Moje ime je Magdalena Katić, rođena sam u Slavonskom Brodu, a živim već duži period u Zagrebu gdje sam došla na fakultet. Radim u jednom zagrebačkom vrtiću kao odgajateljica. Također, završila sam i tečaj za odgajateljicu u vjeri na KBF-u. Volim boravak u prirodi i planinarenje, a pomalo se bavim i fotografijom.
Za Kursiljo sam saznala preko prijateljice koja mi je pričala jako lijepe stvari o Kursilju te da će mi se njihov duh zajedništva sigurno svidjeti. Međutim, duži period nisam mogla naći neki Kursiljo tečaj na koji bih mogla otići. Kada sam saznala da se održava tečaj za odrasle u mojoj župi, otišla sam te isprva nisam bila zainteresirana, no treći dan tečaja vlč. Andrija i animatori su me jednostavno „izuli iz cipela“. Poželjela sam doći i služiti u Kursilju te sam se ponudila da bih služila na koji god je način potrebno. Vlč. Andrija me nakon toga pozvao da dođem kao teta čuvalica na obiteljski termin na Krapnju. U Kursilju me jako privukla radost i otvorenost ljudi, smijeh i veselje te prihvaćanje različitosti. Na obiteljskom terminu na kojem sam to ljeto bila, došla je jedna majka s djetetom koja se nikad nije udala te jedan otac s tri kćeri koji je došao bez svoje žene. Nije se opravdavala situacija u kojoj oni žive, no bili su prihvaćeni i ljubljeni, gledalo ih se kao voljene i dragocjene osobe. To me se jako dojmilo, da smo svi u Kursilju voljeni i prihvaćeni bez obzira na životne situacije u kojima se nalazimo.
Iduće sam godine otišla na termin radničke mladeži na Krapanj te su me nakon toga pozvali da postanem animator. Sjećam se da sam još na Krapnju sjedila na ljuljački i da mi je došao poticaj. Pitala sam Duha Svetoga želi li da služim u Kursilju, i u tom trenutku mi je došao jedan čisti, jasan „da“. Sada sam već četiri godine animatorica. Osim toga, svi me najviše prepoznaju po ulozi koju sam do nedavno imala: voditeljica molitvenog tima za mlade molitelje. Uloga voditeljice molitvenog tima mi je donijela puno izazova, ali i puno radosti. Kroz tu ulogu produbio se moj odnos s Gospodinom i Gospom na način da sam ja moleći i ulažući svoje vrijeme moleći za druge, za Kursiljo tečajeve, zapravo došla u bliži odnos s Gospodinom i Gospom. Gospa mi je prije bila samo ime, a sada je za mene netko tko je tu, blizak, tko se brine za mene, tko me čuva i zagovara. Nekada mi je bilo malo teže naći molitelje koji bi molili u molitvenom satu, ali ono što mi nije dalo da odustanem je činjenica da je molitveni sat neka vrsta pogonskog goriva svakog tečaja. Na tečajevima se događaju velike radosti i obraćenja ljudi koji dobiju puno milosti i plodova kroz tečaj, vjerujem upravo i zbog tih molitelja koji su izdvojili sat vremena i molili za nepoznate ljude koji im neće moći uzvratiti
Plodovi Kursilja u mojem životu su radost u otvorenoj komunikaciji s ljudima od 16 do 76 godina, gdje pričamo u istom Duhu i razumijemo se bez obzira na godine i raznolikost naših privatnih života. Po Kursilju mi također Bog daruje zajedništvo i prekrasne prijatelje s kojima mogu biti ono što ja jesam. To znači da im mogu reći kada nisam dobro i kada mi je teško, a onda kada sam dobro mogu s njima dijeliti svoju radost. Kursiljo me naučio da ne odustajem kada postane teško; Gospodin mi je darovao ustrajnost. Jedan od primjera je ustrajnost u odnosima s drugim osobama. Ako nešto moram iskomunicirati s nekom osobom, trebam u tome i ustrajati iako bi bilo lakše otići iz takve situacije. Jedna rečenica je postala „živa“ u mom životu: „Sve mogu u Onome koji me jača!“ Osvijestila sam si da kroz Njega sve mogu, da je Gospodin moja snaga, a da sam ja samo sluga beskoristan u Božjim rukama!
My name is Magdalena Katić and I was born in Slavonski Brod but I’ve lived in Zagreb since I started university here. I am working as a kindergarten teacher and have also finished a course in religious education for kindergarten teachers at the Catholic Faculty of Theology. Also, I like spending my time in nature and hiking and I also engage in photography.
I’ve found out about Cursillo from a friend who told me all the best about it and how she believed I would like their community spirit. However, I hadn’t been able to find a Cursillo I could attend for a long time. When I found out that there was a Cursillo for grownups in my parish, I decided to attend it. At first I was not very interested but on the third day of the course, Rev. Andrija and the animators simply blew me away. I wanted to join them and serve Cursillo so I made myself available to serve in any way needed. Rev. Andrija invited me to the family week on the Cursillo camp on to take care of the kids there. I was drawn by the joy and openness of people in Cursillo, their laughter and acceptance of differences. That summer at Cursillo for families, there was an unmarried mother with her child and a father who came with his three daughters but without his wife. Their situations were not justified but at the same time they were all accepted, loved and were cherished. I was impressed with that fact that we were all loved and accepted in Cursillo, despite our life circumstances.
The next year, I attended the Cursillo for working youth on Krapanj and was asked to become an animator. I remember sitting on a swing that summer on Krapanj when I felt an incentive. I asked The Holy Spirit if He wanted me to serve in Cursillo and at that moment I was able to feel a very clear yes. I have been an animator for four years now. Apart from this, everyone knows me because of a role I’ve recently had – the leader of the youth praying team. This role has brought me many challenges but it has also brought me so much joy. It helped me deepen my relationship with the Lord and Mary because, by praying and putting in my time in service to others and Cursillos, I actually came into a closer relationship with the Lord and Mary. Mary used to be just a name for me, but now she is someone who is here for me, someone who is close to me and takes care of me. Sometimes it was hard to find people for prayer, but the fact that it serves like a fuel for every Cursillo gave me strength to never give up. There are a lot of joy and conversions happening at Cursillos, a lot of people get so many blessings there and I believe that that also happens because of those people who give an hour of their time to pray for people they don’t know and who will never be able to repay them.
The fruits of Cursillo in my life are joy in open communication with people of 16 to 76 years of age when we talk in the same Spirit and understand each other despite the differences in our age or in our lives. Through Cursillo, God gives me community and wonderful friends with whom I can be my true self. This means that I can tell them when I am not well and have difficulties, and I can also share my happiness with them. Cursillo has taught me not to give up when it becomes hard; God gave me persistence. One of the examples is my persistence in relationships with others. If I need to communicate something with another person, I need to be persistent even though it would be easier to leave such a situation. There is one sentence that became “alive” in my life and it is: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. I have become aware that I can do anything through Him and that I am just an unworthy servant In God’s hands!
