Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter April 2015

2015.  Year of the Consecrated Life and Year of the Family
Calendar of Events.
April 2, 2015.  Holy Thursday.  Mass of the Lord's Supper.
April 3, 2015.  Good Friday.  Day of Fast and Abstinence.
April 4, 2015.  Holy Saturday and Easter Vigil.  Also, Passover Begins.
April 12, 2015.  Divine Mercy Sunday.
April 13, 2015.  Luncheon Meeting and Speaker, 12:00 Noon at the University Club.
April 20, 2015  Board Meeting and Luncheon, 12:00 Noon at Ss. Peter and Paul.
April 25, 2015.  Sisters' Appreciation Dinner at St. Robert's.  Mass begins at 4:30 p.m., with Social Hour and Dinner to follow.  Beth Gumina will serve as head chef, and Nancy King is assisting with desserts.  We need hors d'oeuvres and helpers for cooking, serving, and clean-up.  Let Beth or me know if you can help.  Beth's e-mail address is guminasflowers@gmail.com, and her cell phone number is 706-4733.  Nancy is available at njking50@gmail.com.  The theme of the dinner is Italian, so we are especially looking for hors d'oeuvres compatible with that cuisine.
April 26, 2015.  World Day of Prayer for Vocations.  This would be a good opportunity to
make our fellow parishioners aware of Serra and its mission.
April 27, 2015.  Luncheon Meeting and Book Discussion, 12:00 Noon at Ss. Peter and Paul.
See below for more information about the book discussion.
April 30, 2015.  Deadline for the early bird special of $100 per person for the Serra International Convention at Melbourne, Australia.
Looking Ahead.
June 19, 2015.  Charter Night.  Mark Kubik is serving as chairman of this event.  Please make a special effort to attend, as it is a very important occasion for our club.  It is in part a celebration of our representation in Serra USA and Serra International.   (John Osterhart recently took his post as new President of the USA Council, and Dan Grady will remain  President of Serra International until the Melbourne convention.  We are inviting other clubs to join us at Cathedral Square for Mass and Dinner.  Please do what you can to make this a memorable event.
July 28-August 2, 2015.  Serra's 73rd  International Convention, Melbourne, Australia.

Priests' Anniversaries for April.

Fr. Steven Cron, April 1.

Featured Prayer for Vocations.

Lord Jesus, we pray to you for the Catholic priesthood.  Give us more priests, but most especially we ask you to give us holy priests who know how to offer this truth to the people of their own time and place.  Holy men for today, priests firmly rooted in the tradition, yet imbued with the spirit of this age.  They have undertaken a mission in your name, Lord.  May the reflection of your power in them always make it clear that they are your witnesses.  Grant that they may conform their lives to the paschal mystery that they celebrate each day in the Eucharist.  May they sense in this mystery the anxious hunger of the world and of their own brothers and sisters for salvation.  May they know, despite this hunger, how to respect the spiritual freedom of others; for it is your word which has given the world a taste for this freedom.  May they understand and speak the language of their own time.  And may they be careful never to compromise, with opinions that come and go, the imperishable newness of the Gospel.   May they always keep through the dark wintry night of the soul an obstinate hope for the springtime to come.  And when they meet those who persecute you, may they always remember the road to Damascus and the hidden ways of your providence.
Source:  From USCCB.

Membership.  Not only do we need to pray for priests, but also to pray for and to promote the recruiting of new members for our club.  The least we can do is ask those people who would
make good and dedicated Serrans who are interested in our mission of praying for, nurturing, and fostering priestly and religious vocations and of deepening our own spiritual development.  We can all attest that Serra does indeed help us in the practice of our Catholic faith.  Let each of us
do something in the coming weeks to promote this cause.  We can all start by inviting prospective members to our meetings so that they can see for themselves what we're all about.

Book Discussion.  As you are aware, Barbara Rylko Bauer's book, A Polish Doctor in the  
Nazi Camps, was the subject of her talk at our March meeting.  At our last board meeting we voted to make this book our next reading project.  It is available at Schuler Books, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon.com.  Our first discussion, scheduled for the April 27,  will cover Part I.
I have read the book and highly recommend it.  I must confess that at first my inclination was not to want to read still another account of those terrible Nazi years, but of course I found that I had much to learn.  We think of the Holocaust as a persecution of Jewish people, but the Nazis, after they invaded Poland, targeted  Polish Catholics as well.  Barbara's mother, for example, was arrested for owning a
radio!
I received a reply to my thank you note to Barbara and told her we were looking forward to our club's discussion of the book.  She said she was excited about that and said she will want to know of our thoughts about it.  This would be something to keep in mind as we reflect on the happenings she describes.

Serra International Convention.  July 28-August 2 in Melbourne, Australia.  The line-up of great speakers includes Archbishop Denis Hart, Archdiocese of Melbourne;  Father Brendan Lane, Rector of Corpus Christi College and Seminary, Archdiocese of Melbourne; Bishop Gerard Hanna, Diocese of Wagga Wagga;  Father Morgan Batt, Keynote Speaker, Rector of Holy Spirit Seminary, Archdiocese of Brisbane; and Bishop Michael Kennedy, Diocese of Armidale.
There are two special opportunities for extra curricular tours:  a two night stay in Melbourne, July 28-30, and a Sydney post-Convention tour, August 2-5.  Go to Serra International for all you need to know about venue and accommodations.
Come to Melbourne and be resurrected by the light of Christ in the Great South Land!

Preparing for Blessed Junipero Serra's Upcoming Canonization.

Since the Holy Father announced his intention to canonize our patron when he travels to the United States this September, some voices have arisen objecting to the elevation of Fray Junipero Serra to sainthood.

Because we as an organization are visible to the public and take our name from Junipero Serra, it is possible that in the coming months, individual Serrans or clubs may be confronted with such an opposing view.

How should one respond?  We hope sticking to the following key messages will help you to handle such a situation firmly and tactfully:

1)  Be able to articulate Serra International's specific mission.

For example:  "Serrans come from all walks of life, but they have one thing in common--they actively support the Catholic Church by encouraging men into the priesthood and women and men into religious life."

2)  Talk about the actual work we do to help us achieve our goals.

For example: By organizing meetings, appreciation events and prayer services, our local Serra Clubs bring members together to exchange ideas on ways to further our mission to support our priests and the Church."

3)  If a person who believes Serra treated American Indians cruelly asks why our organization chose him as our patron, speak about his achievements in context of the time in which he lived:

For example, "The only thing I can speak to is what our founders knew about Father Serra when they named our organization after him.  He was devoted to the Catholic Church, and he worked tirelessly to introduce our faith to as many people as possible."

Or, "Father Junipero Serra felt called to serve the Catholic Church.  He left a very comfortable life in Spain to come to the New World and share his love of the Gospel.  He was so dedicated that he walked thousands of miles across what is now California and Mexico to spread the faith.  That is why we selected Father Serra as our patron, named our organization after him, and support the Pope's decision to canonize him."

4)  If pressed to make a statement about the controversy surrounding Father Serra's canonization, direct the questioner to Serra International Executive Director John Liston:

"Our executive director, John Liston, is the best person to answer all of your questions.;  Would you like me to pass on your contact information to him?"
Source:  Always Forward, Never Back E-News, serraus@serraus.org
Note:  This material is especially helpful to those preparing to invite prospective members to join our club.  The upcoming Canonization presents a further opportunity to acquaint our fellow Catholics with the club.

A Message from our President.

Please pray for me and our local Serra Club as we work on our vocations mission to foster vocations and help each other in our spiritual growth.

As I reflect on Palm Sunday, this prayer expresses the joy of Easter.  "Lord Jesus, by dying on the Cross, and rising to a new life, you brought hope to the new world.  Help us hold fast to that hope.  By your willingness to suffer for us, you showed us the meaning of love.  Help us to love as you love.  Through your gift of the Eucharist, you nourish our faith.  Grant us the joy of sharing that faith with others."

I want to thank Beth Gumina, our program chair, who has invited a variety of interesting speakers for our U-Club luncheon meetings.  If any of you have suggestions for speakers in 2016, please tell Beth about them.

May the peace of Christ be with you and your families this Easter season.  Mary, Mother of Vocations, pray for us and guide us to dedicated leaders to hear the call of service to the Holy Catholic Church.

Agnes Kempker-Cloyd.

Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter March 2015

2015.  Year of the Family and the Year of Prayer for the Consecrated Life.

Calendar of Events.  

March 8, 2015.  Daylight Savings Time Begins.

March 8-15, 2015.  National Catholic Sisters Week.

March 9, 2015.  Luncheon Meeting and Speaker, 12:00 Noon at the University Club.
Our speaker will be Barbara Rylko-Bauer, daughter of Jadwiga Lenartowicz Rylko, a young Polish Catholic physician at the start of World War II and suthor of A Polish Doctor in the Naxii camps.   Suspected of resistance activities, Yadwiga was arrested in January 1944.  For the next 15 months, she endured three Nazi concentration camps and a forty-two day death march, spending part of this time working as a prisoner-doctor to Jewish slave laborers.  A Polish Doctor in the Nazi Camps follows Jadzia from her childhood and medical training, through her wartime experiences, to her struggles to create a new life in the postwar world.  Barbara will speak of her mother's memories of imprisonment, immigration, and a life remade.

Please make a special effort to take advantage of this unique opportunity, and invite one or more guests if you can.  

You may order this award-winning book through the usual channels: Any  Barnes and Noble in Grand Rapids or amazon.com.  It was awarded First Place in Biography/Autobiography at the 2014 New York Book Festival and was named the 2015 Library of Michigan Notable Book.

Aggie has agreed to make Barbara's book the topic of a book discussion at our March meeting at Ss. Peter and Paul.  

March 16, 2015.  Luncheon and Board Meeting, 12:00 Noon at Ss. Peter and Paul.  Nancy King will furnish the luncheon.

March 17, 2015.  St. Patrick's Day.

March 19, 2015.  Feast Day of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin and Patron of the Universal Church.  See biography below.

March 23, 2015.  Luncheon Meeting, 12:00 Noon at Ss. Peter and Paul.  Our board has been discussing possible book titles in the event that we want to continue the book discussion activity for our club on these fourth Monday meetings.  Such books could help us to fulfill one of the missions of our club:  to strengthen and deepen our faith as Catholics.  If you have a favorite, please let us know, and we will come to a decision soon.

March 25, 2015.  The Annunciation of the Lord.

March 29, 2015.  Palm Sunday.

Upcoming Events.

April 25, 2015.  

Sisters' Appreciation Dinner at St. Robert's.  Please note the change of location.   Mass will be at 4:30 p.m. Social Hour will begin at  5:30, with dinner to follow.  Beth Gumina is the head chef, and Nancy King will prepare the desserts.  Jordan Malone, member of Our Lady of Sorrows and junior at Catholic Central, has graciously agreed to sing for the group.

We will need hors d'oeuvres and help with decorating, cooking, serving, and clean-up.  The meal will center around an Italian theme.  On Thursday, April 23, Beth is hosting a cooking party at her home beginning at 10:00 a.m. We will prepare the desserts and some of the hors d'oeuvres at that time.

Friday, June 19, 2015.  Save the Date.  

Charter Night.  Mass at the Cathedral at 5:30 p.m., followed by social hour and dinner.

Priests' Anniversaries for March.

Father Richard Host, March 17, 1974.

Nominations.

We need nominations for President-Elect.  This coming year Aggie Kempker-Cloyd will become Past-President and Weldon Schwartz will become President.  Dan LaVille, at the request of our president, agreed to be in charge of nominations when Bob Paul resigned from thee position.

Membership.  

In recent board meetings, Msgr. Hankiewicz has brought up the matter of membership, and the board has discussed various ways in which to recruit new members.  During this next month or two, let us all take the time to download membership materials from serraus.org and to invite guests to our club meetings.  The flyer, "Why Be A Serran?" is available now, and the site also offers suggestions for making the flyer unique to our club.  Workship materials can also be ordered:  Recruiting, 101, and Retention, 102.  Please devote prayers, thought, and perseverance to this effort. As always,  we welcome creative and constructive suggestions.

St. Joseph.

St. Joseph was by birth of the royal family of David, but was living in humble obscurity as a carpenter when God raised him to the highest sanctity, and fitted him to be the spouse of His Virgin Mother, and foster-father and guardian of the Incarnate word.  Joseph, says the Holy Scripture, was a just man; he was innocent and pure, as became the husband of Mary; he was gentle and tender, as one worthy to be named the father of Jesus; he was prudent and a lover of silence, as became the master of the holy house; above all he was faithful and obedient to the divine calls.  His conversation was with angels rather than with men.  When he learned that Mary bore within her womb the Lord of heaven, he feared to take her as his wife; but an angel bade him fear not, and all doubts vanished.  When Herod sought the life of the divine Infant, an angel told Joseph in a dream to fly with the Child and His Mother into Egypt.  Joseph at once arose and obeyed.  This sudden and unexpected flight must have exposed Joseph to many inconveniences and sufferings in so long a journey with a little babe and tender virgin, the greater part of the way being through deserts and among strangers; yet he alleges no excuses, nor inquiries at what time they were to return.  St. Chrysostom observes that God treats thus all His servants, sending them to frequent trials to clear their hearts from the rust of self-love, but intermixing seasons of consolation.  "Joseph," says he, "is anxious on seeing the Virgin with child; an angel removes that fear.  He rejoices at the Child's birth, but a great fear succeeds;  the furious king seeks to destroy the Child, and the whole city is in an uproar to take away His life.  This is followed by another joy, the adoration of the Magi; a new sorrow then arises:  he is ordered to fly to a foreign country, without help or acquaintance.  "It is the opinion of the Fathers that upon their entering Egypt, at the presence of the child Jesus, all the oracles of that superstitious country were struck dumb, and the statues of their gods trembled and in many places fell to the ground.  The Fathers also attribute to this holy visit the spiritual benediction poured on that country, which made it for many ages the most fruitful in Saints.  After the death of King Herod, of which St. Joseph was informed in another vision, God ordered him to return with the Child and His Mother into the land of Israel, which our Saint readily obeyed.  But when he arrived in Judea, hearing that Archelaus had succeeded Herod in that part of the country, and apprehensive that he might be infected with his father's vices, he feared on that account to settle there, as he would otherwise probably have done for the education of the Child; and therefore, being directed by God in another vision, he retired into the dominions of Herod Atipas, in Galilee, to his former habitation in Nazareth.  St. Joseph, being a strict observer of the Mosaic law, in conformity to its direction annually repaired to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover.  Our Savior, now in the twelfth year of His age, accompanied His parents thither.  Having performed the usual ceremonies ot the feast, they were returning with many of their neighbors and acquaintances towards Galilee; and never doubting but that Jesus was with some of the company, they traveled on for a while day's journey before they discovered he was not with them.
But when night came on and they could hear no tidings of Him among their kindred and acquaintance, they, in the deepest affliction, returned with utmost speed to Jerusalem.  After an anxious search of three days they found Him in the Temple, discoursing with the learned doctors of the law, and asking the them such questions as raised the admiration of all that heard Him, and made them astonished at the ripeness of His understanding; nor were His parents less surprised on this occasion.  When His Mother told Him with what grief and earnestness they had sought Him, and asked, "Son, why hast Thou thus dealt with us?  Behold l
Thy father and I sought Thee in great affliction of mind, "she received for an answer, "How is it that you sought Me?  Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?"  But though his staying thus in the Temple unknown to His parents, in all other things He was obedient to them, returning with them to Nazareth, and there living in all dutiful subjection to them.  As no further mention is made of St. Joseph, he must have died before the marriage of Cana and the beginning of our divine Savior's ministry.  We cannot doubt that he had the happiness of Jesus and Mary attending at this death, praying by him, assisting and comforting him in his last moments; whence he is particularly invoked for the great grace of a happy death and the spiritual presence of Jesus in that hour.

Reflection:  St. Joseph, the shadow of the Eternal Father upon earth, the protector of Jesus in His home at Nazareth, and a lover of all children for the sake of the Holy Child, should be the chosen guardian and pattern of every true Christian family.

A Message from our President.

Dear Serrans:

Please pray for me and our local Serra Club as we work on our mission to foster vocations and help each other in walking in the footsteps of Jesus (also known as spiritual growth)..

During this Lent (inspired by a homily of Father John Vallier) I have given up negativity instead of sweets.  This has proven to be much harder to resist.  A resource that has been helpful is on the website:  IgnatianSpirituality.com and is titled, "An Ignatian Prayer Adventureand the three-minute rewtreat.  Instead of looking at Lent as sacrifice and abstinence (negative viewpoint) it has been a time to get closer to God and has brought peace and an awareness that God is in everything around us.

I want to thank Dan LaVille for volunteering to be in charge of nominations.  If you have an interest in serving on the board as an officer or trustee, please notify Dan.  The vacancies are President-Elect and Trustee positions.

May the peace of Christ be with you and your families this Lenten season.  Mary, Mother of Vocations, pray for us and guide us to dedicated leaders to hear the call of service to the Holy Catholic Church.

Agnes Kempker-Cloyd