Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter December 2012

YEAR OF FAITH, 2012-2013.
Calendar of Events.
December 8, 2012.  Feast of the Immaculate Conception.  Holy Day of Obligation.  Readings for the day are Genesis 3:9-15,20, Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12, and Luke 1:26-38.
December 12, 2012.  Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
December 15, 2012.  Schubert Men's Chorus Concert, 7:30 p.m. at East Grand Rapids High Schools's Performing Arts Center.  This will be our club's only Serra meeting in December.  Ask Aggie about tickets.  Pre-concert reception will take place beginning at 5:00 p.m. at the home of Dan and Jeanine LaVille, 2237 Cardiff NE. Please invite family and friends to join us for a delightful evening.
December 17, 2012.  Board Meeting, 12:00 Noon at Sacred Heart.
Looking Ahead...
January 10. 2013.  Super Weekend, Chicago, Illinois.  All Serrans are invited to attend.  To obtain registration information, please call the Serra USA office at 1-888-777-6681 or check online at www.serraus.org.  Please note Serra USA's President Greg Lynch's good news message which will appear later in this newsletter.
January 11-13, 2013.  Super Weekend, Chicago, Illlinois.
January 13-19, 2013.  National Vocation Awareness Week.  Planning kits are coming soon.
January 28, 2013.  Member-Guest Reception, 5:30 p.m. at the University Club.  Please provide Tim Hile with names, addresses, and e-mail addresses of potential invitees.  Beverages and heavy hors d'oeuvres will be provided.
February 3, 2013.  World Day of Prayer for the Consecrated Life.
April 21, 2013.  World Day of Prayer for Vocations.
June 20-23, 2013.  Serra International Convention, Majorca, Spain.  Plan now to attend this wonderful event.  The 2013 Serra International Convention will be held in Palma de Mallorca.  The convention headquarters hotel will the the five-star Grand Melia Victoria Hotel located in the heart of Palma, close to the Mediterranean coast over which looks the beautiful 13th century Cathedral of Santa Maria de Palma. For lower cost accommodations, Serra will also secure additional guest rooms at the three-star Hotel Tryp Palma Basque, a short bus ride from the Cathedral.   On Saturday after the delegates' meeting, there will be a pilgrimage to the peaceful rural town of Petra, the birthplace of Blessed Junipero Serra.  The convention, which promises to be informative, historical, and very enjoyable, will be concluded with the Annual Banquet on Saturday, June 22, 2013.  For registration and additional information, please visit the Serra International website.
The opening Mass will be celebrated by the new bishop (the see is now vacant) at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 20, 2013.  Invited speakers are His Eminence Zenon Cardinal Grocholewski, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education in Rome, and His Eminence Sean Cardinal O'Malley, Archbishop of Boston, Massachusetts.
Serra International's In the Loop Newsletter suggests that clubs have a special event to honor Blessed Serra.  The Santa Clara Club, for example, is having a Novena which was written by Blessed Serra.  On June 5, 2011, the USA Council Board approved a resolution to plan an international celebration to honor this

Priests' Anniversaries for December. 
Father Julian Reginato, 12-19-1964
Father Charles Dautrement, 12-18-1960
Father Robert Gillespie, 12-8-1943
Father Norbert Leyrita, 12-21-1963
Fr. Michael Olson, 12-27-1994
Msgr. John Porter, 12-15-1957
Most Reverend Robert Rose, 12-21-1953.  Episcopacy date is 12-6.

Remembering a Friend of Serra.  Dan LaVille sent this notice on November 6, 2012:  Dear Serrans,
I just noticed in today's obits that Evelyn Olman has passed away.  Her husband, Robert Olman, was a long-time Grand Rapids Serran, and the Olmans were very involved in our club activities.  In fact, Evelyn supported our Sabbatical Dinners even after Bob passed away.  Please remember them both, and their families, in your prayers.

More About the Schubert Male Chorus.  The Schubert Male Chorus is considered the oldest independent continuing male chorus in America.l  Founded by Henry C. Post, a talented pianist, teacher, and music critic, along with 12 other men on November 19, 1983--and immediately expanded from 13 members to 16 "just to be sure"--the Club presented at least one major concert each year since its first on December 4, 1884.  The organization never departed from its original intent of furthering the appreciation and performance of good chorale music.

Civic benefits have been part of the Schubert service since its beginning with innumerable concerts for shut-ins, schools, churches and dedications, including City Hall (1885), East Grand Rapids High School (1929), City-County Complex (1969), and the Ford Museum and DeVos Hall.  The group is a regular at the June Arts Festival.

The Schubert Male Chorus invites us to listen in MP3 format.  Serrans may visit the website at schubertmalechorus.org to learn more about this wonderful community resource.

Adoration Reminder.  St. Isidore's, 24/7, Code 513, and Immaculate Heart of Mary, 24/5, Code 5412.
In the Year of Faith, let us renew our resolve to spend time with the Lord praying for vocations.

The Advent Wreath.  The Advent wreath or garland is the first announcement of Christmas.  The word Advent is of Latin origin and means coming.  It is a time in which Christians prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ.  The season of Advent takes place during the four weeks prior to Christmas.

The Advent wreath is rooted in Germanic pre-Christian traditions.  During the cold and dark days of December, crowns of green branches were collected and fires lit as a sign of hope in the coming spring.  But the Advent wreath does not represent a concession to paganism; on the contrary, it is an example of the Christianization of the culture.  The old now takes on new and full contents in Christ.

New reality:  The Christians knew how to appreciate the teaching of Jesus:  "I am the light of the world; whoever follow me will have the light of life and never walk in darkness"  (John 8:12).  The light that we turn on in the darkness of winter reminds us of Christ who conquers darkness.  United in Christ, we are also light:  "You are like light for the whole world.  A city built on a hill cannot be hidden"  (Matthew 5:14).

In the 16th century, German Catholics and Protestants used this symbol to celebrate Advent; primitive customs contained a seed of truth that could now express the supreme truth;;  Jesus is the light that has come, is here with us, and will return in glory.  The candles look forward to the coming of the light at Christmas:  Jesus Christ.

The wreath is made from green foliage, which is the color of hope and life.  Four candles are placed in the wreath;  three candles are purple and one is pink.  The are lit one at a time over the four weeks of Advant, and prayer is said as a family.  The red apples that adorn the wreath represent the fruit from the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve brought sin into the world.  But they also brought the promise of the greatest Savior.  The red ribbon represents our love of God and the love of God that surrounds us.

On the first Sunday of Advent we light the first candle and every Sunday we continue lighting a candle up until Christmas.  The pink candle corresponds to the third Sunday and represents the joy over the coming of Christ.  While the candle is being lit, a prayer is made using a passage from the Bible, and hymns are sung.
We can do this during the Advent Mass, and it is also recommended to do this at home, for example, before dinner.  If there are no candles in the colors available, you can still make the wreath, since the most important is its meaning:  that the light is increasing as the birth of Jesus, who is the Light of the World, is near.
Source:  www.catholic.net

A Message from our President.
Dear Serrans:
Prayers were answered and Serra International and USAC have moved forward.  The court case has been mostly resolved, and we hope that both parties will continue to move forward in relative harmony.  A united Serra is a strong Serra.

Please continue to promote and order your tickets for the Schubert Men's Chorus Concert.  The concert provides an important opportunity for our club to make some money and promote our vocation mission to others outside the club.  Invite friends!  Remember that Pat can bill you for your tickets.  Also, prior to the concert the LaVilles are hosting a Serra holiday gathering.  More on RSVPs for this event to come in a future e-mail.  (Note:  If you receive a paper copy of the newsletter, call Tim Hile at 437-1404 and he will pass along the word).

We had a great meeting at West Catholic on November 11th.  Thank you, Ken Baldwin, for setting this meeting up.  We met with Pat Dolci's discernment group and heard from most of the boys about their process and how the group is working and recruiting more young men.  I was very impressed with all of them.  I was lifted all week by their prayerfulness and faith-filled intentions.  I hope others who attended were, too.

Nancy King, our newsletter editor, has a number of links and items related to Serra and USAC's new promotional pieces.  With these materials, there are things each of us can do in our parishes and in other parishes where Serra does not have a presence.  We are also looking into a banner for our club to honor the 300th anniversary of Blessed Junipero Serra's birth.  More to follow.  Also, we will have a board meeting in December to plan for the future..

All Serrans need to promote our Member-Guest Reception and invite at least one friend to our event on January 28.  More to follow soon!

Thanksgiving has now passed, and I remain thankful for the efforts of all of you to further Serra's cause.
Tim Hile

Continue to Pray.  Bob Paul extends his thanks for your continued prayers for Hazel.  She is making a slow but steady recovery.  We pray as well for Beverly Shields.  Also, continue to pray for a united Serra.  USAC President Greg Lynch sent the following message on November 16.  "Today, November 16, 2012, Judge Neil H. Cohan issued the following ruling:  "Serra International's motion for summary judgment and motion to strike are denied.  USAC's motion for partial summary judgment is granted and this court finds that SI does not have the authority to order the dissolution of USAC or to order USAC to turn over its assets."  Dialog is taking place and resolution TBA.

Looking Forward.  Sister Patrice Konwinski has called to inform us about an upcoming home health care program she is working on.  More to follow.
Also, USAC Vocations sub-Committee will be offering a monthly  "What Can I Do?"  column for us to insert in our newsletter. We look forward to including this information in future editions.

We wish all of you a wonderful Advent and a Blessed Christmas Season.


What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with they God?  Micah 6:8.

Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter November 2012

Please Note:  Because of Thanksgiving and Christmas, there will be no fourth Monday meeting in either November or December.
November 1, 2012.  All Saints Day.  Holy Day of Obligation.
November 2, 2012.  All Souls Day.
November 4, 2012.  Dedication of the Garden of Light, 3:00 p.m. at 659 Bridge Street NW.    Reception and light luncheon to follow.  We find the following on the website:
What:  a formerly barren lot next to the Help offices is blooming into a beautiful garden!  Join us November 4 for a blessing and dedication of this space, designed to be a place of prayer, healing and hope.  Following the dedication, Jonny B'z will serve hot dogs and other refreshments.  Please RSVP to John and Sandy Lowery at jlowerly34@comcast.net or 942-6756.  We are hoping for a nice day, but encourage people to bring umbrellas in case it is raining, as the event will be outdoors.  Also, please wear shoes that can get a little dirty, as the path through the garden may not be entirely completed at that time.
Also, please visit helppregnancy.org not only to learn more about the Help Center, but also to watch a beautiful video.
November 12, 2012.  Luncheon Meeting at West Catholic High School, 1801 Bristol Avenue NW, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49504.  We will meet with the seven West Catholic young men in discernment.  Serrans can park in the north lot and volunteer greeters will assist with the parking. Please note the schedule:
11:30 a.m.  Billy K. serves the young men lunch in Room 103.
11:40-11:50 a.m.  Ken Baldwin greets arriving Serrans and helps with parking.
12:00 Noon.  Prayer, introductions, and lunch.
12:05-12:20 WC students share their stories.
12:20-12:25.  Serrans talk about their mission.
12:25 p.m.  Students get back to class.
After Ken will give a tour of  the school.
From Ken Baldwin
Director of Institutional Advancement
West Catholic High School
Office:  616-233-5918
e-mail:  kennethbaldwin@grcss.org
Ken Baldwin says WC will have someone outside to guide Serrans to the North parking lot, which will be close to the Media Center where we will meet.

Looking Ahead.
December 15, 2012.  Schubert Choir at East Grand Rapids High School.  LaVilles will host a pre-concert reception.  Please notify Aggie regarding tickets to this event.  Exact times and locations TBA.
January 28, 2012.  Member-Guest evening reception at the University Club.  Tammy Mann, editor of Faith Magazine, is the tentative speaker for this event.  Please keep in mind that new members are our lifeline.  Think about people you might invite, and continue to pray for the well being of the club and its very important mission.
June 20-23 2013.  Serra's 71st International Convention will be held in the City of Palma de Mallorca located on the island of Mallorca in Spain.  As in past years, the convention will commence with the Opening Mass in the local cathedral to be celebrated by the new Bishop of Mallorca 9the See is currently vacant) at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 20, 2013.
The theme of the 2013 convention is:  For woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel--the spiritual journey of Fray Junipero Serra.
Stimulating and informative convention sessions will be held on Friday and, on Saturday after the delegates' meeting, there will be a pilgrimage to the peaceful rural town of Petra, the birthplace of Blessed Junipero Serra.  The convention will conclude with the Annual Banquet on Saturday, June 22, 2013.
Invited speakers for Mallorca 2013 are:
His Eminence Zenon Cardinal Grocholewski, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education in Rome.
His Eminence Sean Cardinal O'Malley, Archbishop of Boston, Massachusetts, U. S. A.
The 2013 convention headquarters hotel will be the 5-star Grand Melia Victoria Hotel located in the heart of Palma, close to the Mediterranean coast over which overlooks the beautiful 13th century Cathedral of Santa Maria de Palma.  If there is a need for lower cost accommodations, Serra will also secure additional convention guest rooms at 3-star Hotel Tryp Palma Basque, which is also located a short bus ride from the Cathedral, the venue for all convention Masses.
We also note that nominations to the International Board of Trustees are now open.  You will find nominations information and forms at the Bellringers website.  Nominations are to be returned to Serra headquarters no later than Friday, January 4, 2013.

Priests' Anniversaries for November.
November 1--Reverend Daniel DePew
November 2--Reverend Charles Hall
November 3--Reverend Tom Bouffard
November 4--Reverend Peter Schafer
November 5--Reverend Wayne Wheeler
We thank Lee Sullivan for her anniversary card ministry. 
 

Thank you.  Thanks to the Serrans who served on the Hospitality Team at the October 27 ordination of Darrell Kempf and Michael Hodges.  Let us keep the newly ordained in our prayers.

Good News.  Hazel Paul has received word that she is entirely free of infection.  She is making a slow but steady recovery.  The family thanks you for all of your prayers and support.  Let us continue to pray for Hazel and her family.

A Reflection on All Saints Day.
"What is the Church if not the assembly of all the saints?" wrote the fifth-century bishop Niceta.  Each Sunday, in the Profession of Faith, we express our belief in the communion of saints, the one body--with Christ as its head--made up of "those who are pilgrims on earth, the dead who are being purified and the blessed in heaven."  We are not alone!
The preface for All Saints begins, "For today by your gift we celebrate the festival of your city, the heavenly Jerusalem, our mother."  What astounding words!  All Saints Day, like every solemnity, is nothing less than the festival of the fullness of the paschal mystery, our dying and rising in Christ.  Of course, now in autumn the mystery comes clothed in glorious autumnal garb, and so we celebrate our Easter faith with signs of the harvest, signs of nature's dying, signs of the "homecoming" that happens naturally when the weather gets cold and families find themselves together more often.  While the dying can point to our own mortality, the homecoming reminds us of the mystery of our own resurrection with Christ.
Source:  Treasures from our Tradition, Our Lady of Sorrows Bulletin, October 28, 2012.

Saint of the Day.  From the www.americancatholic.org website we find the following:  Catholic saints are holy people and human people who lived extraordinary lives.  Each saint the Church honors responded to God's invitation to use his or her unique gifts.  God calls each one of us to be a saint.  Saint of the day is now available on the IPhone.  Or, click on the link to receive Saint of the Day in your e-mail.

An American Saint.  November 13 is the feast day of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini.  She was the first United States citizen to be canonized.  She became a citizen in 1909.  Her deep trust and in the loving care of her God gave her the strength to be a valiant woman doing the work of Christ.
Refused admission to the religious order which had educated her to be a teacher, she began charitable work at the House of Providence Orphanage in Cadogno, Italy.  In 1877 she made her vows there and took the religious habit.
When the Bishop closed the orphanage in 1880, he named Frances as prioress of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart.  Seven young women from the orphanage joined her.
Since her early childhood in Italy, Frances had wanted to be a missionary in China, but at the urging of Pope Leo XIII, Frances went west instead of east.  She traveled with six sisters to New York City to work with the thousands of Italian immigrants living there.
She found disappointment and difficulties with every step.  When she arrived in New York City, the house intended to be her first orphanage was not available.  The archbishop advised her to return to Italy.  But Frances, truly a valiant woman, departed from the archbishop's residence all the more determined to establish that orphanage.  And she did.
In 35 years Frances Xavier Cabrini founded 67 institutions dedicated to caring for the poor, the abandoned, the uneducated and the sick.  Seeing great need among Italian immigrants who were losing their faith, she organized schools and adult education classes.
As a child she was always frightened of water, unable to overcome her fear of drowning.  Yet, despite this fear, she traveled across the Atlantic Ocean more than 30 times.  She died of malaria in her own Columbus Hospital in Chicago.
Comment:  The compassion and dedication of Mother Cabrini is still seen in hundreds of thousands of her fellow citizens, not yet canonized, who care for the sick in hospitals, nursing homes and state institutions.  We complain of increased medical costs in an affluent society, but the daily news shows us millions who have little or no medical care, and who are calling for new Mother Cabrinis to become citizen-servants of their land.
At her canonization on July 7, 1946, Pope Pius XII said, "Although her constitution was very frail, her spirit was endowed with such singular strength that, knowing the will of God in her regard, she permitted nothing to impede her from accomplishing what seemed beyond the strength of a woman.
Source:  American Catholic.org.   

Holy Family Radio.  On the weekend of October 28 and 29, Vocation Boom radio host Jerry Usher featured Mother Mary of the Angels of the Sisters of Reparation of Portland, Oregon as his guest.
One of the major dedications of the order is the priesthood.  Mother Regina Rose, co-foundress of the Reparation Sisters, had a special concern for priests.  She dedicated part of her ministry to the sick and to those who found themselves penniless--or even homeless-- in retirement.
Learn more about this order at reparationsisters.org.

A Message from our President.
Dear Serrans:
Advent is quickly approaching and the calendar and temperature point out the change in seasons every morning when I scrape my windshield.  Because of the way Thanksgiving and Christmas fall on this year's calendar, please note we will NOT be meeting on the fourth Mondays of the month during November or December.
The LaVilles have again so graciously offered to host a holiday reception prior to the annual Schubert Christmas Concert, "The Spirit of Christmas--A Night of Christmas Classics, Carols and Spirituals"
will be held on Saturday, December 15, 2012, at the East Grand Rapids High School.  The concert always makes for a wonderful evening as well as a great way to support our Serra Club.  Feel free to invite friends and family to join us for this event.
Over the weekend of October 19-21 selected members of both Serra International and USAC met in Chicago to work through the 11-point proposal for ending the dissention between the bodies.  It sounds as though progress is being made on both sides.  Continue to pray for a rock solid and unified Serra.
We will be meeting on November 12 at West Catholic to meet with a group of young men who are in a discernment group.  Several of these young men have visited St. John Minor Seminary last spring at St. Thomas University in St. Paul, MN.  New Serran Ken Baldwin has met with this group and thought we needed to hear their story!  Pray for them and their journey.  We look forward to meeting with them and supporting them in prayer, word and action.
Mary, Mother of Vocations, Pray for Us!
Tim Hile

What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?--Micah 6:8

Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter, October 2012

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary.
October Dates to Remember.
October 7, 2012.  Respect Life Sunday.  St. Mary Parish in Lowell (Pastor is our moderator, Msgr. Ed) is hosting Lowell Life Chain on Sunday, October 7 to be held along Main Street from 2:30-3:30 p.m.  "We will stand silently and peacefully and pray for life.  Those attending may park at St. Mary Church and walk two blocks to the Little Caesar's parking lot or park on the street behind Little Caesar's on Main Street.  A note to the diocese regarding Respect Life Sunday will appear below.
October 8, 2012.  Luncheon and Speaker, 12:00 Noon at the University Club.  Father John Gainey will speak on the New Evangelization.
October 12, 2012.  Columbus Day.
October 14, 2012.  Spaghetti Dinner, Our Lady of Sorrows Church,  11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.  Tickets are $8 for adults and $3 for children in advance or $9 at the door).  Call 243-0222.
October 15, 2012.  Board Meeting, 12:00 Noon at Sacred Heart of Jesus.
October 21, 2012.  Priesthood Sunday.
October 22, 2012.  Prayer Service and Luncheon, 12:00 Noon at Sacred Heart of Jesus.
October 27, 2012.  Ordination of Deacon Darrel C. Kempf and Michael G. Hodges, 10:00 a.m. at the Cathedral of St. Andrew.  Serrans who are assisting Hospitality Team should arrive at 9:00.  All are welcome.  Right now we have no priests' anniversaries for October,  but next year we look forward to observing the October 27 anniversary date.
October Saints' Days.  Two very significant October Saints' days are October  4, St. Francis of Assisi, and October 7 (Our Lady of the Rosary).

Let us keep them in our prayers.
Please pray for Bob and Hazel Paul and their family.

Respect Life Sunday.  
His Excellency Bishop Walter Hurley sends this message:
My dear friends in Christ,
On October 7 we celebrate Respect Life Sunday, which marks the start of the Respect Life Program for the coming year.  Respect Life Sunday provides an opportunity for us to reflect on our commitment as Catholics to promote and cherish a culture of life for all people from conception to natural death.  For the Church, there is no distinction between defending human life and promoting the dignity of the human person.
The right to life is the most fundamental principle of human rights that leads us to work for a world of greater respect for human life and an increased commitment to justice and peace.  In a special way I wish to thank those who work so tirelessly to accomplish this and I ask for your prayers that we may continue to be God's faithful people working every day to provide public witness for justice and mercy in our world.
Sincerely yours in the Lord,
Bishop Walter Hurley
Note:  Resources for Respect Life Sunday and the Respect Life Program may be found on the home page may be found on the homepage of the Diocese of Grand Rapids website, www.dioceseofgrandrapids.org in the News and Current Events section.  Connect with the Diocese on Facebook (Search Diocese of Grand Rapids), and Twitter (@GRDiocese). 

Welcome to our newest member.  At our September 24 meeting at Sacred Heart of Jesus, our guest was Kenneth Baldwin, Director of Institutional Advancement at West Catholic High School.  He joined our club this past week.  Ken spoke briefly of West Catholic's significant accomplishments in providing a setting which nurtures and fosters discernment.  Ken noted that many of the 17 men in seminary from our diocese are graduates of West Catholic.  We thank him for his membership in our club and his enthusiasm for our club's mission.
In keeping with his visit to our club, he has invited West Catholic's Campus Minister, Phil Dolci, to write as follows:
Dear Serrans:
We want to thank you for your continual prayers and support for priestly vocations.  We believe that West Catholic has a special role to play in helping foster future vocations in the Diocese of Grand Rapids.  We are committed to helping our students get to know Jesus and their Catholic Faith in a deeper way, and of course one outcome of these efforts should be an increase in vocations.
When I started as campus minister I wanted especially to provide an environment in which young men could discern their possible vocation to the priesthood as brothers.  I experienced firsthand the joys and struggles of discerning to the priesthood personally.  I felt at one point that I had a possible vocation to the priesthood and entered the seminary.  During my time at the seminary I was able better to understand and discern my vocation.  Surrounding myself with a group of men who had the same heart for the Lord and were willing to give up so much to answer Christ's call to a special mission was such a blessing and gift.  I eventually discerned that the Lord wasn't calling me to the priesthood, but it was through that experience that our Priestly Discernment Program was born.  If a young man is called to the priesthood, it was so easy in our society for that vocation to fade away.  At West Catholic we want to water that vocational seed that God has planted.  Our vocations group helps our high school men experience, in part, the fellowship of brothers that are discerning the same call as well to water their possible priestly vocational seed that God has planted. Our vocations group helps our high school men experience, in part, the fellowship of brothers who are discerning the same call, as well as to water their possible priestly vocation.
When we started our discernment program, we started right away with a handful of guys because of the seeds that had already been planted.  Our Religion Department head, Pat Nugent, had been collecting the names of students he knew might be interested in the priesthood, as well as bringing current Grand Rapids seminarians into our school once a year to talk to our students in the hope of inflaming the possibility of a vocation into their hearts in a more real way.  This past spring we brought eleven young men to the Grand Rapids Diocese's college seminary--St. John Vianney.
We are still in the infancy of this program, but the fruit being borne already is so exciting!  One of the students who tossed around the idea of being a priest for a number of years.  After the witness of his grandmother, he is now actively pursuing this vocation.  Before our program was available, it was something he had thought about, but could never act on.  I believe this program is really going to benefit young men like this student.  Before, it was something he thought about, but never really did anything with.  We have at least one student who is pretty confident that God is calling him to be a priest, so this group is going to be helpful in solidifying and strengthening God's plan for his life.  All our young men have been able to connect with our Diocesan Priestly Vocation Director, meet and hear local priests' vocation stories, and have the opportunity to come together and pray.  Again this is only the beginning stages of this group, but exciting things are already happening.
Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we celebrate our 50th anniversary.  Our school continues to serve the Diocese by helping form our next generation of God's Holy Priests.
Gratefully yours,
Phil Dolci.
Note:  We congratulate West Catholic High School, recently named to Catholic High School Honor Roll by the Cardinal Newman Society.  More on West Catholic High School will appear in the November newsletter, and we are tentatively planning on holding one of our meetings there.

The Catholic Awards Dinner.  The 2013 Planning Committee has named Ralph Hauenstein as the honorary chairman of the dinner.  More to follow.

2013 Conference.  The Committee has received a letter from Archbishop Lori of Baltimore confirming that he will be our keynote speaker.

Serra's 'That We May be One' 54-Day Rosary Novena.
Dear fellow Serrans,
We would like to thank all of you who have prayed with us in the "Serra's 'ThatWeMay be ONE' 54-Day Rosary Novena" from 16 July 2012 to 7 September 2012.  With the intercession of Our Lady, "Queen of the Most Holy Rosary," we know the Lord hs heard our prayers said in unity for a common intention.  May our Lord continue to bless you abundantly for your love and generosity.
Mary, Mother of Vocations, pray for us!
Yours in Christ,
John "Tomi" Asenuga, President, and
Sean Yeo, President-Elect.
Source:  Serra Connects, September-October 2012

Treasures From our Tradition.
(A Special Message for October).
Did you ever notice how often the angels are referred to during Mass?  We commonly meet them in the Confiteor ("I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin, and all the angels and saints"), prefaces ("with angels and archangels and the whole company of heaven"), the Roman Canon ("we pray that your angel may take this sacrifice"), and Eucharistic Prayer IV ("countless hosts of angels stand before you to do your will").  Last week and this week angels abound as we celebrated Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael on Saturday, September 29, and we will honor the Guardian Angels in October.
September 29 was originally the feast day for Michael alone.  Gabriel and Raphael joined him in the 1969 reform of the Church calendar.  The celebration of the Guardian Angels has been observed since the sixteenth century in Spain.  Pope Clement X assigned the feast to the first free day after St. Michal's in 1670, and there it has remained.  Take some time this week to reflect on these, God's messengers and our protectors.
Source:  Our Lady of Sorrows Bulletin, September 30, 2012.

A Message from our President.  
Dear Serrans,
Lots of material to digest here.  Keep praying for vocations and the leaders of SI and USAC.
Thank you to those who agreed to usher at the Ordination Mass on Saturday, October 27.  Report time is 9:00 for the 10:00 Mass. \\
Mary, Mother of Vocations, Pray for Us!
Tim Hile, CIC, CWCA.

Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter, September, 2012

Calendar of Events.
September 10, 2012.  Luncheon meeting and speaker, 12:00 noon at the University Club.
Our speaker will be Sharon Lowery, a volunteer with HELP Pregnancy Center.  She has graciously agreed to talk about a project she has initiated (with the help of a birthday present, the lot adjacent to the HELP Center,  from her husband).  Sharon envisions a Rosary Garden for this location.  Larry Mulligan believes all who are able to attend will be interested in the project.  Lee Sullivan will introduce the speaker on that day because Larry plans to be in Haiti.
September 17, 2012.  Serra Board meeting, 12:00 noon at Sacred Heart of Jesus.
September 24, 2012.  Prayer service and luncheon meeting, 12:00 noon at Sacred Heart of Jesus.
September 28-30, 2012.  Serra District 85 Regional Conference, Cleveland, Ohio.  If you're an e-mail recipient of this newsletter, go to the website www.serradistrict85.org for the schedule, the list of events and speakers, and the registration information.  There is a registration form to print out and mail to the designated destination.  If yhou are a paper copy recipient of the newsletter, call me at 616-662-4569 and I will send you a registration form.  Remit form and payment ($125 per person) by September 20, 2012.  The reservation for the block of rooms at the Hilton Garden Inn at 700 Beta Drive in Mayfield Village expired on September 1, but a phone call today indicated that 15+ rooms are still available at $109 plus tax.  Call 440-646-1777 for room reservations, and please, do it soon if you're interested in attending.  We especially encourage those who are serving on our 2013 Conference Committee to attend.
October 11, 2012.  Beginning the Year of Faith, first announced with a celebrating Mass October 16, 2011 with participants in a Vatican conference on new evangelization. More to follow. 
October 27, 2012.  Put this date on your calendar.  Ordination of two priests, Deacon Darrell Kempf and Deacon Michael Hodges at 10:00 a.m. at St. Andrew's Cathedral.  Fr. Tom Tavolta has asked Tim Hile if our Serra Club could provide 4-5 ushers for the event.  Please R. S. V. P. to Tim if you are able to help in this way.  Ushers are asked to arrive at the Cathedral at 9:00 a.m.
November 24, 2013. 300th anniversary of the birth of Blessed Junipero Serra.  Watch in subsequent newsletters for information about our club's observance of the birthday.

Priests' Anniversaries for September.   Fr. Loc Trinh, 9/19/1992 and Fr. Ron Hutchinson, 9/24/1994.

Remember them in your prayers.  A note from John Osterhart announces the passing of Janet Ruger, wife of Bill Ruger, past Saginaw Serra Club President, on August 29, 2012 at the Cartwright Hospice Residence in Saginaw.  John asks the Michigan Serra Clubs and those who knew Bill and Janet to remember Bill and his family in their prayers and to send their expressions of sympathy.  Friends may call at the Snow Funeral Home from 2:00-8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 4.  Funeral Liturgy will take place on Wednesday, September 5, 2012 at St. Stephen Catholic Church.  Those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider memorials to St. Stephen Catholic Church, Saginaw Serra Club, or Nouvel Catholic Central High School.  Call Snow Funeral Home at 989-791-4515, or visit the web site at www.snowfuneralhome.net/fh/obituaries for a direct link to the memorial sites.

Year of Faith.  Pope Benedict XVI announced a special Year of Faith to help Catholics appreciate the gift of faith, deepen their relationship with God,and strengthen their commitment to sharing faith with others.  Celebrating Mass October 16, 2011 with participants in a Vatican conference on new evangelization,  the Pope said the Year of Faith would give "renewed energy to the mission of the whole church to lead men and women out of the desert they often are in and toward the place of life:  friendship with Christ, who gives us fullness of life."
The Pope said the observance would begin October 11, 2012--the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council--and conclude November 24, 2013, the Feast of Christ the King.
Says Pope Benedict, "What the world is in particular need of today is the credible witness of people enlightened in mind and heart by the word of the Lord, and capable of opening the hearts and minds of many to the desire for God and for true life, life without end," he wrote.
The papal Mass and announcement of the Year of Faith followed a daylong conference October 15, sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization. Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl of Washington told that gathering that catechesis is essential for any program of new evangelization in order to give evangelists the confidence to express their faith and to invite others into the experience of faith.
"We have spoken a great deal today about this very secular world in which we live," he said, "but we also need to recognize that among many, many of our young people there is an enormous openness to hearing about Christ.  Many of them are seekers."  More information to follow in the October newsletter.
Editor's Note:  It's a sign of the times that the social media and the Internet will play a significant role in giving information about the Year of Faith and the birthday anniversary of Blessed Junipero Serra. 

Thank you for your Prayers.  Bob and Hazel Paul have expressed their thanks for your prayers on their behalf.  Hazel is making a good recovery at this time.

Another Thank-you.  This past weekend I was talking with Father Pedro Garcia, a retired priest of the Diocese of Grand Rapids, who fills in for various priests wherever he is needed and spends his winters in prison ministries in Western Texas.  He said that he had been needed as a substitute quite a bit in recent months, and when I mentioned that I belonged to the Serra Club, he asked me to pass along his appreciation for the club and its prayers of encouragement (and the anniversary cards) for priests. In his homily this past weekend, Fr. Garcia mentioned a special fondness for the books Amos and James.  I plan to include them in my Scripture reading over the next few days.

Readings from the Book of James.  The second reading for September 2, 2012 begins a five-week series of selections from James, a letter that is classified among the so-called "catholic" (or univesal) epistles because they are addressed to a general audience rather than to once particular community.  The September 1 text offers important advice fro Christians of every generation.  God is first cited as the author of all gifts, and in particular, reference is made to the gift of baptism by which we have been made the "first fruits" of the new creation.
What follows is advice based on a very Jewish understanding of the "word" as an active force, operative in the world.  We are reminded that unless we, too, become "doers" of the word, our claim to faith is empty.  Today and in subsequent weeks the author reminds us that it is equally important to do "works" of love, for example, by caring for the "orphans and widows in their affliction."
Source:  Our Lady of Sorrows Bulletin, September 1, 2012.

Art and Religion.  Lee Sullivan alerts us to this message from the Catholic Information Center Newsletter:  The Cathedral Square Center will showcase over 40 artists during Artprize.  Artprize is September 19-October 7.  In addition, the Catholic Information Center is offering special "Art and Religion" programs during Artprize.  Check out the website for more information:  catholicinformationcenter.org.
Note:  The 2013 Conference Committee plans to incorporate Artprize into the suggested activities for our visitors next year. 

A Message from our President.
Dear Serrans:
Thank you to all who took additional time to come to the meeting that we hosted for other Serra Clubs to meet with Serra International President Tomi Asuenga  and Executive  Director John Woodward.  Tomi made an opening statement asking all to be humble and continue to do God's an Serra's work.  Others, then, were able to pose questions to Tomi.  There was a respectful dialog amongst all who attended.  Not sure that we solved the issues between SI and USAC, but it is good for SI's leaders to hear what we, the rank and file, have to say and express how we feel about the ongoing dispute between the parent organization, Serra International, and its subsidiary, USAC.

I have not heard back from Louis Benton as to whether they will reopen for lunch on Mondays in October.  So, I have started the process with the University Club and am attempting to get parking included or so many parking passes.  Will advise on updates later this month.

Please do attend the Serra Regional Conference in Cleveland September 28-30.  For more information you can go to www.serradistrict85.org.  You can make reservations and pay your conference fees all from the website.  We highly encourage as many folks as possible to attend, since we are hosting the next Regional Conference in September of 2013.

On that same note I would like to officially announce on behalf of your Regional Conference Committee that we have secured the commitment of Archbishop Lori to be the keynote speaker for the dinner on Saturday evening.  Thank you, Monsignor!  This occasion gives us many opportunities
to expand the dinner outside the Serra community as the Archbishop was appointed to the USCCB's Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty and is the Supreme Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus.

We will get through and survive the dispute between Serra International and the USAC.  We need to continue to communicate and resolve to follow the mission of Serra.

Have a wonderful day and weekend!

Mary, Mother of Vocations, Pray for Us!
Tim Hile

For what great nation has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is whenever we call to him?  And what othyer great nation has statutes and ordinances as just as this entire law that I am setting before you today?  Deuteronomy 4:7,8.  The Catholic Youth Bible

Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter, August 2012

Calendar of Events.  
August 13, 2012.  Luncheon Meeting and Campus Tour, 12:00 Noon at St. John's Home, 2355 Knapp Street NE.   We will begin with luncheon in one of the cabins, followed by the campus tour.  We have sent an e-mail from Tim Hile with a map attached.
August 14, 2012.  This date is outside our regular pattern, so please read carefully.
Serra Internatinal representatives John Woodward and President Tomi Asuenga will be in Grand Rapids on August 14 to meet with our club and members from several of the other clubs in our region, including Saginaw, Muskegon, and South Bend.  They will appear at the University Club from 5:00-7:00 p.m. to address the members and to receive questions.  Heavy hors d'oeuvres will be served, along with beer, wine, and soft drinks.  President Tim Hile has asked that as many of you  as possible will try to attend.  R. S. V. P. to Nancy at njking50@gmail.com or to Tim Hile at thile@okins.com or 616 437-1404.
 Also, Serra International has asked the membership from all clubs to pray a 54-day Novena for the Unity of the Club.  We did not receive the information in time to start the novena in unison with the other clubs, but we may still pray for that cause and for priestly and religious  vocations.  If one starts a 54-day Novena, the prayers must be said every day, wtih the proper sequence of the Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries.  The Luminous Mysteries ar not included in the 54-day Novena.
Note:  Information about this special devotion to Our Lady can be found on  the internet, and you may order special booklets on the subject as well, if you are not already familiar with the special devotion.
August 20, 2012.  Serra Board Meeting and Luncheon, 12:00 Noon at Sacred Heart.
August 27, 2012.  Luncheon Meeting, 12:00 Noon at the University Club.
September 28-30.  Great Lakes Regional Conference, Cleveland, Ohio.  Reservation informatin should be coming available soon.  We highly recommend attending these regional meetings, especially for those who are serving on our 2013 Conference Committee.  Getting together with other Serrans for a weekend of meetings, prayer, and masses is always an inspiring experience.
Opportunities for confession and adoration will also be available.  We will post the full information next month.

Priests' Anniversaries for August.
Reverend Donn Tufts, August 20, 1980.
Reverend George Darling, August 11, 1984.
Reverend Stephen Dudek, August 11, 1984.
Reverend Dennis Morrow, August 24, 1985.
Reverend Dennis O'Donnell, August 20, 1983.
Reverend James Wyse, August 29, 1987.

Annual Financial Report.  Pat Leikert distributed copies of our annual financial report at the last Serra Board meeting.  If you would like to receive one, let Nancy know at njking50@gmail.com or leave a message at 616-662-4569 and we will mail you one.


2013 Regional Conference.  The committee continues to meet every other Monday at St. Stephen's.  Check with Tim Hile if you'd like to join in.  ExperienceGR.com is assisting with a website so that we can post information about the conference and receive registrations and payments.  Margaret Leiber is helping with the artwork and the design of the brochure.  The committee is still seeking a keynote speaker.

Holy Family Radio.  Holy Family Radio will conduct a fall pledge drive.  Also, there is a radio station license coming up for sale in Battle Creek.  Holy Family Radio might assist in the purchase of that station.
The July 29 edition of the National Catholic Register  reinforces the message that Catholic Radio fosters conversions (and vocations):
     "When Christie Martin was growing up, her family belonged to the Church of Christ.  When she first converted, she didn't tell anyone; she knew she would face disapproval from her family.  As David Bacheresse, general manager of the EWTN Global Network says, 'The unique aspect of Catholic radio is it gives  a person the opportunity to learn about the Catholic faith without others knowing about it.'
Martin enrolled in the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults program a week after her first Mass.  One evening after class, she saw a bumper sticker: Catholic Radio 1230 AM.  'I got into my car, found the station--Immaculate Heart Radio out of Stockton, Calif. (an EWTN Radio affiliate) and began to find answers to all of my questions.  I even began generating new ones.'
Today, Martin listens to St. Valentine Radio in Amarillo, Texas, also an EWTN affiliate, with her husband, who grew up Catholic but had fallen away from the Church.  He began his journey back once Christie began RCIA.  ...'any time that I can be busy with my hands and and free with my ears and mind, I am listening.'
David Morris came across Catholic radio by accident.  'I was scanning and came across a discussion on the Scripture,' he recalls.  'I was surprised when I heard them say it was a Catholic radio station.'
Morris was an elder at the Centerburg Church of Christ in Centerburg, Ohio, at the time.  'I had been told Catholics were not Christian, but I was learning differently now.  The programs on Catholic radio answered several questions about the Catholic Church and corrected some of the things I had been told about it.'
One day Morris told his wife he was drawn to the Catholic Church.  'After we went to RCIA to get some questions cleared up, we--my wife and I--started discussing things we learned at RCIA and on Catholic Radio,' recalls Morris.  They were comfirmed in 2007.
Today St. Gabriel Radio, another EWTN affliliate, in the Columbus area is their local station.  'If I....hadn't started listening to that particular discussion on Scripture that day, I would still be mistaken about the Catholic Church,' Morris says.  'Both my wife and I have fallen in love with the Catholic faith.'
Charles Johnson, who lives near Buffalo, N. Y., found Catholic ration when he stopped watching and listening to secular media.  'I wasn't looking to convert when I started listening to Catholic radio,' says Johnson.  'But the Catholic message--that of love--was far more attractive to me than the messages on secular or even Protestant radio.'
Listening to WLOF, the Station of the Cross in Buffalo, helped Johnson make his decision.  'Having listened to and prayed with the radio station over a number of years kept bringing me closer to the Church.  RCIA abrought me the rest of the way.'
Thom Price, director of programming for EWTN Radio and co-host of Register Radio with the Register's Tim Drake--which features Register topics and writers--'heard a great story just the other day.
About 10 years ago, a guy who was far from this faith tuned into a local Catholic station--the station here in Birmingham.  He sent a check of support to the manager and said he would keep listening.  The checks kept arriving every month for several years.  Then the station got a letter from him saying he was going into the seminary.  Today he is a priest in the Diocese of Birmingham.'
By Christine Smyczynski, writing from Getzville, New York.

Family's three sons called to priesthood.
Fellow Serran Nate McKenzie forwarded the following article which appeared in The Freeman on March 27, 2008.  While we were pondering whether a 2008 story is still of interest to our readership, we found that the same three brothers were being featured on Holy Family Radio's Vocation Boom this past weekend.
Luke, Jacob and Vincent Strand, sons of Jerry and Bernadette Strand of Dousman, Wisconsin, "followed distinct paths to the same destination in the Catholic Church."  Growing up as Catholics in Dousman, the three brothers considered themselves religious but never seriously considered becoming priests.
Luke Strand, the oldest of the three, was the first brother to consider becoming a priest.  As a college student at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, he wanted a degree in marketing, to have a large Catholic family, and to make money.  During that time he started to frequent the Newman Center chapel and to help at a homeless shelter, Father Carr's Place 2B.
"As I continued this journey, priesthood began to seem like something God was calling me to--something God was putting in the front of my mind," he said.  He studied at St. Francis Seminary and was ordained as a priest in May 2009.
Father Jacob Strand said he started to think about  becoming a priest while a senior at Kettle Moraine High School.  After completing two years at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, the desire became stronger.
"This began to occupy a larger area of my life," he recalls.  "When I began to look into this more closely, there was a strong sense of peace and that I was fulfilling what God wanted for me."  After completing his studies at St. Joseph College Seminary in Chicago, he was the second Strand brother to be ordained.
Vincent Strand was a student at Marquette University studying biological sciences and theology when he began to feel that God was calling him.  He said he began to spend time with people from the Society of Jesus.
"I really became convinced that God was calling me to be a Jesuit.  I really thought he was asking me to do it personally...The call was not vague or abstract, it felt very concrete to me and that Jesus was speaking directly to my heart."  In December 2004 he began applying for admittance to start the novitiate process with the Jesuits.  Having completed a master's degree in philosophy as part of his education in the Society of Jesus, he is still in formation.
It hasn't always been easy for the friends and family of the Strand brothers to understand their decisions.
"It's always surprising.  It's something parents don't expect," Luke Strand said, adding, "They've been very encouraging in the process."
Jerry Strand admits it's been difficult to accept their decisions at times...But he and his wife Bernadette have realized how happy their sons' chosen vocations have made them.
"You get behind them and you give up the personal selfishness," Jerry Strand said.  "We're just happy that our boys are able to make tough decisions."
The brothers have also received support from their younger sister, Theresa Strand.
Throughout the process, the brothers have been there for each other as well.  "It's a great support to have my brothers in many ways walking a similar path.  We can understand one another--the struggles, as well as the joys, that our vocations offer us," said Vincent."I think there is a great wave of young people who are zealous for the Catholic Church."
Lucas Strand agreed.  "People are searching for truth, and I think that search for the truth has led a lot of young people to the church, to priesthood, and the religious life.
Lucas Strand feels optimistic.  "I think there's something really happening in the church and it's exciting to be a part of it," he said.
Thank you, Nate, for calling our attention to this inspiring vocation story.
Editor's Note:  Nate is making a good recovery from his second knee replacement surgery.  Let us keep him in our prayers.

Note from a Notre Dame Vision Alumnus.  Tim Hile forwarded the following note from Tony Oleck, a former Notre Dame Vision participant whom we sponsored.
Dear Tim:  I am e-mailing you because I just wanted to say thank you again for that opportunity, as it was a very formative part of my life.  I am actually e-mailing you as I prepare to head back to meet my small group at the very same ND Vision, where I am working this summer (now as a mentor)!
I am also a current ND student and I will be starting my third year in the seminary here with the Congregation of the Holy Cross this fall.  I thought you and the Serra Club might be interested to know that the Lord has truly blessed me through your generosity and support, which has offered me such great opportunities to discern God's will in my life.  This discernment has led me to enter the seminary and, I hope, to the Holy Cross priesthood in a few years.  I will be a junior at ND, and I am studying history and philosophy in order to prepare myself for a life in the Church, whether the Lord leads me to the priesthood or not.
So, thank you so much for your generosity and support, as I would never have been able to attend the ND vision without the help of the Serra Club.  I now hope that I am doing my small part to try to repay that a little bit by giving my love and attention to other high schoolers who are seeking to do the same thing as I was doing when I was in high school.  Please give my best to all of the Serra Club members.  Know of my prayers!  Please remember me in yours as well as I continue to discern God's will and as I continue on in the formation with the Holy Cross.  It has been a truly blessed ride so far!
Yours in Christ,
Tony Oleck

A Message from our President. 
Please pay particular attention to the special announcement regarding the visit of Serra International President Tomi Asuenga.  This is a great honor as well as an opportunity for us to see and hear the direction of Serra International.
As we begin to plan for this fall and beyond, what would you like to see us do?  What can we do to help you in your faith walk?  Whom would you like to suggest as speakers for our club?
Will you promote another Member-Guest function this fall?  Do you like the evening format for these meetings?  Please send your respons to me via e-mail to thile@okins.com or 616-437-1404.  Your feedback is essential for us in growing our club and meeting Serra's mission as the global lay apostolate for vocations in the Catholic Church.  We welcome your comments.
Continue to pray for vocations.  You have already seen the letter from Tony Oleck above and read how his Notre Dame experience continued to ignite his passion for the priesthood.  We do good work, but the results are not always seen quickly or in plain sight.  But we will continue to persevere to ask young people to consider vocations and pursue our faith as brothers and sisters united by Serra.

Mary, Mother of Vocations, Pray for Us.

Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter, July 2012

Calendar of Events.
July 1, 2012.  Feast Day of Blessed Junipero Serra.
July 4, 2012.  Independence Day and Conclusion of U. S. Bishops' Freedom of Conscience Initiative.

July 9, 2012.  Luncheon Meeting and Speaker, 12:00 Noon at the University Club.
July 16, 2012.  Board Meeting, 12:00 Noon at Sacred Heart.
July 23, 2012.  Prayer Service and Luncheon. 12:00 Noon at Sacred Heart.
August 13, 2012.  Luncheon Meeting and Campus Tour, 12:00 Noon at D. A. Blodgett/St. John's Home.  We will have lunch in one of the designated cabins, followed by the tour.  See below for a history of the home, which, according to its motto, has offered home and hope for children since 1887.
June 20-23, 2013.  Serra International Convention, Mallorca, Spain, or perhaps Barcelona, with side trip to Mallorca.  Grand Rapids Serrans Msgr. Ed Hankiewicz, our moderator,  Dan Grady, and Dennis and Margaret Lieber attended the 2012 Serra International Convention in Providence.

July Speaker.  At the invitation of Serran Larry Mulligan, our July speaker will be Mr. Edward L. Twohey, a member of the Catholic Lawyers' Association and founder of the Twohey Maggini law firm.  Mr. Twohey is the nephew of Boys Town founder Fr. Flanagan.  He was the mayor of Boys Town in 1943 during his senior year and last month was inducted into the Boys Town Sports Hall of Fame.  Tom Rademacher featured Mr. Twohey in his April 13 column in the Grand Rapids Press (the article can be found at mlive.com.  See biographical information about Father Flanagan elsewhere in this newsletter.

Priests's Anniversaries for July.  We extend our special thanks to Lee Sullivan for completing the monumental task of sending out all of the June cards and for her part in this ministry throughout the year.  We received a recent note from Lee, who writes that at a recent dinner with Fr. John Kenney, he mentioned that he had received our card and two others from parishioners;  he also reaffirmed that the priests appreciate these cards very much.
Fr. Ray Bruck, July 20, 1958.
Fr. Larry King, July 8, 1989.
Fr. Lam Le, July 10, 2004.

A Special Thanks.  President Tim Hile expresses our thanks to Msgr. Ancona, who served as guest chaplain/moderator at our June 25 meeting at Sacred Heart at Msgr. Ed's request.  As President Hile says, Msgr. Ancona is welcome at any time at any Serra event.

The St. Lazare Golf Outing.  Serrans Dan Laville and Larry Mulligan attended.  70 golfers participated, as opposed to 60 last year, the first annual outing.  Our club sponsored Fr. Joachim Lalley.  Fr. Gainey couldn't be there because he was returning from Ireland that day but wants to be kept in mind for next year.  A number of priests were interested but couldn't respond to our invitation because of their busy Saturday schedules during June.  All in all, the event was very successful, and we especially thank those who represented our club at the outing.

Holy Hour.  At our last meeting, Frank Lake mentioned IHM's Holy Hour cards, which are to be sent to a person of one's choosing announcing that a Holy Hour has been offered.  We will include a copy of this card either in this newsletter or in a separate e-mail.  The Holy Hour cards would be a great way to send our special support to our priests and seminarians and a wonderful way to remind us of the importance of adoration in our prayers for vocations.  Thank you, Frank, for telling us about the Holy Hour cards.  Code for the chapel at IHM is 5412. 

Holy Family Radio.  Tim Hile received a letter dated June 1, 2012 addressed to him and our club from Larry Nienhaus thanking us for our participation in the Spring Sharathon.  According to anyone's standards, the event was even more successful than anticipated:
"It has taken us a couple of weeks to tally our  results in the aftermath of such an outpouring of support during our first on-air pledge drive.  We can now excitedly report to you that we surpassed our $100,000 goal in a very big way.  With your help, we received pledges of financial support totaling more than $178,000!  It's funding that is being made available to us either immediately or over the next three years, depending on the wishes of individual donors.  Know that the generous gift of funding, time, products or services helps us to build a solid foundation of financial support that typically takes at least two years, according to the Catholic Radio Association.  As we are just entering our second year, we will confidently continue that "climb" to financial stability.  Our annual operating costs exceed $250,000, and that does not include the costs of extending our broadcast day to (24/7) and expanding our broadcast coverage to parts of West Michigan that do not yet have Catholic radio.  We still have much work to do!
Serrans Dan Grady, Mark Kubik, Tim Hile, and Weldon Schwartz participated in our hour of broadcasting, and Beverly Shields and Nancy Mulvihill worked the phones.  We thank all who helped with this opportunity to provide some very positive publicity for our Club.
Editor's Note:  I know about the journalistic we, and I realize I could be writing, "We apologize for neglecting to include this information in our June newsletter."  However, I can't blame another person for the error, not even a fictitious one!  But the news is so good that we must tell you about it!

About Father Flanagan.  Father Edward Joseph Flanagan, Born July 13, 1886 in Ballymoe, County Roscommon, Ireland; died May 15, 1948 in Berlin, Germany, was a Catholic priest in the United states.  He was founder of what is arguably the most famous orphanzge--Boys Town.  The campus is not just an orphanage, but now a center for troubled youth.

Father Flanagan's parents were John (a herdsman) and Honoria Flanagan.  He attended Summerhill College, Sligo, Ireland.  He emigrated to the USA in 1904 and became a citizen in 1919.  He attended Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland, where in 1906 he received a bachelor of arts degree in 1908.  He studied at St. Joseph's Seminary in Dunwoodie, New York.  He cotinued his studies in Italy and at the University of Innsbruck in Austria, where he was ordained in 1912.  His first parish was O'Neill, Nebraska, where from 1912 he served as assistant pastor at St. Patrick's Catholic Church and later at St. Philomena's Church.

In 1917 he founded a home for homeless boys in Omaha.  Bishop Jeremiah James Harty of the Diocese of Omaha had misgivings, but endorsed Father Flanagan's experiment.  Because the downtown facilities were inadequate, Flanagan established Boys Town, ten miles west of Omaha, in 1921.  Under Father Flanagan's direction, Boys Town grew to be a large community with its own boy-mayor, schools, chapel, post office, cottages, gymnasium, and other facilities where boys tetween the ages of 10 and 16 could receive an education and learn a trade...

Father Flanagan received many awards for his work with delinquent and homeless boys.  He served on several committees and boards dealing with the welfare of children and was the author of articles on child welfare.  Internationally known, Father Flanagan traeled to Japan and Korea in 1947 to study child welfare problems.  He made a similar trip to Austria and Germany and, while in Germany, he died on May 15, 1948, of a heart attack.  He was buried in the Dowd Chapel at Boys Town.


Legacy: 
In 1986, the United States Postal Service issued a 4-cent Great Americans series postage stamp honoring him. 
Father Flanagan is a member of the Nebraska Hall of Fame.
On February 25, 2012, Reuters reported that Archbishop George J. Lucas of the Archdiocese of Omaha, Nebraska, would formally open the canonization process of Father Flanagan with a March 17, 2012 prayer service at Boys Town's Immaculate Conception Church.  Upon completion of that ceremony, he was given the title, "Servant of God", the first of three titles bestowed before canonization as a Catholic saint.
Source:  Wikipedia
About D. A. Blodgett/St. John's Home.  
In the 1880s Grand Rapids was a bustling commercial center fueled by the lumber industry.  But left out of the city's prosperity was an alarming number of children made homeless as epidemics of typhus, diphtheria, scarlet fever, and cholera swept through West Michigan.

Children begged in the streets of the city, malnourished and very sick.  Leading citizens organized to rescue them.  As early as 1882 Bishop Henry Richter was exhorting the Catholic community to build an orphanage.  With a $60,000 bequest from a wealthy lumberman named John Clancy in 1884, plans were soon underway,  Meanwhile, Jennie Blodgett and Emily Clark were planning the Children's Aid Society, with the blessing (and funds) from Jennie's husband, Delos Abiel (D. A.) Blodgett.  In 1887, the Blodgett-Clark project commenced at 42 Lafayette.  Before long, it would be called the D. A. Blodgett Home for Children.

Up the street, on the corner of Lafayette and Leonard, the Bishop's "St. John's Orphan Asylum" was under construction.  The four-story "castle" opened in 1889.  Over the next thirty years, both ventures expanded to accommodate wave after wave of orphans.  In 1908, the Blodgetts built a stately building on Cherry Street where children of all faiths and backgrounds received expert physical care and schooling.  But both the Blodgetts and the Dominican Sisters of St. John's soon realized the limitations of custodial care.  The Blodgetts spoke for both agencies when they observed, "(Our children) have everything they need, except a family."

A Need for Homes.  By the early 1920s, foster programs were established at both agencies.  For the rest of the century, advancements in medicine and greater acceptance of foster care and adoption brought an end to traditional orphanages.  By 1946, more than 60 percent of children served by St. John's Home were in foster care.  The program would become the Catholic Service Bureau, and later, Catholic Social Services.  In the years following World War II, ominous societal changes created difficult new challenges for home placement programs.  The modern "orphan" was now likely to be a victim of family violence, abuse, and neglect fueled by a rise in alcoholism and drug use.  Some children needed much more than a new family could provide.

An Expansion of Services.  D. A. Blodgett  for Children began offering new prevention services to vulnerable families.  Mentoring programs, in particular Big Brothers and Big Sisters, were added starting in 1965.  Since then, more than a dozen specialized foster and adoption programs, community based programs, have been added.  St. John's Home began focusing exclusively on treating young victims of abuse in its residential program.  After relocating to a new campus on Knapp Street in 1992, the KidsFirst program was added to provide emergency shelter to abused children.  At some point, (no one knows the exact date) the two agencies began collaborating.  A St. John's orphan became a D. A. Blodgett for Children adopted child, and a D. A. Blodgett for Children foster child came to St. John's Home for treatment.

A Merger Meant to Be.  In early 2009, leaders at St. John's Home and D. A. Blodgett for Children began discussing the merits of a merger.  When this unification became official on January 1, 2010, eighteen different programs and services were brought together.  Out of respect for the founding fathers and mothers and thousands of donors and volunteers, the historic names were  preserved as the agency was renamed "D. A. Blodgett-St. John's."...and has become one of Michigan's largest children's welfare agencies.
Source:  D. A. Blodgett/St. John's Home website.
In August we will continue with a tribute to the agency's founders.
D. A. Blodgett/St. John's Home is located at 2355 Knapp Street NE, 49505, or some of you will be able to get Google Maps on your phone by texting the word "Gmaps" to 466453.  Knapp Street is located off of Fuller Avenue NE.  We will provide maps as needed as August 13 draws near.

A Message from our President.
Sent Sunday, July 1, 1012.
Dear Serrans,
Please continue to pray for Father Godfrey and all who belonged to St. Mary Magdalene, which was totally destroyed in a fire earlier this morning.  We pray for the community in their time of need and for the parish to pull together under Father Godfrey.  The building is not what makes the community.

I've had the opportunity to enjoy some quiet time already this summer, reading in the early morning and late evening and have found myself at the Adoration Chapel at IHM.  Love the slower and less formal pace of summer.  Hope you are all finding some quiet time with the Lord.

Have not heard a full account from the Serra International Convention in Providence, but the preliminary indication was that there was some progress made, and not a lot of the amendments were passed.  We look forward to more from those who attended Providence.

As Catholics and Serrans we face many challenges on many fronts on a daily basis.  Faith carries us forward and through all this!  Thank you for all you do in keeping the faith.

Tim Hile

Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter, June 2012

Calendar of Events.
June 2, 2012.  Ordination of three seminarians to the permanent diaconate, 10:00 a.m. at the Cathedral of St. Andrew.  Serrans who wish to assist with ushering should report at 9:00 a.m.  RSVP to Tim Hile if you can help.  Biographies of the three will appear immediately below the calendar of events.
June 11, 2012.  Luncheon Meeting and Speaker Jimmy Hsu, 12:00 Noon at University Club. His biogtaphy will appear immediately after the list of transitional deacons.
June 18, 2012.  Board Meeting, 12:00 Noon at Sacred Heart.
June 21-23, 2012.  Serra International Convention, Providence, Rhode Island.
June 23, 2012.  St. Lazare Retreat House Men's and Women's Golf Outing, Grand Haven Golf Club.  8:00 a.m. Registration, 9:00 a.m.  Shotgun Start, Scramble.  We are sponsoring a foursome of priests.  June 15 is the last day to register.  Call 616-842-4040 or e-mail Fr. Vincent O'Malley at vomcm@att.net.
June 25, 2012.  Prayer Service and Luncheon Meeting, 12:00 Noon at Sacred Heart.
Looking Ahead...
August 13, 2012.  Luncheon meeting and tour of St. John's Home, 12:00 noon.  Maps will be provided.
October 4, 2012.  Father Fred Presentation, 3:30-5:30 p.m. at Aquinas College.  This presentation will be centered on the book, The Heart of a Priest.  Bill Bjork has read the book and says it's wonderful.
Father Edwin Frederick, Father Fred, was a Catholic priest who served in the Traverse City, Michigan area from 1959 until his death in 2000.  At the time of his death, thousands mourned the loss of this incredible man.

For the first thirty years of his time in Traverse City, he served as Catholic chaplain at the Traverse City State Hospital, a state-run mental health facility that closed in 1989.  When the state hospital closed, Fr. Fred started the Father Fred Foundation to help those displaced residents who suddenly found themselves homeless in Traverse City.  Initially, the foundation was a drop-in center where "his people" could stay in contact with the man who treated them with so much dignity.  Neither a person's denomination nor belief mattered to Father Fred.  If someone needed help, Father Fred was there.
Eleven years after his death, his biography was written by Traverse City author, Paul LaPorte.

The Transitional Deacons.
Mr. Scott T. Nolan, 25, is the son of Holly and Robert Nolan of Muskegon.  He has three siblings, Sean (Kendall), Daniel (Ashley and daughter Amelia), and Brian (Tiffany) Nolan.  His home parish is Prince of Peace North Muskegon.  Mr. Nolan is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas and St. John Vianney Seminary with a bachelor's degree in philosophy and Catholic studies.  In 2011, he completed an internship at Holy Name of Jesus parish under the mentorship of Father Stephen Dudek.  Mr. Nolan will enter his final year of seminary at University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois in the fall of 2012 and will receive his master's of divinity degree in May 2013.
Mr.Charles J. Schwartz, 30, is the son of Felipa and Michael Schwartz of Grand Rapids.  He has five siblings, Rose, Cecelia, Angelica, Jeffrey and Rita.  Mr. Schwartz's home parish is the Shrine of St. Francis Xavier and Our Lady of Guadalupe, Grand Rapids.  Mr. Schwartz is a 2009 graduate of the University of St. Thomas and St. John Vianney Seminary with a bachelor's degree in philosophy and Catholic studies.  In 2011, he completed an internship at St. Michael Parish, Muskegon Heights, under the mentorship of Father Tom Brown.  Mr. Schwartz will enter his final year of seminary at University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois in the fall of 2012 and will receive his master's of divinity degree in May 2013.
Mr. James VanderLaan, 28, is the son of Patricia and Stephen VanderLaan of Grand Rapids.  He has two siblings, Sarah and Joshua VanderLaan.  His home parish is the Shrine of St. Francis Xavier and Our Lady of Guadalupe, Grand Rapids.  Mr. VanderLaan is a 2007 graduate of Grand Valley State University with a bachelor's degree in philosophy and Spanish.  In 2011 he completed an internship at St. Francis deSales Parish in Holland under the mentorship of Father Charlie Brown.  Mr. VanderLaan will enter his final year of seminary at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois in the fall of 2012 and will receive his master's of divinity degree in May 2013.

Biography of Jimmy Hsu, CSP,  our speaker for June 11.  Date of birth, November 1, 1988.  Home town:  Plano, Texas.  Favorite Saint, St. John the Evangelist.  Hobbies, reading, speeping, computer games, golf, and food.  Favorite foods:  Chinese and Italian.  What did I enjoy most about my pastoral year?  Experiencing and participating firsthand in the ministries of a pastoral minister, and of a Paulist  I look forward to working as a member of a parish team to serve the people of a parish.
Vocation Story:  I first considered the priesthood after going to a youth retreat in the eighth grade.  It was always on my mind as I went through my high school years.  When I entered the University of Texas in Austin, I met the Paulist Fathers, who serve at the campus ministry.  I became active in campus ministry and got to know the Paulists well.  The priests became my mentors and continued to encourage my discernment for the priesthood.  As I was graduating, I gelt that I wanted to apply to enter the seminary.  With encouragement from the Paulists in Austin, I chose to apply for the Paulist novitiate.  I have found my novitiate to be very rewarding and hope that I continue to be guided though this path.

Priests' Anniversaries for June.
June 1.  Michael Albert, Gasper Ancona, Louis Anderson, Bernard Carlin, Joseph Fix, Melvin Fox, Troy Nevins, Jose Luis Quintana, Chris Rouech, Anton Tran, William Zink.
June 2.  Matthew Barnum, Victor Kynam, Donald Lomasiewicz, Mark Peacock, Ken Schichtel.
June 3. James Bozung, John LaGoe, Thomas McKinney, Anthony Russo, Ron Schneider, Anthony Vainavicz.
June 4.  Eugene Golas, Tom Schiller, Luis Garcia.
June 5.  Charles Brown, Tom Brown, Michael Danner, George Fekete, Pedro Garcia, David Gross, the Most Reverend Walter Hurley (priesthood), Paul Milanowski, Louis Stasker.
June 6.  Michael Burt, James Chelich, Norman Droski, Aaron Ferris, Msgr. John Giammona, Tom Vesbit, John Wisneski.
June 7.  Michael Cilibraise, Godfrey Onyekwere, Anthony Pelak, Philip Salmonowicz, Phil Sliwinski, Peter Vu.
June 11.  Fred Hoesli.
June 12.  Tom Bolster.
June 13.  John Vallier.
June 14.  Mark Bauer, Ed Boucher.
June 15.  John Thome.
June 16.  Thomas Page.
June 18.  Thomas DeYoung.
June 19. Msgr. Terrance Stewart.
June 24.  Patrick Grile, Msgr. Edward Hankiewicz.
June 27.  Francis Sacks.
June 28.  Ayub Francis Nasar
June 29.  Robert Balsar.
Thank you, Lee, for compiling this list and sending the cards.

Nominating Committee Report for 2012-2013. 
President:  Tim Hile XX
President-elect:  Agnes Kempker-Cloyd XX
Treasurer:  Pat Leikert (Continuing) 
Secretary:  Nancy King//Lee Sullivan XX
Vice-president Communications:  Nancy King (Continuing)
Vice-president Vocations:  Nancy Mulvihill X
Vice-president Membership:  Weldon Schwartz X
Vice-president Programs:  Larry Mulligan X
Trustees:  Bob Gabridge*
                 Dan Grady***
                 Bob Paul*
                 John Osterhart***
Past President:  Dan LaVille
Moderator:  Msgr. Edward Hankiewicz

Symbols:  X=First year of two; XX=Second year of two; **=Second year of three; and ***=Third year of three.
Date of installation of these officers:  TBA

The Serra Hour of Holy Family Radio's Sharathon.
On Wednesday, May 9, our club participated in Holy Family Radio's Sharathon, the radio's first on air pledge drive.  The pledge generated over 500 pledges totaling over $175,000, including matched pledges.  The 5-6 p.m. hour in which Serra was featured generated over $5500 in pledges, including matched pledges provided by club members.  Club President Tim Hile, former club member Msgr. Bill Duncan, and current members Mark Kubik, Weldon Schwartz, and Dan Grady discussed the history and activities of the club with Pledge Drive host Jerry Usher, who produces the Vocation Boom radio show heard on Holy Family Radio on Saturdays and Sundays at 5:00 p.m.  Club members Dan LaVille, Beverly Shields, and Nancy Mulvihill helped answer phones on the pledge phone bank.  Our participation has generated interest in joining the club from three persons who listened or met Serrans at the station during the Serra Sharathon hour.  Thanks to all who helped and pledged.
Information provided by Dan Grady.
 
A Tribute to Ralph Hauenstein.

The Spring 2012 edition of the Grand Valley Magazine features Ralph Hauenstein in celebration of his 100th birthday.  In the Q&A format, the magazine's Nate Hoekstra interviewed Ralph just before his birthday to ask him about his ties to Grand Valley and Grand Rapids and the secret to his longevity.  About the Hauenstein Center, Ralph notes, "I think the Hauenstein Center has been a tremendous success under the direction, guidance, and supervision of Gleaves Whitney.  We were fortunate to get a man of his caliber to carry it on, and it's making tremendous inroads with young people.  I see it all the time when people come to me who are as enthused as I am about this.  I watch these young men and women and I'm absolutely certain that we are providing great, great leadership for the future of our country right from within the leadership of our university.  I think our major goal is to develop successful people within themselves, but obviously we're also helping to make them more aware of their country as well, no question about it.  It's a well-run program...
Of his 100th birthday, Ralph comments, "I've been fortunate to have many, many good things happen to me throughout my life...People ask me what I attribute my long life to, and I just say, 'stay alive.'  It's the best I can do."
Thank you, Ralph, for all you have contributed to our club (as one of the three founders), our community, and our country.

A Special May Ordination.
Formerly a federal bankruptcy judge, Father Timothy Corcoran, 66, was ordained as a priest on May 20 after four years of seminary school in Massachusetts.  He has been assigned as a parish priest at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Dunedin.  He is a graduate of Blessed John XXXIII National Seminary, a special seminary for older men.  There were eight graduates in his class.

His first day was almost his last.  Tim Corcoran was 62, a former federal judge in Tampa, used to having his own way.  He had a home off Bayshore Boulevard, all to himself.  But here he was in a cold monastic cell of a room with bare floors and walls, with a tiny bathroom he'd have to share for the next four years.  The bare room did drive home the idea that the priesthood is a calling of sacrifice and humility.  "It was ugly and noisy and it looked like an institution.  What was I thinking?"  This was his quarters at Blessed John Seminary.

Few men come into the priesthood with as many life experiences, though at the special seminary, Corcoran had classmates who were physicians, retired military, government bureaucrats, and even two veterinarians.  He's a combat veteran, an ex-husband, a lawyer, and a former judge.  

Corcoran and his father, also named Timothy, served in Vietnam at the same time.  Corcoran's mother, Betty Lou, and his father lie together at Arlington National Cemetery.  Before he came home from the seminary, Corcoran made his customary visit.

"Whatever success I've had in the past had involved setting a goal and making a plan and then taking credit for what I had achieved," he said.  "It was all about me.  That's the antithesis of the seminary experience.  All we are doing is being instruments of the Lord."  Father Corcoran celebrated his first solo mass on May 21 at Sacred Heart Church in Tampa.
Source:  Tampa Bay Times.  Furnished by Dan LaVille.

A Message from our President.
I look forward to seeing everyone at the University Club on June 11.  Our speaker will be Jimmy Hsu, CSP.  The regional conference is moving forward with invitations to speakers so that we can publish the agenda and generate interest in the fall conference in Cleveland.
Enjoy the slower pace of summer and continue to pray for our current priests and seminarians.  Some of our priests will be moving to Senior Priest (retired);  change can be very hard but we hope to be able to help them and aid their transition.  As you get the opportunity to contemplate Serra and its purpose and your purpose within Serra, think about this:  You know well enough that our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, but at the love with which we do them.  -St. Therese of Lisieux
Mary, Mother of Vocations, Pray for Us. 
President Tim Hile

Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter, May 2012

Calendar of Events.
April 29, 2012.  World Day of Prayer for Vocations,  During May, the month of the Rosary, let us renew our resolve to nurture, foster, and pray for priestly and religious vocations.
April 30, 2012.  Regional Conference Planning Committee, 5:30 p.m. at St. Stephen and subsequently every second Monday. 
May 3, 2012.  Joint meeting with the Muskegon Club, 12:00 Noon at Sam's Joint in Coopersville.
The meeting was well attended, and not only did we enjoy the opportunity to meet and talk with the Muskegon Serrans, but also we were able to make the initial contact toward co-hosting  the 2013 Regional Conference.  Also, Bob Barrett talked briefly about the College Connection.  Let us pray for him as he continues his dedication to this ministry to keep young people in the Church and in some cases to provide them with a forum to discern their vocations.  We certainly hope to enjoy other such meetings in the future.  See below for 2013 Regional Convention Committee update.
May 9-11, 2012 from 7:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.  Holy Family Radio Sharathon Fundraising Drive.  Our club's hour is Wednesday, May 9 from 5:00-6:00 P.M.  Remember to make your pledges directly to HFR in Serra's name before the pledge drive.  If you can't make the May 9 date, call Dan Grady or HFR directly at 616-956-1140 if you still want to help at another time.
May 21, 2012.  Serra Board Meeting at 12:00 Noon at Sacred Heart.
May 28, 2012.  Memorial Day.  No meeting.
June 11, 2012.  Luncheon Meeting and Speaker, 12:00 Noon at the University Club.
June 18, 2012.  Board Meeting, 12:00 Noon at Sacred Heart.
June 20-21, 2012.  USA Council of Serra International Annual Meeting/Super Weekend, Providence,
Rhode Island.
June 21-24, 2012.  Serra International Convention, Providence, Rhode Island.
June 23, 2012.  Golf Outing, Grand Haven Golf Club, Sponsored by St. Lazare Retreat House, Grand Haven.  8:00 a.m. registration, 9:00 a.m. Shotgun Start, ,Scramble.  $95 per golfer, $330 per foursome, including luncheon and soft drinks.  Director:  Fr. Vincent O'Malley (vomcm@att.net).  Make checks payable to St. Lazare Golf Outing, 18600 W. Spring Lake Rd, Spring Lake, MI 49456. Call Lew Gorbach (616-842-4040) if you'd like to participate or help sponsor a foursome of priests.
June 25, 2012.  Prayer Service and Luncheon, 12:00 Noon at Sacred Heart.
July Dates TBA.
August 13, 2012.  Tour and Luncheon at St. John's Home with Sharon Loughridge, 12:00 Noon.  Maps will be forwarded before the event.


Priests' Anniversaries.
April 1. Rev. Steven Cron
May 1.  Rev. John Kenny
May 5.  Rev. Philip Shangraw
May  14.  Rev. Anthony Britt
May 15.  Rev. Leonard Sudlick
May 16.  Rev. Tom Tavella
May 19.  Msgr. Wm. Duncan, Rev. D. Tirkey, Rev. Charles Mason
May 20.  Rev. Peter Nghiem, Rev. Mark Przbysz
May 22.  Rev. Ernest Bernott, J. Lalley
May 24.  Rev. Michael Bliszcz, Rev. Ted Kozlowski, Rev. Don Weber
May 27.  Rev. Brad Schoeberle
May 28.  Rev. Thomas Hack

2013 Regional Convention Update.  Friday, September 27-Sunday, September 29,2013 at the Airport Hilton, Grand Rapids.  Expected attendance about 150 people from Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
Tentative Theme:  Being Catholic in the United States:  Living the Faith in a Pluralistic Society.
Possible topics for four workshops:
Catholic Radio with Larry Nienhaus, How the laity can help the clergy, Panel discussion of newly ordained priests on vocations, the College Connection, and Increasing Serra Membership.
Committees are Program Committee, Marketing Committee, Registration Committee, and Fundraising/Underwriting Committee.
Note that 2013 will mark the 65th anniversary of our club's chartering.  The following year the Muskegon club will celebrate its 65th anniversary.
We thank the committee for their work so far.  Please feel free to join in at any time if you see a way in which you can help. 


31 Club Meetings.  If you are willing to talk to your parish priest about a 31 Club, please let Nancy Mulvihill know.

Election of Officers.  Bob Paul will be stepping down as trustee.  However, he is still in charge of nominations.  Let him know if you would like to serve.  So far, all of the other officers have agreed to remain in their positions.  We have tentative plans for installation of officers at a May or June meeting.


Let us Pray...that our club bears fruit through our support of Holy Family Radio.  Holy Family Radio airs EWTN's Vocation Boom on Saturdays 5-6 p.m. and again on Sundays 5-6 p.m.
Last weekend one of the featured priests was Father Tony Russo, of the Diocese of Grand Rapids, Pastor of Our Lady of Consolation in Rockford.  Father Tony was ordained in June, 2000.  Some Serrans may remember that he spoke to our club regarding his story.  Let us keep in mind that each priest has his unique vocation story, and that each vocation is a gift from God.  Our club sponsors the Vocation Boom broadcast, and we are mentioned as having prayed for vocations since 1948.

Vocation Boom has appeared on EWTN each weekend since February 28, 2011.  Says founder and host Jerry Usher, (and once a classmate of Fr. Tony Russo), "My hope for the show is really two-fold.  First, I want to be a source of encouragement for young men and their families as they prayerfully discern whether or not God is calling them to the priesthood.  Second, I want to draw attention of the laity to the priesthood and vocations with the hope of helping all of us better understand and appreciate who a priest is by virtue of his ordination."

Usher said he is hoping his show will do nothing less than change the way people pray, attend Mass, and receive the sacraments.
Editor's Note:  I believe that my involvement with vocations through Serra and the Vocations Boom broadcast is doing just that.  My faith has been greatly enriched by both of the above. Also, several of the priests interviewed on vocation boom indicate that Catholic radio played a role in their decision to enter the priesthood.

Let us Pray...for Nate McKenzie, who underwent knee replacement surgery on April 23.  A second knee replacement will be scheduled at the appropriate time.  Nate continues to recover, and we were sorry to have missed his presence at the Grand Rapids/Muskegon meeting last Monday.  The joint meeting has been a long-time dream of both John Osterhart and Nate, and let us thank both of them for their interest in encouraging such an event.

A Reflection on Vocations.  What is a vocation and how is it discovered?
By Carmen F. Aguinaco
Vocation is a call.  It is knowing who God wants us to become, discovering how we got there, and tasks or steps we must accomplish and follow.  But how do we know what or vocation is, that who, how, and why?
To begin with, it deals with discovering those desires that God is putting into your heart.  Do you feel attraction or challenge toward serving others?  Do you imagine yourself as a priest, religious sister or brother, as a married or single person with a great dedication to God's things?  Are you seeking a personal encounter with God?
A willingness to come out of yourself and venture toward an encounter with God must follow, which could be unknown and even mysterious.  And something or someone must always be left behind.  Those who consider their life's work to be in a religious community leave behind family possessions, and often their country.  Those who consider married life as their vocation must leave the family life that they have known and begin a new path.  The same can be said for those who opt for the single life.  It is a matter of choice.  What everyone needs to discern is the mission God has called us to and why it was selected over all other securities.
To discern properly, one must have seven attitudes or qualities:
1.  Openness.  We cannot find God's will if we enter the process with preconceived ideals that are based on our will.
2.  Generosity.  It is like having a blank check so that God can decide what he wants to give.
3.  Courage.  One must have courage because God could be asking for something difficult and risky.
4.  Inner freedom.  The deepest desire and principal motivation to do God's will.
5.  Reflection.  One must reflect in prayer to hear God.
6.  Clear priorities.  The important thing is to serve God.
7.  Do not confuse the end with the means.  That is, God is first and everything in life must be directed to him.
It is not an easy process.  There are many complications in our world, and considering a lifelong commitment is difficult.  Many people make a commitment to a person or cause, but it only lasts until the first difficulty arrives.  To make a lasting commitment, persevering in spite of the obstacles, is hard.  But in reality nothing else is worth the effort.  In what things can you employ your life?
Questions for Reflection:  What are your heart's desires?  Where is God in these desires?  What fears emerge when you consider your life's journey?  How do you respond to these fears?  What do you think God has been asking of you?
Source:  Our Lady of Sorrows Bulletin, April 28-29, 2012.

A Message from our President.
Dear Serrans:
Our joint meeting with the Muskegon Club was a long time coming but proved successful.  It always reinforces our calling to support vocations when we surround ourselves with other people also instilled with the Holy Spirit to further the cause of vocations.
Continue to pray for Nate McKenzie and Pam's mother as well, as they both recuperate from knee replacements.
The sisters of the diocese continue to drop cards and e-mails our way thanking us for the great time at the ballgame on April 22.  The weather was a bit chilly, but our spirits were warm and the White Caps rallied for a win.  Thank you to the LaVilles for their tremendous effort and support of this particular event.
Notice the schedule will settle down some, but we will be at the University Club in June and July (instead of Louis Benton's).
Continue to pray for our seminarians and our current serving priests.  Join me in offering the following  for all priests and seminarians this month:
Eternal God, please bless our priests who represent you on this earth.  Make them more greatly aware of the grace that you pour out through them when they minister the sacraments, and help them fall more deeply in love with you after each Mass that they celebrate.  Please strengthen our priests who shepherd your flock when they are in doubt of their faith, that they may be examples of your Truth, and guide us on the path to you.  We ask these things of our Eternal Priest.  Amen.
Also, let us remember that May is the month of Our Lady.  The rosary is a powerful means for helping young men respond to God's call.  Commit to say the rosary once today (and every day thereafter)!
President Tim Hile 
 Note:  We will continue our military vocations theme in June.
What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?  Micah 6:8