Central Indiana Cursillo in Christianity #107.
I had been going to “formation” meetings to be on the team for a Cursillo weekend in my own diocese of Belleville (Illinois). With too-few men signed up, our diocesan secretariat chose to cancel our men’s weekend this year.
I had a candidate signed up for the weekend and felt badly that I had to inform him — alas, by voice mail — that the weekend was canceled. So what does he do? He googles “cursillo weekends march 1” and comes up with one in Indianapolis (a 4–5 hour drive from Carbondale). Since he does not expect me, as his sponsor, to drop him off Thursday evening and pick him up Sunday evening, he makes contact on his own.
Yada, yada, yada.
Clare encouraged me to email Central Indiana’s pre-Cursillo contact again and let him know that I had been going to “formation” meetings to be on the Belleville team and ask if the Indy team had anything for me to do and a bed to sleep in.
I contacted Mark and he reported back that Tyrone, the rector, “said that he would just have you help out the men in the kitchen.”
So today I made the drive to Indianapolis and Saint Bernadette’s Church and Retreat Center, bringing with me two candidates from southern Illinois.
Upon arriving, I learned that one of the “kitchen chas” had taken ill and was taken to hospital. So as it played out, I was not going to merely “help out the men in the kitchen”; my title was “maintenance technician.” Fancy title. Duties? “Oversee that all dishes are washed and cleared from the dining room. Make sure there is no food or debris on the kitchen floor throughout the day. Make sure that the kitchen floor is swept and mopped after each meal and all trash is disposed of properly.”
The head kitchen cha and all of the other kitchen chas have welcomed me warmly; it’s going to be a good weekend.
Coincidence that I show up after the “maintenance technician” is hospitalized?
Sure; go ahead and think that if you like. My Cursillo brothers and I think *not*!
A year ago (“Plant & Soil Science 429: Advanced Landscape Design II”):
http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2011-03-01 
![Sigh. [Travel-day]](https://media.365project.org/1/9428160_bfilmqru48_sq.jpg "Sigh. [Travel-day]")
![The Tinkerer [SOOC]](https://media.365project.org/1/9428628_ceghprwx59_sq.jpg "The Tinkerer [SOOC]")
![ER selfie [Travel day]](https://media.365project.org/1/9429058_cfhjkrwx05_sq.jpg "ER selfie [Travel day]")
@fusedlights Thank you, Venz!
@digitalrn Yes, it did, Rick, but the question is whether it was a happy accident or not…
@sparkleplenty1 I was just following my candidate. I know my help and participation were appreciated; I met lots of great guys. I had budgeted to be away for the weekend anyway. The way it worked out simply "cost" me an extra 7 hours of driving (and a late-night return on Sunday night), but it was a good lesson for all concerned in accepting an outsider into one's midst... I hope the next time I'm an "insider," I will recall this experience as the outsider coming in!