Lisa Cusmano

Traveling through our region these past months introducing the Renewal Process, this line from a man’s thank you expresses the building enthusiasm among our members as the experience of renewal begins to unfold.  Like a breath of fresh air, blown by the Holy Spirit through the Ohio Valley, blowing away doubt and uncertainty to make way for confidence and joy.

A wide and deep breath it is, too!  The Ohio Valley spreads from Cleveland in the north to Lexington in the south, from the west to Indianapolis and the east to Columbus, with the localities of Dayton, Minster, Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky and Louisville in between.  It’s a diverse region, including many pockets of diaspora.  

With the Legionary and Consecrated communities in Cincinnati and the local leadership of laity, we undertook a very deliberate time of introduction and invitation.  

After the enjoying the Renewal Convention in Atlanta, we set out to bring that enthusiasm back home!  Beyond the specifics of the Renewal Process designed for the statute revision, we desired to share the real depth of interior renewal that has already begun.  For us, that meant spending time together.  In relaxed comfortable settings, primarily in homes, we hosted Fireside Chats and dinner evenings planned to reinvigorate the family spirit before jumping into the formal process itself.  Reunion and reconciliation among our members has been a powerful motivation to begin the Study Phase, providing an impetus to come together to discover the Church’s teachings on the laity and to understand our identity as members of Regnum Christi. 

For the most part, our study of the formation materials is through Study Circles alongside Encounter with Christ teams.  To create more diversity, some localities also use their monthly retreats to meet jointly with both men and women to further reflect and continue to build on the family spirit enkindled during our introductory gatherings.  Where necessary, our localities have also adjusted formation themes to incorporate the renewal topics without imposing additional time commitments.  Once understood, and now at last beginning, our members’ desire to experience the process is growing.

Registration for our Feb 7th Convention Day is also growing!  This is a day planned in Cincinnati for both men and women to refresh our mission and enjoy more on the Quest for the Core with special guest, Fr. Patrick Langan.  The Apostolate of the Laity will also be a topic of the day, and we have discussion sessions planned with small groups of members from different local areas, enriching our reflections with different perspectives.

Certainly, we are off to an encouraging start, but challenges do exist.  We are a geographically broad area, so we all (priests, consecrated and laity) log lots of miles to accompany our members.  We are encouraged by the growing interest from the men’s sections and hope that continues.  In our monthly conference calls, our local leaders share inspirations to encourage one another and also insights to help each other with concerns.  With most everyone either beginning or having completed the first Study Theme, we now turn our focus toward maintaining this initial enthusiasm through the course of entire Study Phase and into the much anticipated discussion of Regnum Christi statute themes.  

Not only is the renewal our focus, but it is a true prayer as well.  It is personally edifying and humbling to see the prayer, sacrifice and depth of attention our members are pouring out for one another.  Dialogue with our local leaders always leaves me refreshed and full of gratitude for this family of mine.  Our family truly has abandoned itself with total confidence to God to live this special moment of grace as those lines from our Renewal Prayer remind us.  What a blessing!  

Lisa Cusmano, Coordinator
Ohio Valley Renewal Team
Celebrating 20 years of married life to Cory, mother of three teenage sons, and grateful to be a happily renewing Regnum Christi member!