Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter December 2011

Calendar of Events.
December 5, 2011. Presentation of medals and documents of distinguished honors, 7:30 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. Andrew. See more information below.
December 8, 2011. Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Holy Day of Obligation.
December 10, 2011. Schubert Male Chorus Concert, 7:30 p.m. at the East Grand Rapids Performing Arts Center. Reception preceding the concert will be held at the home of Dan and Jeanine LaVille beginning at 5:00 p.m. Refreshments will be served. Their home is located at 2237 Cardiff Ct. NE, Grand Rapids, 49505. Tickets are $17 per person and will be added to the next quarterly billing. Send Aggie an e-mail or call her if you have not already bought a ticket, or let Nancy King know and we will forward the information to Aggie. More information about the Schubert Male Chorus will appear below.
There will be no more scheduled Serra events in December.
Looking Ahead.
January 9, 2012. Luncheon Meeting and Speaker, 12:00 Noon at Louis Benton Steak House. Speaker will be Father Vincent O'Malley.
January 12, 2012. Regional Director/District G0vernor Planning Conference, Chicago Illinois.
January 13-15, 2012. Serra USA Super Weekend, Chicago, Illinois. Nate McKenzie and John Osterhart have attended the Super Weekends for a number of years. They have served on the by-laws and membership committees and they highly recommend that other Serrans attend as well. Nate further points out that the rooms are very economical at $80 per person for a double.
January 23, 2012. Prayer Service and Luncheon, 12:00 Noon at Sacred Heart. Speaker will be our District Governor, Bob Barrett. On Thursday, November 17 Nate McKenzie and John Osterhart, along with our Moderator, Bob Barrett, and several members of the Muskegon, Saginaw, and Detroit clubs, met in Okemos and shared information about possible Serra Club start-ups. Bob Barrett has made great headway in meeting with bishops in whose dioceses there are not currently clubs. We urge your attendance to show support for the efforts of all of these people in building great momentum in our state. The Detroit club has also been active in working with local parochial schools to further the work of the College Connection in the area.
February 13, 2012. Please note change in plans. Luncheon Meeting and Speaker, 12:00 Noon at Louis Benton Steak House. We will reschedule the evening meeting, as Fr. Mark will not be available to speak at that time.
February 5, 2012. World Day of Prayer for the Consecrated Life.
June 21-24, 2012. Serra International Convention, Providence, Rhode Island. Watch for details as they emerge.

Priests' Anniversaries for December. Fr. Julian Reginato, 12-19-64; Charles Dautrement, 12-18-60; Robert Gillespie, 12-8-43; Norbert Leyrita, 12-21-63; Michael Olson, 12-27-94; Msgr. John Porter, 12-15-57; Most Reverend Robert Rose, 12-21-53. Lee Sullivan notes that Fr. Ed Vella always sends a thank-you for her anniversary cards. He is now station in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin as a Redemptorist Missionary.

About the December 5 Event. From Mary Haarman, Director of Communications, Diocese of Grand Rapids: (October 20, 2011), Grand Rapids, Michigan. Bishop Walter A. Hurley announced that Pope Benedict XVI has conferred papal honors upon three priests in Grand Rapids, a woman religious, and seven members of the laity in recognition of their distinguished service to the Church. Pontificial Honors are as follows:
Prelate of Honor to His Holiness: Reverend Monsignor William H. Duncan.
Chaplain to His Holiness: Reverend Monsignor Edward A. Hankiewicz and Reverend Monsignor R. Louis Stasker.
Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Cross: Sister Mary Aquinas Weber, O. P., Mrs. Mary Ann Kesler, Mr. Roy P. Lorenz, Mrs. Joan Secchia, Mr. Ronald D. and Mrs. Joan Griffith, and Mrs. Mary E. O'Connor.
Benerementi Medal: Mr. Philip H. McCorkle, Jr.
"I am grateful that our Holy Father has conferred papal honors on these priests and members of the laity," said Bishop Hurley. "They have served the churches and the community faithfully and with a spirit of commitment and dedication, and I am thankful for their service as I am for the service of all of our priests and people."
The diocesan bishop nominates candidates for the honors and submits their names and biographies to the Holy See. Once the Holy Father confers the honor, the Vatican Secretary of State issues a document conferring the honors. The priests upon whom the papal honors are being conferred are given the title Monsignor. The Pro Ecclesia ("For the Church and the Holy Father") award and medal, founded by Pope Leo XIII in 1888, "recognizes the commitment of men and women in their service to the ecclesial community."
The Benemerenti ("To a well-deserving person" or "Good Merit") award, first presented by Pope Pius VI, "is given to those who have shown exemplary service to the church family and community."
Bishop Hurley will present the medals and documents of those distinguished honors during a prayer service at the Cathedral of St. Andrew on Monday, December 5 at 7:30 p.m. The public is welcome to attend.

More About the Schubert Male Chorus.
The Schubert Male Chorus is considered the oldest independent male chorus in America. Founded by Henry C. Post, a talented pianist, teacher, and music critic, along with 12 other men on November 19, 1883--and immediately expanded from 13 members to 16 "just to be sure"--the Club has presented at least one major concert each year since its first on December 4, 1884. The organization has never departed from the original intend of furthering the appreciation and performance of good chorale music. Every year the Schuberts perform at many civic and corporate functions, Immigration and Naturalization Ceremonies, Women's City Club, Gilda's Club, Retirement and Nursing communities, and churches. The group is a regular at the annual June Fine Arts Festival.

For many years the Jr. Schubert Club served as a valuable training ground for singing and community service for young men under 21, the beginning age of Schubert members. Our own Russell Christopher, who won one of the music scholarships and went on to sing with the Metropolitan Opera, started here. In the 1950s over 1200 high school choir members from all over West Michigan competed for these scholarships.
The purpose of the Schubert Male Chorus is to foster and develop an interest in a wide variety of music and to encourage men to participate in the pleasure of singing. We are a group of men who love swinging, enjoy camaraderie, and strive for excellence in performance to the delight of our audience.
Source: www.schubertmalechorus.org
We urge as many of you as possible to join us at the pre-event reception and the concert, as it will be our only formal Serra event for December. Also, the information about the chorus should suggest that if we don't attend, we are missing out on a wonderful excellent evening. We thank the chorus and groups like them to their service to the community. Excellence exists, of course, but we don't hear much about the good that goes on around us.

Quarterly Billing. Treasurer Pat Leikert notifies us that our quarterly dues billing will take place in early January to accomodate his upcoming work schedule. Tax time is coming soon.

Adoration Reminder. St. Isidore, 24/7. Code #513. IHM 24/5 (no weekends). Code 5412.

2013 Regional Conference Update. The announcement confirming location is imminent. The committee, with the help of the Grand Rapids Convention Bureau, narrowed the search to the Holiday Inn, downtown, the Raddison, downtown, the Crowne Plaza, 28th Street, and the Hilton, 28th Street. The Committee will make a final selection and review the contract at their
next meeting, as Tim Hile explains in his message to the club.

Why do priests wear the Roman collar? According to EWTN.com, "The history of the Roman collar is somewhat convoluted, but one can start by noting that the collar we know today is a fairly recent adaptation.
"The Roman collar traces its distant origins to the 15th century, when clerics began following the current fashion of placing their linen collars over their outer clothing. This became accepted custom, and, by the 17th century, there were many forms of this linen collar, such as the ornate Roman variety, the collarino, of ornate and expensive lace; and the French adopted the collars worn by the noble classes, of linen and fine lace. As black was increasingly worn by clergy, the collar served as one of the obvious elements in their attire.
"Church officials abolished the excessive ornamentation for the collars, and a linen band was slowly used to offer protection against dirt and stains. This was the direct origin of the current collar, with priests using a softer style choker of cloth, sometimes merely a scarf; bishops and other prelates could afford a linen choker. From this came the embrace in Rome of the collar as it is known today. The collaro was of starched linen that was approximately three inches wide and that was fitted into the rabbi (or rabat), the cloth fitted around the neck of a cleric and placed under a simar or cassock.
"Today, the collar (usually made of plastic or linen) is most commonly identified with clergy of many denominations. In Europe, of course, many priests wear variations on the Roman collar. In the United States, an effort has been made in recent years to encourage priests to wear a black suit and especially the Roman collar as identifiable elements in their ministry."
Source: National Catholic Register, November 20, 2011.

Our President's Message. Dear Serrans: I wish you a most blessed Advent and Christmas season. Please pay special attention to the changes in the schedule for February (no evening meeting).
Continue to pray for the family of Deacon Dale Hollern and especially for his son Tim as he continues to battle colon cancer.
Our District Governor Bob Barrett will be joining us at our meeting on January 23 at Sacred Heart. Bob has made some fantastic strides in a short amount of time as it pertains to the setting up of new Serra Clubs in the Lansing, Kalamazoo, and Detroit dioceses. Bob will te discussing the College Connection and some new twists on 31 clubs that he has learned of in his travels. I hope we can have a great turnout to this meeting.
The Conference Committee is meeting on Friday, December 2 with the final hotel selection to review the contract and lock ijn the date. Then our planning will start in earnest on the agenda and possible speakers. Thank you to all on this committee for your efforts to date and in the future.
Mary, Mother of Vocations, Pray for Us.
Tim Hile, President, Serra Club of Grand Rapids

Rosary Promise for December 2011. Promise XV. Devotion to my rosary is a great sign of predestintion.

Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter November 2011

Calendar of Events.
November 1, 2011. All Saints' Day. Holy day of obligation.
November 2, 2011. The Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed (All Souls' Day).
November 14, 2011. Luncheon Meeting and Speaker, 12:00 Noon at Louis Benton Steak House. Speaker will be Sean Maltbie of the Catholic Lawyers of West Michigan.
November 21, 2011. There will be no Board Meeting on November 21 and no Board Meeting on December 19. The next Board Meeting will be held on January 16, 2012. Location TBA.
November 28, 2011. Prayer Service and Luncheon Meeting, 12:00 Noon at Sacred Heart.
December 10, 2011. Schubert Male Chorus Concert, Christmas Jubilation, 7:30 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center, East Grand Rapids High School. The choir celebrates over 128 years of singing in the Grand Rapids area. Dan and Jeanine LaVille have agreed to host a reception before the concert for fellow Serrans, with details TBA.
No more scheduled meetings for 2011.
February 15, 2011. Evening meeting, 5:30 p.m. at Louis Benton Steak House. Father Mark
will speak. Please invite guests to this event and see President Tim Hile's comments regarding the subject matter of Father Mark's talk.
Regarding November 1 and 2. From editor@ewtn.com: What is the difference between All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day?
All Saints' Day is a solemnity to honor all saints of the Church. In the early days of Christianity, only martyrs and John the Baptist were celebrated on specific days. More saints' feast days were added as canonization processes were established. Pope Gregory IV (827-844) established this feast day to recall saints' holiness for the entire Church, according to The Catholic Encyclopedia.
All Souls' Day, on the other hand, remembers all the faithful departed; the Church on earth prays for the deceased. Source: National Catholic Register, October 23-Nov. 5, 2011.

Priests' Anniversaries. Rock Badgerow, November 3, 1979; Thomas Boufford, November 7, 1989; Daniel DePew, November 2, 1985; Charles Hall, November 3, 1979; Ed Villa, November 9, 1985; and Wayne Wheeler, November 3, 1979.

Correspondence. Father Mark Przybysz sent our club the following note in care of Pat Leikert: "Dear Serra Club: On behalf of the priests of the Diocese of Grand Rapids I would like to thank you for your generous donation to the 2011 Priest Convocation. It is a wonderful opportunity for the priests of the Diocese to come together for relaxationk, camaraderie and learning. Thank you again for your continued support!" Peace, Rev. Mark Przybysz, Director for Continuing Formation of Priests.

2013 Regional Conference. Committee chair Joseph Scoville 's first goals in planning the conference will be setting a date, looking toward late September and early October, and selecting a venue, choosing from a downtown location or a 28th Street location. Others serving on the committee are Fr. Ed, Bob Gabridge, Bob Paul, Dan Laville, Tom Curran, John Osterhart, and Marcia Carbines. Let us all help in any way we can to make the conference a success, and let us put the upcoming event in our prayers.

Holy Family Radio. At the October 17 Board Meeting, President Tim Hile announced that Dan Grady has donated $350 to our Club, to be passed on to Holy Family Radio Station in the name of the Serra Club of Grand Rapids. The Board approved the Serran Sponsorship of the program. The fund buys the syndication for the next year of Vocations Boom, a half-hour program produced by EWTN and repeated in other time slots. President Hile expressed the view that the sponsorship of the program benefits both our club and the overall Catholic community. It is now being played during quiet time at St. Stephen School for 7th and 8th graders.

Let us Keep Them in Our Prayers. Sent Tuesday, October 18 from Ed Odenweller, of Lima Ohio, to John Osterhart: "With great sadness I send notification of the passing of Anne McRoy. Anne was a Serran and wife of Serran (and former District Governor) Doug McRoy."
John's reply to Doug McRoy: "Our heartfelt sympathy to the entire McRoy family. We will always remember you and Anne braving daunting December weather to support Serra functions in Grand Rapids. Your kind invitation to us before Anne's condition worsened, to stay with you and Anne during our recent visit to your area for the chartering of a new Serra Club, was so very thoughtful and generous. With warmest regards, John and Ellen Osterhart."
We also keep in our prayers Deacon and former Grand Rapids Serran Dale Hollern and his family. Deacon Dale's wife Isabel informed us that Faith Hospice is now working with the family and caring for Dale. Dale is comfortable but only receiving family.

News from Thailand. Dennis Leiber passes along this note from Sean Yeo, Vice President Vocations, Serra International and President, Serra Club of Singapore.
My dear Serrans in Asia: Wishing you the peace and love in the name of the Lord..
Three months ago I was very excited to attend the chartering of the Serra Club of St. Luke in Lopburi, Thailand. Hence I have witnessed the chartering of a Serra Club in Thailand but also the First Charter Mass that I attended since our own club was chartered five years ago.
Chainarong met us in Bangkok and together we traveled for more than two hours by car to Lopburn. On the way there I could not help but admire the scenic view of the places we passed on the way to the Church of St. Luke, where the new Thai Serra Club will be based.
I was therefore shocked and saddened when I received photos from Chainarong recently about Lopburn being submerged by flood waters as well as in other parts of Thailand that have been affected by the flood. We continue to keep them in our prayers. We pray that in God's mercy, lives will not be lost and that (people's) livelihoods be restored the soonest possible.
In this issue of Serra in Asia we have featured the chartering of the Serra Club of Lopburn as well as interviews with the President of the Serra Council of Thailand, Ms. Anchan Chatugungaprateep and the President of the Serra Club of Macau, Ms. Christiana Chow. I hope the interviews will inspire more women to serve in the Serra ministry.
God Bless, Sean Yeo.

News from the Diocese. Father Edward A. Hankiewicz was appointed pastor of St. Mary's Parish, Lowell, while continuing as Judicial Vicar at the Diocesean Tribunal, effective September 14, 2011. In addition to these responsibilities, it is anticipated that St. Anthony Parish, Saranac, will become Father Hankiewicz's responsibility, as the Our Faith, Our Future recommendations move toward implementation. Father Aaron Ferris was appointed canonical administrator of Sacred Heart, effective September 14, 2011. In addition, on October 20, 2011, Bishop Walter A. Hurley announced that Pope Benedict XVI has conferred papal honors upon three priests of the Diocese of Grand Rapids:
Prelate of Honor to His Holiness: Reverend Monsignor William H. Duncan.
Chaplain to His Holiness: Reverend Monsignor Edward A. Hankiewicz and Reverend Monsignor R. Louis Stasker. Installation of these appointees will take place on December 5, with specifics TBA.

From the Pontifical Pastoral Ministry for Vocations to the Priesthood, Congretation for Catholic Education, Vatican City.

Your Excellences, Bishops Delegates for Pastoral Ministry for Vocations, Directors of Vocation: The Pontifical Pastoral Ministry for Priestly Vocations wants to follow up the messages which the Holy Father has addressed to all the Church on the occasion of the 48th World Day of Prayer for Vocations which was celebrated on 15 May 2011.
The theme chosen by the Holy Father was, "Proposing Vocations in the local church." With reference to the theme, during these last months, Benedict XVI proposed the vocations to the ministerial priesthood, particularly to young people on different occasions when he met the Bishops of India on their visits "ad limina Apostolorum" in his Apostolic Journey to Croatia, in the Pastoral visit to the Diocese of Marino-Montefeltro (Italy), on the occasion of the World Youth Day, which was celebrated in Madrid, Spain, in his Pastoral Visit to Ancona, Italy, and in his Apostolic Pastoral Journey to Germany. On the occasion of the World Youth Day, during the Vigil of prayer with the young people, the Pope said, during this Pastoral Visit, "I urge you to ask God to help you find your vocation in society and in the Church, and to persevere in that vocation with joy and fidelity. It is a good thing to open our hearts to Christ's call and to follow with courage and generosity the path he maps out to us.
The Lord calls many people to marriage, in which a man and a woman, in becoming one flesh, (Cf. Gen. 2:24), find fulfillment in a profound life of communion. It is a prospect that is both bright and demanding. It is a project for true love which is daily reviewed and deepened by sharing joys and sorrows, one marked by true self-giving. For this reason, to acknowledge the beauty and goodness of marriage is to realize that only a setting of fidelity and indissolubility, along with openness to God's gift of life, is adequate to the grandeur and dignity of marital love.
Christ calls others to follow him more closely in the priesthood or in consecrated life. It is hard to put into words the happiness you will feel when you know that Jesus seeks you, trusts in you, and with his unmistakable voice also says to you, and with his unmistakable voice also says to you, 'Follow me.' (Cf. Mark 2:14).
Speaking to youth in Germany, who were participating in the Vigil of Prayer, Benedict XVI said, 'Allow Christ to burn in you, even at the cost of sacrifice and renunciation. Do not be afraid that you might lose something, and so to speak, emerge empty handed at the end. Have the courage to apply your talents and gifts for God's kingdom and to give yourselves--like candlewax-- so that the Lord can light up the darkness through you. Dare to be glowing saints, in whose eyes and hearts the love of Christ beams and thus brings light to the world. I am confident that you and many other young people in Germany are lamps of hope that do not remain hidden. 'You are the light of the world.' Where God is, there is a future.
The Pontifical Pastoral Ministry for Priestly Vocations will meet many of you coming from all the local churches who respond positively to the invitation to participate in the Congress, which will be held from the 3rd to the 5th of November. The Congress will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the institution of the Pontifical Pastoral Ministry for Priestly Vocations with the Motu Proprio Cum nobis, 4 November 1941, by the venerable Pius XII. The participants will be about 220, coming from all over the world, and they include Bishops, priests, and members of Serra International...
The PPMPV feels the nearness of the Holy Father Benedict XVI, who showed much fatherly love when He accepted to preside over the Vigil of Prayer and Vespers on 4 November 2011, a date on which the liturgical memory of St. Charles Borromeo, the founder of seminaries, is celebrated and which is the birthday of PPMPV. The Vigil will be attended not only by the participants in the Congress, but also by the Priests and seminarians who study in the Ecclesiastical University and Faculties of Rome, this being the opening of the academic year.
The PPMPV asks all who receive this circular letter to offer to the Father a communal prayer so that on this unity of intentions and collaboration, he will send many vocations to the Church.
United in the prayer to the Lord of the Harvest,
Msgr. Francis Bonnici
From Cesare Gambardelli to Dennis Leiber

A Message from our President.
Dear Serrans:
Fall is slipping away with All Saints Day tomorrow, and Advent is quickly approaching. May we all continue to prepare our sould like the Saints who have gone before us. Advent always brings family outings to mind from my childhood as well as with my own family. Trips and excursions to cut down the family Christmas tree and the hilarity associated with getting it to stay upright or just getting it inside the house. I think of the wonderful parties where we see old friends, make some new ones, cath up with family who live afar and share wonderful food prepared with love. Advent is about preparation, not just about the coming of the baby Jesus in the manger but God coming into our lives with a fulness we cannot explain.
My involvement with Serra has led me on an introspective patch recently, relating to the fulness stated above that I cannot explain. Thank you for all your efforts in furthering Serra's cause of fostering and affirming priestly vocations. We see the need every day in our own parishes and our diocese. We need to do everything we can to help young men discern if a priestly vocation is for them. All your work is appreciated and we have much still to do!
Please review the schedule and keep abreast of our irregulat meeting schedule. December 10 will kick off the Christmas season with a wonderful concert by the Schubert Male Concert Choir in their annual Christmas Jubilation. The LaVilles have graciously offered to host a gathering before the concert. Keep an eye out for more details to follow.
Congratulations to our own Moderator, Fr. Ed Hankiewicz, soon to be installed as a Monsignor. This is a most well deserved honor, Monsignor!
Also, many thanks to the rest of the 2013 Regional Conference Committee. They have made great headway and have two scheduled visits to properties to see how the conference would be accommodated by the hotel and amenities they can provide visiting Serrans and families.
Remember that we are gearing up to invite guests to our evening meeting on February 15. I am really looking forwrd to this talk given by Fr. Mark Przybysz on the book by Pastor Robb Bell, Love Wins. Please feel free to ask former members and potential members to join us for what promises to be an engaging conversation and additional personal information.
Mary, Mother of Vocations, Pray for us!
Tim Hile

Rosary Promise for November, 2011. Promise XIV. "All who recite the rosary are my sons, and brothers of my only son, Jesus Christ.

Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter October 2010

Calendar of Events.

October 1-31, 2011. Month of the Most Holy Rosary.
October 2, 2011. Respect Life Sunday.
Sunday, October 9, 2011. Good Night, Desdemona, Good Morning, Juliet, presented by Aquinas College Drama Department at the Circle Theater, 2:00 p.m. This is a great way to support both our club and Aquinas College. Get in touch with Aggie Kempker-Cloyd if you'd like to join our club for a little outing outside our normal meeting dates and times. Reserve tickets with Aggie by sending an e-mail to aggcloyd@aol.com or call 453-4181. Tickets are $10, and you may pay for them by adding the cost to the next quarterly dues. Reserve as many as you like, as friends and family members are welcome to attend as well. The play will take the place of our usual second Monday meeting.
Sunday, October 9, 2011. Spaghetti dinner at Our Lady of Sorrows, 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Tickets are $8 for adults or $3 for children. Call 243-0222 or buy tickets at the door. If you're planning to attend both the play and the Spaghetti Dinner, we recommend that you arrive early at Our Lady of Sorrows so that you can be finished with your dinner in plenty of time for the play. This is ordinarily a very popular event, and the lines can get long. Also, parking can be a problem if one arrives late. The 10:00 Mass dismisses at 11:00 and there is a well-attended noon Mass.
October 12, 2011. Columbus Day
October 17, 2011. Board Meeting, 12:00 Noon at Sacred Heart.
October 23, 2011. World Mission Sunday
October 24, 2011. Fourth Monday Prayer Service and Luncheon Meeting, 12:00 Noon
at Sacred Heart.
October 30, 2011. Priesthood Sunday. Download parish promotional materials from serraus.org.
October Saints' Days. Two very significant October feast days are Tuesday, October 4 (St. Francis of Assisi) and Friday, October 7 (Our Lady of the Rosary).
Welcome to our Club. We welcome our newest member, Marcia Carbines.
About 2013. We are in the earliest stages of planning our late summer or fall 2013 Regional Convention. The first steps are to set dates and locations. At this point, Joseph Scoville has agreed to serve as chairman, provided he gets plenty of help. That should be no problem, given the variety of talents to be found among our membership. The preliminary committee will reach out to other clubs in Michigan, as well as in other Great Lakes states and perhaps even West Virginia. They will seek the involvement of the Muskegon club in hosting the event. The preliminary committee is also receiving quotes from the various hotels we are considering.

Our Grand Haven 31 Club Visit. Nancy Mulvihill noted that 12-15 young men and several young women from the Grand Haven parishes our club visited on August 28 have expressed interest in discerning vocations.

An Unexpected Consequence. Our evening meeting at the University Club on September 12, with Ralph Hauenstein in attendance, was a success by anybody's standards. Our guests from the Catholic Lawyers' Association and the West Michigan Catholic Physicians have indicated to President Tim Hile that they especially enjoyed the talk by Msgr. Ancona and the fellowship with our Serans. Anyone who has heard Msgr. as a speaker would likely agree that while his comments are always thoughtful and masterfully worded, they fall easily on the ear. Focusing on the topic of the history of the diocese, Msgr. more than anything else spoke of his literary journey from start to finish in undertaking, at the invitation of Bishop Rose, the formidable project, Where the Star Came to Rest. Changing assignments from rector of the Cathedral of St. Andrew to pastor of the then, in his own words, idyllic St. Sebastian, Msgr. began his task of researching and writing this book and serving as an able leader of all those who assisted with the work. He worked on the book work while at the same time performing his regular duties as pastor over the next several years.
I, your editor, have a confession to make. I had bought the book some time ago at Our Lady of Sorrows, and then, alas! it found a nice home on the coffee table of our family room. Now and then I would take a few minutes to glance at it as I did my dusting. As a result of Msgr.'s talk, I have taken it from its resting place and started reading it, and have been well rewarded for my efforts. I have found new respect for Msgr.'s meticulous research and eloquent writing and for the efforts of the many talented people in our community who contributed to the undertaking. If Msgr. set out to produce a reader friendly history of our diocese, he certainly accomplished his mission.
Two Serra wives, each in her own way, contributed significantly to the work: Margie Scoville, according to Msgr., "did some excellent research, found elusive photos, and was very reliable for her help." Also, the book would not have been the same without Margaret Leiber's charming illustrations, among them Midnight Mass in the Michigan forest, December 25, 1675, Father Andreas Viszocky with children, and several maps.
One of the greatest lessons, one takes away from the book is that the Church has survived and even flourished in our diocese and throughout its history despite unimaginable hardships and fierce human conflicts, and I, for one, derive great comfort from that lesson. Once again, thank you, Msgr Ancona and your team of experts, for Where the Star Came to Rest. Fr. Ed tells us that copies of the book are still available at Sacred Heart.

A Rich Source of Priestly Vocations. From Salute, the Magazine of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, Joan Frawley Desmond, Retister Senior Editor NRC, writes in an article reprinted from the National Catholic Register, "From Battlefield to Altar, Armed Services are Fertile Ground for Priestly Vocations:
In 1981, Stuart Swetland graduated with top honors from the U. S. Naval Academy, earning a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University. His long-term dream to serve his country was realized when he was commissioned as a Navy officer. He went on to serve on frigates and destroyers. Today, he's Monsignor Stuart Swetland, a Catholic priest and the Flynn Professor of Ethics at Mount St., Mary's University in Emmitsburt, MD. Though Monsignor Swetland's trajectory from military warrior to spiritual warrior might raise some eyebrows, it's a well-worn path to the priesthood. Annually, about 10 % of priestly vocations are men drawn from the ranks of active-duty military, with another sizable portion of recruits raised in military families.
Now that number is getting a boost as the Archdiocese for the Military Services completes the first three years of its new vocations initiative specifically designed to encourage and foster priestly vocations in all the services.
The AMS not only aspires to increase the shockingly low number of military chaplains, but also to draw these recruits into dioceses throughout the United States. The brainchild of Archbishop Edwin O'Brien of Baltimore, who previously led the Archdiocese for the Military Services, the program received seed money from members of the Order of Malta and has graduallyl gained traction under the leadership of Archbishop Timothy Broglio, who succeeded Archbishop O'Brien in 2008. Since the AMS's first vocations director, Father John McLaughlin, a late vocation on loan from Boston, hit the road in the summer of 2008, about 40 young men have signed up. Some participate in the "co-sponsorship program, in which the AMS and the recruit's home diocese share seminary formation and educational expenses and then establish a period of service at home and as a military chaplain. Others enter religious orders or apply as regular diocesan vocations program...
Father McLaughlin did not serve in the military, though his father was a Marine. A graduate of Boston College and a top wrestler, he worked in real estate and coached high school wrestling on the side, winning state championships. Over time, he began to reassess his own career plans and entered the seminary.
Over the past three years. Father McLaughlin has signed up recruits from every military service but the Coast Guard and landed graduates from West Point, the U. S. Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy. He has met young men whose faith was ignited or solidified as they fought on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan and grappled with the enduring questions of human existence: Why am I here? What is my mission on earth? Why was I saved when others were taken?...Father Brett Brannan, who is author of To Save a Thousand Souls: A Guide for Discerning a Vocation to Diocesan Priesthood and is serving his sixth year as vice rector of Mount St. Mary's Seminary--where a number of seminarians in the AMS co-sponsorship program are enrolled--recalls (stories) from his seminary days.
"Men see and experience terrible things in war, and one fellow seminarian told he he was in a foxhole between two friends," he said. "They were killed, and he survived. For a long time he wondered why he had been saved."
Father Brannen underscored the point that young men who grew up in military families are prepared to accept the sacrifices that come with priestly vocation.
"A military family has to pick up and move where they are needed. That's the priesthood: It requires a willingness to lay down your life," said Father Brannen, who noted that the student body of the U. S. Naval Academy is more than 50% Catholic.
"It's an ordered life," he observed. "Many priests do not obey their bishop, and then they wonder why they aren't flourishing. Military families understand this. They realize that the whole is more important than the parts, and that's the priesthood. When I say, 'I have plans,' Jesus has his plans and I have to change mine."...
Msgr. Swetland contends that the Church will reap a great harvest by increasing support for the military chaplain program and notes that his own vocation was fostered by gifted chaplains who nurtured the mutually compatible values that inspire both military service in military service and a priestly vocation...
"Men who enter the military do so out of a sense of service--a willingness to lay down their life for others and to give the gift of self," he said, "and that's what you need for the priesthood."
The Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA publishes SALUTE for the nation's Bishops, active and retired military chaplains, and financial supporters of the Archdiocese. Salute, Summer 2011.
Let us Pray. A prayer service for Dale Hollern and several members of his family was held yesterday afternoon at St. Stephen.
Also, John Osterhart sends us this note: Conor Dugan is one of Steve's good friends and an EGR classmate who has long discerned the possibility of a priestly vocation. His parents are St. Stephen parishioners and Conor is now married and the father of three. His wife is a GR. Catholic Central graduate from IHM parish. He graduated from Dartmouth and Notre Dame Law School. He now lives in the Washington, D. C. area and had open heart surgery about a year ago. I used to send him our GR Serra newsletters when he was in college.
I am sure he would be delighted to receive support for his "vocation run" from any Grand Rapids Serrans, any St. Stephen or IHM parishioners or others who hear about his run for vocations in the Archdiocese of Washington, D. C. John O.
Finally, Lee Sullivan has sent a message informing us of the passing of Franciscan Sister of the
Eucharist Valerie Nehl on September 30 at the Franciscan Life Process Center in Lowell.
A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Tuesday, October 4 at 9:00 a.m. at the Franciscan Life Process Center. Her obituary appeared in the Grand Rapids Press on Sunday, October 2.

October 2011 Promise XIII. "I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death.

Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter September, 2011

Calendar of Events.

September 8, 2011. Serra Unites! day of prayer, a new Serra International program created in Singapore and introduced to the clubs at the Ottawa 2011 Convention. All Serrans are encouraged to pray together on September 8, the Feast of the Birth of Mary, Mother of Vocations. The Day of Prayer was announced in the Serra International Bellringer. Information about the program, including specific prayers, is now available at http://www.serra.org/ by clicking on Serra Unites! Serra clubs are invited to make this an annual event to "gather their relatives and friends around them in humble prayer to the Lord of the Harvest that He send out more laborers into the harvest."

September 11, 2011. Going away party honoring Fr. Ed, 2-5 p.m. at Sacred Heart. As most of you know, Fr. Ed has been appointed pastor of St. Mary's in Lowell beginning September 14. Fr. Aaron Ferris has been appointed Parish Administrator at Sacred Heart until the first of the year. At least until then, we will continue to meet on our fourth Mondays at 12:00 noon at Sacred Heart.

September 12, 2011. Evening meeting at the University Club, 5:30 p.m. Our club will gather together with the Catholic Lawyers Association and the West Michigan Catholic Physicians for an evening of fellowship. Monsignor Ancona will speak about the history of our diocese. Mark Kubik is preparing invitations to those guests our members wish to invite. Along with beer, wine, and soft drinks, light hors d'oeuvres will be served.

September 19, 2011. Serra Board Meeting, 12:00 Noon at Sacred Heart.

Looking Ahead...

Sunday, October 9, 2011. Good Night, Desdemona will be presented at Aquinas College at 2:00 p.m. at the Circle Theater. More details TBA. This gathering will take the place of our regular Second Monday meeting.

October 30, 2011. Priesthood Sunday.

June 21-23, 2012. Serra International Convention, Providence, Rhode Island. The theme will be, "The good work begun in you will be perfected unto the day of Christ Jesus." Phil1:6.

Priests' Anniversaries for September.

The September anniversaries are as follows:

Fr. Loc Trinh, 9-19-92 and Fr. Ron Hutchinson, 9-24-94. Once again, thanks to Lee Sullivan for her ministry of keeping records and sending anniversary cards.

Congratulations to Fr. Ed, our Moderator. Congratulations are in order to Fr. Ed Hankiewica, who received the 2011 William E. Cousins Award for Chaplain (Moderator) of the Year at the Ottawa Convention. We thank you, Fr. Ed, for your excellent service to our club.

Reflection Dinner. Mark Kubik received an invitation from Katey Davis, co-director of the Aquinas Fund, for our club's participation in the Reflection Dinner, September 19, 2011, beginning at 6:00 p.m. in the Sturrus Sports and Fitness Center. The dinner will honor Sister M. Aquinas Weber, O. P., Ralph Hauenstein, and Peter Wege. The cost per person is $150. At our August board meeting, our club passed a motion for us to purchase two tickets to the event. All proceeds to the Reflection Fund go toward student scholarships.

Thank-you-notes. We believe we have received all of the thank-you notes from the July 25 evening with the Sisters at 5/3 Ball Park. Nancy King has compiled the notes into a booklet and will distribute them soon. We would simply copy the notes for this newsletter, but the visual effects of the notes would be lost. However, we can pass along excerpts from a letter sent by Sharon L. Loughridge, Executive Director of D. A. Blodgett-St. John's Homes:

July 25, 2011. To the Grand Rapids Council of Serra International, c/o Dan LaVille: Dear Members of the Grand Rapids Council of Serra International: Thank you so much for your recent gift to the children of D. A. Blodgett-St. John's. We truly appreciate your donation of 25 Whitecaps tickets and parking passes...What we never forget, however, is that all of these great experiences for your kids are made available because of generous donors such as you! It is wonderful to be part of such a caring and thoughtful community. Sincerely, Sharon L. Loughridge. Mark Thomson added this handwritten note: Thank you so much for thinking of our kids!"

Notes from the Ottawa Convention Summary:

Credentials for 250 clubs were approved to vote either as delegate or proxy. Quite a few club proxies were disallowed by the Credentials Committee for being incorrectly filled out, not originals, or other infractions of the Bylaws...

7. The District 6 Bylaw Amendment regarding transparency, requiring open SI Board and Executive Committee meetings, passed by near unanimous voice vote...

8. The following Resolution, not on the original Delegate Meeting Agenda, was moved, seconded and passed with hear unanimous vote. "Be it resolved..."

As of now, Serra International did not withdraw the lawsuit. However, Kurt T. Metyko, President of USAC of SI, sends this update:

I would like to bring USA Serrans up to date on wht's happening on the SI lawsuit. The parties met with the judge on July 20 for a status report. As we expected, the meeting was very brief and did not address any of the substantive issues. The judge granted SI a time extension until August 8 to answer USAC's interrogatories and she set another status hearing for August 29. Our attorneys informed us on August 12 that they had received SI's answers to USAC's interrogatories and SI presented a list of its own interrogatories. We are working on answering these now. Our attorneys tell us that the case could go on for several more months or even years.

It was brought to my attention by a club recently that they had received the letter from SI in February saying that "the USA Council's oversight was terminated," but little if anything in response from USAC. In fact, there were several USAC letters responding to the suit that were published in March. They are all on our website under the heading, "USA Council Continues to be Ready to Serve You." The March letter has an attachment with the responses that our attorney felt we would offer publicly to the vague and unspecific allegations offered by Serra International. On April 6 the Court heard Serra International's request for an injunction to stop USAC from operating, and the judge denied it. In fact, the USA Council is till very much open to serve you and needs your dues to cover office salaries and expenses...

President Metyko goes on to announce the introduction of the Serra Unites! program...(as explained in the September 8 calendar announcement of this newsletter)...

As frustrating as these times are, please work even harder on our vocation ministry. I appreciate your concern for Serra. Please keep all Serra leaders in your prayers and remember Blessed Junipero Serra's words, "always forward, never back!"

Kurt F. Metyko, President, USA Council of Serra International

31 Club Weekend. Regarding the August 27 and 28 31 Club visits to St. Patrick's and St. Anthony's in Grand Haven, on Saturday evening Len Gross and Bob Gabridge, along with their wives Robbie and Maria, gave the 31 Club presentation and assisted with sign-ups. On Sunday morning at the 8:00 Mass at St. Anthony's, Nancy Mulvihill and Sara VanderWerff presided.

Of the Sunday morning masses at St. Patrick's, Joseph Scoville writes, "On another front, Beverly Shields, Nancy Mulvihill, Weldon Schwartz and wife Karen, and Joe Scoville were at St. Patrick's in Grand Haven for a presentation at the Masses last weekend. The pastor is Fr. William Langlois. He could not have been more welcoming for supportive. He said something about our presence before Mass, prayed for vocations and for Serra during the Prayers of the Faithful, and gave a little talk after Mass about his experience with Serra. It turns out that his father was a Serran in Muskegon. Also, when he was Vocations Director as a young priest in the 60s, both clubs apparently supported him. I get the impression he is extremely proactive in getting young people to think about vocations. So, he's a big fan and was very generous with his comments. He also wanted to give his regards to "everybody." So, it might be good to mention this at the next meeting. The deacon was Joe Finnegan, who apparently is a Muskegon Serran and knows a lot of people in Grand Rapids, especially at St. Stephen's. He was as nice as you can imagine as well. All in all, a very positive experience. If we ever need help for anything in that area, we can probably call on both of them." Joseph Scoville, U. S. District Court, WD Michigan.

Thanks to all who participated in the 31 Club presentations on that weekend.

Our President's Message.

Fall is fast approaching and we have had a beautiful Michigan summer. Our first fall event is on Monday, September 12 at 5:30 at the University Club, replacing the normal event that day. Monsignor Ancona will be leading us back on a journey of the history of the diocese of Grand Rapids and how our Serra Club intertwines with that history. Along with the Catholic Lawyers,

we have invited the West Michigan Catholic Physicians to join us at this event. Please bring a guest and join us in the networking and fellowship. We will have a special member of the Serra Club in attendance that evening, Ralph Hauenstein.

We have received some more bad news regarding the health of Deacon Dale Hollern. Please continue to pray for him, his doctors, his wonderful wife Isabel and their family.

We are planning on a fun event for Serrans and their spouses at the Circle Theater at Aquinas on October 9 and are looking at a December event as well.

Priesthood Sunday is approaching on Sunday, October 30. This is a day set aside to reflect upon and affirm the role of the priesthood in the life of the Church as a central one. Please get in touch with your Liturgy Committee at your home parish to get an announcement made or some other note to call attention to this event. Here is a link to Priesthood Sunday Planning Guide:

http://www.priestsunday.org/pdfs/sundayplanner2011(english).pdf

There are many great ideas and even lesson plans for CCD classes.

Thank you to each of you for all you do for Serra! Your individual efforts are much appreciated. Mary, Mother of Vocations, Pray for us! Tim Hile, CIC, CWCA

Rosary Promises for September: XI. "you shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the rosary." XII. "All those who propagate the holy rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities."

Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter August 2011

Calendar of Events.

August 7, 2011. Concert at our Lady of Sorrows, 4:00 p.m. Music by Amanda Shaheen. Amanda will be accepting free will offerings to help finance her trip to Madrid to attend World Youth Day 2011. See note below.

August 8, 2011. Luncheon Meeting and Speaker, 12:00 Noon at University Club. Speaker will be Father Stasker.

August 15, 2011. Serra Board Meeting, 12:00 Noon. Location TBA.

August 16-21, 2011. World Youth Day, Madrid, Spain. See note below.

August 22, 2011. Prayer Service and Luncheon, 12:00 Noon at Sacred Heart.

August 27 and 28, 2011. 31 Club Parish Visit at St. Patrick/St. Anthony Catholic Community, Grand Haven. We need speakers for all four weekend masses and people to preside at the information tables. Mass schedule is as follows: St. Patrick's, 5:00 p.m. on August 27; 8:00 a.m. at St. Anthony; 10:00 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. at St. Patrick's. St. Patrick's is at 920 Fulton St. and St. Anthony is at 13421 Green Street, Robinson Township, Grand Haven. The zip code for both locations is 49417.

An Evening at the Ball Park with the Sisters. As our readers can see from the photos, the evening was a great success in every way. Although our team didn't win, the sisters greatly enjoyed the game, the picnic supper, and the fellowship with Serrans and their families and with our guests from St. John's Home. Thanks to fellow Serran Larry Mulligan for suggesting that our 25 extra tickets be donated to St. John's Home so that the young people who reside there could join us for game and the picnic. One of these young people was very excited to catch a foul ball that came his way! Thanks to Dan LaVille for coming up with the idea of this new way of showing our appreciation for the Sisters of our diocese. Our club received the following note from the White Caps: Dear Group Leader: Having your group out at the ball park was really a hit! It looks as though everyone in your group is having a great time. Attached you will find some photos from your group outing. We would like to thank you for the hard work you put into organizing your outing this season. We look forward to working with you again sometime. If you need anything else, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our Group Sales Department. A thank-you note from Sharon L. Loughridge, Executive Director of St. John's Home and thank-you notes from the Sisters will be sent under separate cover. The Sisters' notes indicate that the whole idea was a hit, except that Sr. Janet requested a win for the White Caps at next year's outing!

Guest Column. Speaking of St. John's Home, we note that former Serran Mark Thomson wrote a guest column for the Grand Rapids Press which appeared on Saturday, July 30 regarding the use of mood-altering drug use among young people and its connection to the terrible act of violence which occurred in our city this past month. As his bio indicates, Mark Thomson is director of special projects at D. A. Blodgett-St. John's and serves on the Kent County Prevention Coalition and Project Vox, and advocacy group for those in recovery.

Priests' Anniversaries: Rev. Donn Tufts: 8-20-1980, Rev. George Darling: 8-11-1984, Rev. Stephen Dudek: 8-11-1984, Rev. Dennis Morrow: 8-24-1985, Rev. Dennis O'Donnell: 8-20-1983, Rev. Eugene Okoli: 8-29-1993, and Rev. James Wyse: 8-29-1987.

In Memoriam. Father Joseph Pettit entered eternal life Friday evening, July 22, 2001. He was born August 3, 1924 in Grand Rapids, the son of Joseph and Ema (Schmidt) Pettit. Father Joe was ordained a priest for the Passionist Community on March 26, 1955 at the Cathedral of the Assumption, Louisville, KY. He ministered at various locations as a Passionist priest until coming to the diocese in the following positions: associate pastor of St. Mary's in Grand Rapids, St. Patrick in Portland and the Cathedral of St. Andrew, pastor at St. Philip Neri, Reed City with Mission of St. Ann at Paris, St. James at Montague with Mission at St. John Claybanks, St. Joseph at Pewamo, St. Margaret Mary at Edmore, and St. Bernadette at Stanton. Father ministered as a chaplain at Blodgett and Butterworth Hospitals and the Carmelite Monastery. He served as Diocesan Director of Communications and was appointed Advocate in the Diocesan Tribunal. After his retirement in 2003 Father Pettit served the diocese in an on-call capacity...May Father Pettit rest in eternal peace and enjoy the fullness of the glory of the Lord he so faithfully served. Let us continue to remember him in our Masses and prayers. May this good and faithful servant now enter into the joy of his Lord. Source: The Grand Rapids Press.

World Youth Day, 2011. From all over the world, thousands of Catholic young adults will converge on Madrid from August 16-21. The occasion: World Youth Day, 2011, an intensive week of daily worship, catechesis, renewal and fellowship. Accompanied by their bishops and convened by the Bishop of Rome, Pope Benedict XVI, they will witness to the vitality of the Catholic faith. The Pope announced the theme for the 2011 Youth Day some three years ago: Rooted and Built up in Jesus Christ, Firm in Faith (Colossians 2:7). He also asked prayerful preparation for 2011 through local and national World Youth gatherings in 2009 and 2010, each year centered on related themes: We have set our hope on the Living God, from St. Paul's First Letter to Timothy, and Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life, from Mark 10:17. At the heart of the World Youth Day themes: A Catholic's faith is based on the experience of building and nurturing a lifelong relationship with Jesus Christ, a true friendship that is rooted in prayer and encounters the Lord in the Gospels and Sacraments, most especially in Holy Eucharist. For it is in the Holy Eucharist, Pope Benedict emphasises, that young people find the Lord is present and close to us, the Savior and friend who even becomes food for our journey.

World Youth Day participants, together with their bishops, will welcome the Pope on August 18. Thereafter, they will endeavor to keep pace as Pope Benedict teaches, hears their concerns, blesses, and finally commissions these young people as modern day apostles. He will urge these young adults to preach the Gospel in the only way evangelization has ever been effective--by living the Gospel as members of Christ's Mystical Body on earth. Pray daily for the success of this joyful World Youth Day 2011. As we think about the young people in Madrid,...

Let us pray for these brave souls. On July 17, Catholic churches in Spain marked with sadness and prayer the 75th anniversary of a brutal, convulsive, three-year conflict...When Pope Benedict XVI meets with thousands of young people gathered in Madrid, he will encounter a Spain that was deeply influenced by the war, three quarters of a century earlier.

"I was six years old in July 1936 when the war started," remembers Ismael Virto, a U. S. representative of Spain's University of Navarra. "There was a knock on the door, and it was the militia--self appointed men and women, Spanish people, with guns."

"They said, 'Give arms to the people!' Our house was a modest, middle-class house in the city of Valencia, which was controlled by the socialists. Why did this gang come to us? My father had a car, which was a problem--for us," continued Virto. "So the militia searched our house. They took whatever weapons we had, a hunting gun and some ceremonial swords. But then they saw it and knew we were dangerous: My grandfather had a life-sized crucifix in his bedroom. And to these guys, the Church was their enemy," Virto explained. Virto's father fled to London and the family eventually joined him...

Many Americans, if they think about it at all, probably picture the Spanish Civil War as a pre-World War II face-off between a fascist dictator, Gen. Francisco Franco, supported by wealthy friends, the so-called Nationalists, vs. a ragtag army of international idealists, misleadingly (for Americans) known as the Republicans. Some people might know that these "idealists" were actually a fiercely anti-religious alliance of socialists, communists, and anarchists.

Catholic author Robert Royal dedicated an entire chapter to the persecution of Spanish Catholics in Catholic Martyrs of the Twentieth Century. While researching the book at the Vatican in 1999, he found that records documenting new martyrs indicated that some 13,000 causes from around the world had been forwarded, and about half were from Spain.

"The Republicans were just utterly unrestrained. Whole convents were killed. Whole orders. It was very nasty," said Royal. The Vatican tried to defend people as well as they could, but there was little they could do against increasingly radical forces controlling the government." But he points out the exemplary behavior of the bishops in the darkest days. "We hear about how Spanish bishops were corrupt; they enjoyed being honored," he explained. "Yet, when the persecutions started, every single one of theme refused to flee the country. There were only two bishops who were not captured and killed--because they were out of the country on business."

Joseph Nieto, a producer for Spanish TV based in New York, has spent his adult lifetime amassing a 6,000 volume collection on the Spanish Civil War and researching documents as they have been declassified from national archives. Nieto said that the most recently available historical documentation demonstrates the central role played by the Soviet Union in manipulating political alliances in order to position the left to gain power as the "Popular Front" in 1936, with the Communist Party playing a critical but low-profile role in providing material support, including tanks and arms at the outset of the conflict, recruiting 40,000 mercenaries from around the world,...and promoting stragegies such as the murderous attitude toward Catholicism...Nieto described how thousands of people--mostly military personnel and Catholic priests, but also doctors, lawyers, professors and writers--were taken from Madrid by bus to fields near Paracuellos del Jarama, where they were systematically executed for three straight days, and their bodies were dumped in mass graves in November 1936...

The atrocities committed against Christians during the Spanish Civil War became a signature style of communist regimes from Lithuania to Romania, from China to Cuba. In order to build "a new society," churches were destroyed, clerics were murdered and imprisoned, religious property was confiscated, and public worship was banned. Asked whether the Church in Spain has recovered, Royal pointed to negative and positive trends..."I don't think the Church has recovered entirely, if you look at what the socialist government has done," he said. The Spanish government legalized abortion on demand in 2009,...it was one of the first to legalize same-sex marriage in 2004, and the divorce rate has increased 200% over the last 20 years. And Nieto pointed to a law approved by the socialists in 2007 which awarded Spanish citizenship to some 188,000 descendants of people who fought with the Republicans against the Nationalists. However, Royal said, "The Church is very much alive, contrary to the stereotype. Very vigorous, forward-looking people are engaged in lay movements such as Opus Dei, a new movement which has really brought vitality to the Church."

With regard to the Spanish Civil War, under Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, the Vatican has concentrated on highlighting the remarkable sanctity--and number--of martyrs and saints, including Blessed Ceferino Gimenez, known as El Pele, the first Gypsy to be beatified. During the war, El Pele defended a priest being dragged by a Republican soldier, who then found that El Pele was carrying a Rosary, which he would not relinquish. El Pele was executed holding the Rosary, shouting, "Long live Christ the King!"

Last April, Pope Benedict beatified another 22 Spanish martyrs, bringing to approximately 1,000 the number who have been beatified or canonized. For another 2,000, the beatification process is ongoing. Summarized from an article by Victor Gaetan, writing from Washington, D. C. for the National Catholic Register," July 31-August 13, 2011.

A Message from our President. We had a beautiful evening at 5/3rd Ball Park with the Sisters of the Diocese. Thanks to all those who attended. We are grateful that the young people from St. John's could benefit from the tickets the Serrans could not use.

The diocese of Grand Rapids lost a great man when Fr. Pettit passed away. He was very visible at Catholic Central in the early to mid-80s and his presence was always welcome there for mass and for the religion classes while I was there.

We are planning an evening at the University Club in September. We are inviting the Catholic Doctors and West Michigan Attorneys for some fellowship and discussion. This will be a great opportunity to invite friends and others that you feel would make good Serrans. Please forward to Aggie or to me detailed contact information for anyone you would like to receive an invitation.

As we look ahead to the fall season which is fast approaching we need to move forward toward forming the committee for the 2013 Regional Conference. This is another opportunity to grow as members working together. Let us unite and show the rest of the Region our enthusiasm and dedication to our club. Many hands make light work! I also see these Regional Conferences in the next few years as an opportunity for all Serrans to heal the issues that have torn apart some clubs with Serra International and USAC. We come together for the common cause of vocations and worship despite all of the legal issues between the two bodies. We are the lay vocational arm of the Church. Let us look forward to seeing everyone on August 8 at the University Club and on August 22 at Sacred Heart. Mary, Mother of Vocations, Pray for us! Tim Hile, President.

P. S. Try this link for information about the International Convention:

http://contactbeacon.com/cb/images/custom/447/conventionsummary2011.pdf

If you have trouble with it, let Tim know.

testing for august

Now is the time

Serra Club of Grand Rapids Newsletter July, 2011

Calendar of Events.

July 1-10, 2011. Serra Club's Eucharistic Adoration for Vocations to the Ordained Ministry and Consecrated Life, Archdiocese of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota.

Our opportunities for adoration are as follows: St. Isidore, 24/7, Code 513, and IHM, 24/5 (no weekends), Code 5412. Also adoration is available at Sacred Heart of Jesus every Thursday before First Friday, every month except during Lent.

July 7-11, 2011. Serra International Convention, Ottawa, Canada. Dennis Leiber and Margaret will attend from Grand Rapids.

July 11-18, 2011. Serra International Pilgrimage, Jerusalem, Israel. Let us pray for the health, safety, and spiritual renewal of Grand Rapids Serran Dan Grady and of all others who are participating in this pilgrimage. Dan will be accompanied by his mother.

July 11, 2011. No regular Monday meeting.

July 18, 2011. Serra Board Meeting, location TBA.

July 25, 2011. An evening at the Fifth-Third Park with the Sisters. Game time begins at 7:00 p.m. Dan LaVille has received 100 tickets, 20 parking passes, and 100 meal tickets in the mail. Thanks to Pat Leikert for getting a timely check to the White Caps, which saves our club $110 for prepayment. Dan requests that those requesting tickets send him a list of Serrans, family, and friends attending and mailing addresses so that he can prepare for mailing out the tickets in approximately ten days. He has received a number of requests already. Cost per person is $21. Get in touch with Dan if you have any questions, either by e-mail or by telephone at 634-0794 (C), or 458-6696 (H). Dan reports that the nuns who have already called him are very enthusiastic about a night at the baseball game with the Serrans.

August 8, 2011. Luncheon Meeting and speaker, 12:00 Noon at the University Club. We will send out a reminder in the August newsletter to please RSVP to either Lee Sullivan or Nancy King because it is especially important that we have a count ahead of time. The University Club requires a minimum of 25. As always, we welcome guests at this meeting. Our speaker will be Father Stasker.

August 16-21, 2011. World Youth Day, Madrid, Spain. Pope Benedict XVI's World Youth Day Message, 2011: Yet experience tells us that a world without God becomes a 'hell'--filled with selfishness, broken families, hatred between individuals and nations, and a great deficit of love, joy, and hope.

A September Evening. Our club plans to hold an evening meeting in September, with date and time TBA. Our September speaker with be Msgr. Ancona.

October 30, 2011. Priesthood Sunday.

Priests' Anniversaries for July. Lawrence King, 7-8-89; Lam Le, 7-10-04; and Ray Bruck, 7-20-58. Thanks again to Lee Sullivan for keeping track of these anniversaries and for sending the cards to the priests. We note the special effort required in sending out the June cards!

Looking Ahead. At the June meeting, the Board discussed the formation of a committee to be appointed for the upcoming regional convention in 2013. Various names were mentioned, but no formal appointments have been made. We will need subcommittees for reservations, speakers, hotel and meal arrangements, ligurgies, and side activities. The serraus.org web site offers a link to a manual on preparing for regional conventions, and we will download that and bring it to our board meetings so that we may refer to it when it is needed. The Board also considered asking the Muskegon Club to help us host the convention, and we will also consider teaming up with other regions, such as Region 7.

Other topics discussed at the Board meeting: Dan LaVille reported that two Grand Rapids Serrans attended the St. Lazare golf outing and urges more participation from our club for next year. The Board also discussed a possible joint meeting/retreat at St. Lazare's. St. Lazare's can accommodate up to 50 people for such an event. Also, Fr. Vince O'Malley has offered to speak to our club again, an idea much to the liking of the Board. Aggie would like to inquire about Aquinas College's upcoming theater productions and will consider organizing a theater night followed by a reception, pending Board and club approval.

Notice of Proposed Amendments. Formal notice of modifications to the Proposed Amendments to the by-laws of Serra International has been posted of the Serra US website at serraus.org. Delegates will be voting on these amendments in Ottawa.

An Invitation from Our Lady of Sorrows. Amanda Shaheen, Director of Music at Our Lady

of Sorrows, invites all to attend Amanda Shaheen in Concert ("Amanda Vernon Music Ministry") on Sunday, August 7, 2011 from 4:00-5:00 p.m. at Our Lady of Sorrows Church. See Amanda witness her faith in Jesus Christ through original songs, crown interaction, and sharing her personal testimony. Free will offering will be taken to support Amanda's pilgrimage to World Youth Day 2011 in Madrid.

Independence Day--A Day of Prayer

Yes, the Fourth of July is the great summer holiday, observed nationwide. With most people enjoying a day off, family picnics,--even family reunions, remain a classic way to celebrate America's Independence Day. And this option looks to traditional menus and sites, ranging from backyard barbecue to ice-packed coolers of food and drinks hauled to the seashore, mountains, or nearby state parks.

Most Catholics begin the holiday by checking off another tradition--going to Mass, whether they

are at home or on vacation. For attending Mass is a very traditional Catholic way to observe Independence Day. Witness how few are shy about joining in the popular closing hymn, "America the Beautiful."

There are many reasons: At the Fourth of July Mass, the congregation remembers and honors ancestors who fled their own homelands, seeking religious freedom and equality in this New World. Many also salute their relatives--men and women--who serve in the Armed Forces, defending and protecting this land of the free and brave.

Today, Catholics of all backgrounds and nationalities pray on the Fourth of July with special fervor and focus. For thousands of U. S. Catholics (whether of Eastern Rites or the Roman Rite) still have family members in places where practicing their faith can mean risking their very lives, even on the most joyous of Holy Days, Easter and Christmas).

And as it has throughout history, our Church accommodates great secular celebrations with distinctive Liturgy for the day. For the Fourth of July, pastors may select readings for the day from among a wide list of options, and likewise for the opening prayer and prayer after Communion.

Among the petitions for one of the opening prayers:

"Open our hearts to the truth of His Gospel, that your peace may rule in our hearts and your justice guide our lives."

All of the prayers and readings for the Fourth of July remind us to celebrate and rise to the challenge of the gifts bestowed on us by God. This year, we want to keep in mind as well our brothers and sisters world-wide who still suffer persecution and poverty.

Source: Franciscan Mission Associates, Mt. Vernon, New York 10551, June, 2011.

A Little Club History--for new Serrans and a review for our longer-term members:

Blessed Junipero Serra, O. F. M.--Missioner. Looking into summer's star-filled night sky, many young people can't help but think about their nation's astronauts. And a good number of them may hope to join the ranks of those citizens of two worlds: their home on earth, and the world of space and challenges "out there." Looking into just such a star-filled sky, but back over some 300 years, a young Franciscan, the Spanish Friar from Mallorca, Fr. Junipero Serra, was already bidding good-bye to the world he had always known. In August of 1749, this distinguished professor of theology and famed preacher in his homeland would set sail for the New World.. It was an arduous and often dangerous journey over a vast ocean still not fully explored. He knew that in realizing the mission-calling of his Franciscan vocation, he might never again see the shoreline tht so quickly faded from view.

Arriving in present day Mexico in 1749, Fr. Junipero Serra would work there for two decades. Then God would call him to move north, permanently, to what was then called Upper California. This was the New World that would one day claim him as its own. There, in just 15 years, Fr. Junipero established nine of the 21 Franciscan missions along that rich and varied Pacific Coast. He baptized 6,000 Native Americans and confirmed another 5,000. All told, Fr. Junipero Serra preached the Gospel for 35 years along the Pacific Coast. He was the very definition of the word missionary. While respected for his knowledge and saintly priestly ministry, Fr. Junipero lived nonetheless as a stranger. For some would always find him and his motives suspect. Among them were men of his own European culture, then serving in commercial and governmental enterprises. Pat of Friar Junipero's job was reminding them that many exploration goals, e.g., fortune hunting at any cost, were not in sync with Gospel values. In recognition of his own contributions to what is now California, his likeness is among heroes represented in the Statuary Hall in the U. S. Capitol in Washington, D. C. (Note the photo which has been leading off our newsletter since February, 2009). Pray for Blessed Junipero Serra's intercession for today's missionaries. Ask his intercessory prayer for those priests, religious, and laity throughout the world who dedicate their lives to the service of God and God's people. Like Fr. Junipero, some preach the Godpel in life-threatening situations. And like Fr. Junipero, they are blessed to find in their mission work so many people hungry for God's gifts of faith and enduring love.

Source: Franciscan Mission Associates, June, 2011

A Message from our President: President Tim Hile has been out of the office this week and his phone is not working; therefore, he has limited means of communication. He has sent us this message to pass along to the membership: Encourage all to join the Sisters at the ball park. This is our only July event. Please continue to pray for vocations and the leadership of Serra International and USAC, May both parties rise above it all and seek mediation, as suggested by many as well as Bishop Christensen. Mary, Mother of Vocations, pray for us.

Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter June 2011

Notes regarding changes of venue:
Serra's 69th Annual International Convention, July 7-10, 2011, Ottawa, Canada.
"Let us celebrate with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." I Cor. 5:8.
Our summer membership and board meetings will be held at the University Club during June, July, and August.
Calendar of Events.
June 4, 2011. The ordination of Fr. Luis Garcia and deacons Darrel Kempf and Michael Hodges, 10:00 a.m. at St. Andrew's. Serrans have been asked to serve on the hospitality team and 6-8 Serrans are needed. We have already received responses from three. Notify Tim Hile if you are able to help. Hospitality team should show up at 9:00 or so.
June 5, 2011. The seventh Sunday of Easter and observance of the Ascension of Our Lord
June 13, 2011. Luncheon meeting and speaker, 12:00 Noon at the University Club.
June 12, 2011. Pentecost.
Please note that we are asking for an R. S. V. P. for our meetings at the University Club because the University Club requires a minimum of 25 for luncheon membership meetings. Please reply to Lee Sullivan at Lee50Lee@aol.com for June 13 and to Nancy King at njking50@gmail.com for July and August so that we can keep track of who's planning to attend. We encourage guests, not only so that we can meet our quota but also because your guests will have an opportunity to experience our club's everyday activities. We will continue to seek excellent speakers, and we want as many people as possible to enrich their lives and their Catholic faith with our speakers' wonderful talks.
June 19, 2011. Sunday of the Most Holy Trinity.
June 20, 2011. Board meeting, 12:00 Noon at the University Club.
June 27, 2011. Prayer service and luncheon meeting, 12:00 Noon at Sacred Heart.
June 26. The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.
July 25, 2011. An evening with the Sisters at Fifth-Third Park, 7:00 p.m. We will purchase 100 tickets to be distributed among the sisters. Individual Serrans will purchase their own tickets. The evening's activities include a picnic supper.

From the Bellringers.
Serra's first pilgrimage to the Holy Land will still take place from 11-18 July, 2011. The pilgrimage program in Jerusalem will be changed to reflect the rescheduling of some convention sessions to Ottawa 2011.
The 69th international convention will be held from Thursday, 07 July-10 July in Ottawa Ontario Canada in the brand new Ottawa Convention Centre which is directly linked to the headquarters hotel, The Westin Ottawa. The Most Reverend Gary Gordon, Bishop of Whitehorse in Canada will give the Keynote Address. The convention will commence with the Opening Mass in the Cathedral Basilica of Notre Dame at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, 07 July and will conclude with the Annual Banquet at the Ottawa Convention Centre on Saturday evening.

Catholic Legacy Award Dinner.
Many thanks to Mark Kubik and his committee for a successful Catholic Legacy Award dinner. In the future these dinners will more than likely be scheduled at 18-month intervals, so as to avoid "donor fatigue." Our next Award Dinner will more than likely be scheduled for November, 2012. Please note that as we consider future recipients of this award, the recipient does not have to be, but may be, a Serran but must be a Catholic. Mark received a thank-you note from the bishop for our $10,000 contribution to the Fund for the Continuing Education of priests.

Adoration. Vocations Chairmen Beverly Shields and Nancy Mulvihill ask that we observe adoration on an individual basis for now. The most ongoing opportunities for adoration are at IHM and St. Isidore. Code for St. Isidore is 513#. The code for Adoration at IHM (24/5, with no weekends) is 5412. Adoration at Sacred Heart of Jesus takes place every Thursday before First Friday, every month except during Lent.

Interns. Our three interns are second-year-seminarians Scott Nolan, Charles Schwartz, and James VanderLaan. Tim Hile has copied them on our newsletters, and we are encouraging them to attend our meetings so that they can acquaint themselves not only with us personally but also with the various links to professional expertise that our members can provide. We look forward to their attendance at our future meetings.

Voices from the Past.
This past April 19 John Osterhart and Nate McKenzie received the following note on the subject of the 59th Anniversary for the Grand Rapids Serra Club.
Greetings and Salutations!!!
The Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter presented itself while I was surfing the Serra Web page. Shortly a Charter Banquet is occurring. Congratulations on the year 59. It is almost 60 years of service to the Church. This is a note from the past.
Bishop Haas decided that there should be a a Serra Club in Grand Rapids. He instructed each parish to supply two men as candidates. There were about 24 parishes at that time and the yield was sufficient to get things moving. Bernie Haviland was the Charter President. Pete Straubel, Mr. Hansknecht and me (Don Bocast), all from Lear Inc.'s Quality Control Department, were part of the initial package.
I was on the young side for a typical Serran, married for two years and a Catholic for two years. It seemed that being a Serran and a Catholic was synonymous. It struck me that, indeed, it was almost 60 years ago and I do have a 50-year pin that is almost 10 years old. Congratulations again for sustaining and supporting the work of Serra.
For me it was the start of a great voyage. Several years later Loretta (now a member) and I moved to Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Serra Club was home for several years and the 1957 Los Angeles Serra International Convention set the standard for the next decade. I was delegated to start a club in SW Los Angeles and became the Charter President for the South Bay Serra Club.
(I served) two tours as Governor, one in District 82 and one in District 6 (Denver). Loretta and I attended more than 30 International Conventions here and overseas. Those with a long memory may recall the 1978 Convention at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs which I chaired with Joe Reich, Sr. It was a landmark convention--1500 or so in attendance.
I did two stints on the International Nominating Committee in the late 70s.
As a contrast the Colorado Springs Serra Club just celebrated its 5th anniversary. The current club is the fourth for Colorado Springs (that is another story altogether). Our Charter President Charlene Prado was well trained for the project. Her parents were both Serrans and she grew up in the parish where Fr. Serra is buried.
Old timers have been known just to rattle on. Apologies. Again, congratulations and continue the good work.
Siempre Adelante
Don Bocast (the Ancient One).
John's reply:
Don, thank you for your wonderful e-mail of congratulations and recounting your experiences in the formation of our club. We are planning to celebrate our 65th anniversary by hosting a Regional Conference in 2013. Locally, Ralph Hauenstein is the only remaining charter member of our Grand Rapids Serra Club and is GOING STRONG, going to his office on most days and looking forward to his 100th birthday on March 20, 2012 (same birthday date as our twin granddaughters, so I can remember it). Ralph has lost his wife Grace and a daughter in the past couple of years. Person after person (friends and family members) got up at Grace's funeral and all stated that they had never heard her utter an unkind work about another person--what a tribute!
Also of interest, I attended the 1978 International Convention in Colorado Springs at the Broadmoor. It was an unmatched location. I was president of our club that year, having joined in 1974, and attended with our chaplain, Msgr. Gus Ancona. I also had the wonderful experience of playing tennis with Thomas Murphy, who was Serra International president that year. After our game, in which he soundly beat me, we had refreshments with Msgr. Ancona, and Tom announced to us that he was planning to leave his Indianapolis law practice to become a priest. He is now Father Thomas Murphy. I had occasion to see him at other Serra conventions in the past few years, and he has been in very poor health. This past October after I finished doing some presentations to Serra Clubs in Region 6 (WV, OH, and MI-LP), a gentleman who was Tom Murphy's college roommate introduced himself and told me he had often double dated with Tom and Tom's girlfriend.
It is a small world. Don, thank you so much for your e-mail! Kind regards, John Osterhart, Director Region 6, USA Council, Serra International.

Serra Handbooks. Serra membership handbooks and Serra handbooks for each of the various officers are available at serraus.org. There is a link for downloading these handbooks on the home page, or the Officers' Handbook link is http://www.serraus.org/serrausa/serra-manuals.htm There is no need to print these handbooks if one is cyber-savvy because they can be moved to a special folder and referred to as needed. However, Tim Hile has printed several hard copies of the membership handbook of anyone should be interested in requesting one. These handbooks are very helpful, and especially if you are a new member or a new officer, we urge you to take a look at them.

Priests' Anniversaries for June.

June 1: Louis Anderson and Melvin Fox, 1963; Joseph Fix and William Zink, 1968; Bernard Carlin, 1978; Troy Nevins, Jose Luis Quintana, and Chris Rouech, 1996; and Michael Alber, 2002.

June 2: Kenneth Schichtel and Don Lomasiewicz, 1962; and Matthew Barnum, Mark Peacock, and Victor Kynam, 2007.

June 3: James Bozong, John LaGoe, Tom McKinney, and Anthony Vainavicz, 1961; Ron Schneider, 1967; and Anthony Russo, 2000.

June 4: Eugene Golas and Thomas Schiller, 1955; and Andrew Thompson, 1981.

June 5: Michael Danner, George Fekete, Pedro Garcia, and Paul Milanowski, 1965; Charles Brown, 1993; Thomas Brown, 1999; and David Gross, 2010.

June 6: Msgr. John Giammona, 1959; Norman Droski, Thomas Vesbit, and John Wisneski, 1964; Patrick Cawley, 1970; James Chelich, 1976; and Michael Burt, 2009.

June 7: Phillip Sliwinski and Peter Vu, 1997; Godfrey Onyekwere, Anthony Pelak, and Philip Salmonowicz, 2003; and Michael Cilibraise, 2008.

June 11: Fred Hoesli, 1964.

June 12: Thomas Bolster, 1982.

June 13: John Vallier, 1987.

June 14: Ed Boucher, 1960; and Mark Bauer, 198

June 15: John Thome, 1946.

June 16: Thomas Page, 1979.

June 18: Thomas DeYoung, 1983.

June 19: Msgr. Terrence Stewart, 1970.

June 24: Ed Hankiewicz, 1979.

June 28: Ayub Francis Nasar, 1985.

June 29: Robert Balser, 1949.

We thank Lee Sullivan for gathering this information, checking for its accuracy, and sending the cards. In June that's an especially big job and we are grateful for Lee's devoted attention to this task. And we congratulate those priests who are celebrating their anniversaries in June.

A Message from our President.
Dear Serrans: Thank you again for your support of the Catholic Legacy Award Dinner. We received many compliments, surpassed our goal in funds raised, and were able to honor one of our own with the inaugural Catholic Legacy Award. Mark Kubik did an outstanding job with his committee to pull off a first-class event.
Remember our 2nd Monday meetings will move to the University Club for June, July, and August. It is imperative that we R. S. V. P. through Nancy to get accurate counts. Please do not hesitate to invite guests to any of our functions. More to come on speakers for these meetings as we receive the information.

Please keep Deacon Dale Hollern in your prayers as he continues his radiation treatments.
More discussion needs to be had by our club on the project that the Director of Vocations, Fr. Ron Hutchinson has asked us to undertake with a fall or spring trip to St. Thomas University/St. John Vianney Minor Seminary in Minneapolis. I hope to meet with Fr. Ron prior to our June 13 meeting and have more information for our membership to discern on this project. There are at least four young men from these prior trips who are enrolling this fall in minor seminary. Their enrollment can be attributed to their attending these weekends at St. Thomas in past years.
Thank your for your continued prayers for vocations. Mary, Mother of all Vocations, Pray for Us. Tim Hile.
Editor's Note: Transporting these young men to St. Thomas used to be performed by a religion teacher at West Catholic. He is no longer with West Catholic, and we assume Fr. Ron is looking for someone to continue the tradition. Depending on numbers, they could travel by bus or van, but there have been four our five students at a time. St. Thomas provides two weekends per year, one in the fall and one in the spring, for young men to come to the campus and discern their vocations.
Promise for June of the Most Holy Rosary: Promise VII. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.
The Serran Prayer for Vocations (from the prayer card in memory of Frederick Louis McNair (Requescat in Pace): Oh God, Who will not the death of a sinner but rather than he be coverted and live. Grant we beseech you, through the intercession of Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, St. Joseph, her spouse, Blessed Junipero Serra, and all the saints, an increase in laborers for Your Church, fellow laborers with Christ to spend and consume themselves for souls through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who ives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen.