From a Cursillista of Cursillo 88

A May 2001 Fourth Day article.

I know about rough starts and challenges in my life. I'm an identical twin, born 2 1/2 months premature. Low birth weight and a multitude of medical complications should have (according to the doctors) not allowed me to survive. But, lo and behold, I did. I've faced yearly bouts with pneumonia, chronic asthma and respiratory problems, heart problems, scarlet fever, mumps, abuse and the gradual loss of my sight. A little over a year-and-a-half ago, my right eye (the only one I have usable sight in) had a hole open up in it and the retina began to collapse. After many attempts to fix it using laser, major surgery was performed and a buckle was put around my eye to stabilize it. This was supposed to work for about 5-10 years, but on September 6, 1999, a new hole appeared. It was decided that a vitrectomy would be done a somewhat risky surgery to replace my existing vitreous with a gas, which would allow new vitreous to replace the old and hopefully stabilize the eye. Backing up a few years, 12 or so, I decided after years of searching for a church home that I would return to a church my family had frequented when I was very young. St. Michael & All Angels, Stone Mountain, GA. This family of people took me in and made me feel welcome. It was a warm and friendly family full of love and of the Love of Christ. So of course, being a baby Christian, I dove right in. I committed to serving at 2-3 services in the choir; I directed a children's and a youth choir; taught Sunday School when an emergency arose; became a youth leader in the last 4 ½ years there; sat on various nominating committees; basically, if there was a need, well, by golly, I was gonna fill it!! Well, I never really burned out completely, but when my family moved here to Columbia, SC, I promised my husband I wouldn't commit to anything for 1 year. Well, 9 months later I found myself starting up and co-leading the Journey to Adulthood Program at St. Michael & All Angels here in Columbia. Over the next year and a half, my co-leader & friend (a priest) suggested I consider Cursillo several times. I always found a reason why I couldn't go: the family, the kids or the youth group had me heavily committed.

Then came the eye thing. I lost the ability to drive after the first hole opened up. This really changed my life. I felt broken, useless, and very frustrated. I didn't know how God could use someone like me. My friend & co-leader again suggested I think about attending Cursillo. I decided to finish the year out in youth ministry and take a breather. My husband had been asking me to find a church closer to home, so I also prayed about that and was led to St. Mary's. Fr. Blaney comes to visit me just after my first visit, we talk and I tell him my story, and suddenly he says, "Hey, have you ever considered attending Cursillo? It sounds like it would be right up your alley." Well, hey, if two priests recommend this thing to me, it can't be all that bad, so I tell him I want to go. I figure it'll be a good way to re-charge my batteries after many years of service.

Well, Peggy (my sponsor) picks me up and I nervously go, wondering just what will come of this event. By the first night, when I find out that my bedroom partners are angels and that I'm sitting next to a doctor of Ophthalmology (yes, the kind of doctor that fixed my eye), I'm beginning to see that this should be a pretty wonderful weekend. God's truly at work here! Then comes the palanca. These are gifts of love. Letters, cards, pins, candy, gifts of all sorts sent to each of us with LOVE. Unbelievable love. So overwhelming that the tears flow freely. I joke with my table members that I'm not a person that cries (EVER and certainly not publicly) and that I learned the art of crying at this weekend. The whole weekend is like this. So full of love. I also share wonderful fellowship with these perfect strangers. I learn the true meaning of brothers and sisters In Christ. And I make a commitment to God to resolve to love my husband more and never take him for granted again. Cursillo was one of the most wonderful experiences of my lifetime. I could go on and on about the amazing people I met, the outpouring of love and the wonderful food they serve at Gravatt. But the one thing I know for sure is that no matter what I go through in life, I'll always know that God can carry me through. And with the wonderful love of my brothers and sisters In Christ, I know I can do anything. Thanks be to God.

Maggie McKellips

1115 Marion Street, Columbia, South Carolina 29201 | 803-771-7800