left their mark, and I felt they were talking to me. Walking outside, I noticed that there was not one human in sight. The light was soft and there was a deep sense of quiet within and without. And then a crow, sitting on a branch in a tree a little above my head and to my left, began to “speak” to me. I watched her body breathe as she cawed. I got the eerie impression that she was telling me all kinds of things, but I couldn’t translate the meaning. Then, I began to hear many other crows responding in what felt like a symphonic arrangement. They were in the surrounding trees that ringed a very large open field. It felt like the orchestra of life. I don’t know how long this all lasted, maybe 10-15 minutes. It was one of the rare experiences in my life. It confirmed in every way that the track I was on was good and wholesome. I rejoined the group and took communion which had a particularly deep meaning at the moment.
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David FeldmanDog walker, Dog Mediator, Father, Husband, Categories |