Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter February 2016

Calendar of Events.
February 1, 2016. In a Nutshell.  Board Meeting, 12:00 Noon at First Wok on Old 28th Street.  Weldon called the meting outside of our usual schedule because we had several items on the agenda which needed our immediate attention.  Weldon's monthly President's Message will summarize what was discussed at this meeting:
Dear Serrans:
February 1st, we held a board meeting to discuss several matters which had to be dealt with very quickly.  First, we decided t support a fundraising dinner for our Bishop, David Walkowiak, to be held on February 23 at the Prince of Peace Church in North Muskegon beginning at 6:00 p.m.  All our members are invited to participate by purchasing a dinner ticket for $50 per person.  We plan to carpool from St. Stephen's Church for the trip to and from Muskegon.  Please bring your checks payable to Muskegon Serra Club to our regularly scheduled dinner next Monday at the University Club.
The Board then decided to provide a table setup at both the Women's Conference on March 5 at Cathedral Square and the Men's Conference on March 12 at West Catholic High School, with each event beginning at 9:00 a.m.  We are looking for two women to volunteer for the Women's Conference and two men for the Men's Conference. See the Diocesean website for all the information you need about the two meetings. These conferences offer an excellent opportunity to let people know about Serra and what we do to nurture and foster religious vocations and the consecrated life. We are especially interested at this time in recruiting new members.  Let Weldon know if you can help.
We also discussed what direction our club should be taking.  Monsignor Hankiewicz stated that there is a need for people with various skills to assist newly ordained priests as they go through their first years at their various parishes.  The new priests need help in business, financial, legal, and personal matters of various kinds.  Those whose first language is not English sometimes need assistance with English syntax, grammar, and presentation.  There is a need for these types of skills which newly ordained priests do not possess early in their careers.  Also, the priests themselves feel overwhelmed with the amount of work they have to do.  We agreed that this is a positive step forward for our club in recruiting different types of new members needed to provide such assistance.
Monsignor will be meeting with the Bishop and Father Ron Hutchinson within the next few days to discuss this topic.
As you can see, we are on the threshhold of exciting times for our club.
Mary, Mother of Vocations, Pray for Us!
February 2, 2016.  Presentation of the Lord.
February 8, 2016.  Regular membership meeting, 5:30 p.m. at the University Club.
February 10, 2016.  Ash Wednesday.  Day of Fast and Abstinence.
February 12, 2016.  Lincoln's Birthday.
February 22, 2016.  Washington's Birthday and the Chair of St. Peter the Apostle.
February 22, 2016.  USA Vocations Committee Conference Call.  You are invited to join in on a free conference call on Monday, February 22, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. CST for information on connecting college bound students with the Catholic Campus Ministry through the Newman Connection with Guest Speaker Matt Zerrusen.  Dial 712-775-7031/AccessC Code:  42165504#.
February 23, 2016.  Muskegon Club's Annual Vocations Dinner, Prince of Peace Parish, Muskegon.
Weldon's President's Message and a letter from George Reichel and Robert Nolan will provide all you need to know:

Serra Club of Greater Muskegon is hosting their annual Vocations Dinner on Tuesday, February 23, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. at Prince of Peace Catholic Church.  We are writing to request your consideration in becoming a supporter of the only organization recognized by our Holy Father for their work in promoting vocations to the priesthood and religious life, Serra International.  Please consider (joining us and/or) becoming a sponsor of the Serra Club on Greater Muskegon's Annual Vocations Dinner.  
We work to promote vocations through our prayer as a group and individually for priests and religious, as well as through financial support of seminarians, high school mission trips, and youth conferences.  We also offer financial support in other special instances for individuals in need of assistance, such as raising money to assist in the retirement of college debts for aspirants to religious life...
Our speaker will be His Excellency, the Most Reverend David J. Walkowiak, Bishop of the Grand Rapids Diocese. Please help us to continue our ministry and welcome our warm and eloquent bishop to Muskegon.

Just Received from Serra International. 
Daily Lenten Reflections.
The Lenten season begins on Ash Wednesday, February 10 this year, and we are proud to introduce Daily Lenten reflections created specifically for Serrans (but designed to be shared with all!!!) to help us grow together in prayer this year.  We will post one reflection per day for all 40 days in Lent on our Facebook page.  If you haven't liked our Facebook page yet, please do so on the Serra International link, "Always Forward, Never Back from jliston@serrainternational.org
Or, you may choose to have the reflections delivered directly to your inbox.  Sign up with Serra International.
Also, the Always Forward Never Back news letter (from Serra's USA Cpuncil) announces National Catholic Sisters Week, March 8-14, 2016.  Visit www.nationalcatholicsistersweek.org to learn more about the NCSW and how to participate.  The "Get Involved" link will help you find posters, bookmarks, and ideas of how to celebrate in your local parish.  There are intercessions for each Sunday in March as well as for each day of the week. 
Looking Ahead. 
March 5, 2016.  Diocesan Women's Conference at Cathedral Square.
March 12, 2016.  11th Annual Men's Conference at West Catholic.  Our club is interested in setting up and handling tables advertising the Grand Rapids and Muskegon Serra Clubs.  Bob Thorndill gave a presentation on the Men's Conference at our January meeting.  For the table, Weldon will be looking for volunteers.

Other Lenten Opportunities.
The following activities are listed in the Lenten edition of The Troubadour, the newsletter of the Franciscan Life Process Center in Lowell.

Wednesdays of Lent, February 17 through March 16, Noon -1:00 p.m.  Lenten Lunches and Prayer Experience.  Lunches include soups donated by Applause, Bob Schultz, Grand Rapids Community College Culinary Program, Schnitz Deli, Vitale's of Ada, and Kitchen Sage, bread baked by our Franciscan volunteers, and applesauce made from apples grown on our farm.  A lenten prayer will be offered at 12:45 p.m.  Donations appreciated.
Lenten Retreats and Classes, Lowell Campus.
February 17, 10:00-12:00 Noon.  Parallel History:  The Life of the Church and the Life of Each Person, Father Ray Bruck.  Cost $25.
February 24, 10: 00 a.m. -2:30 p.m.  The Merciful Sacrifice.  Contemplate the Year of Mercy with singer-songwriter Liz Christian.  Inspired by the Year of Mercy, join us through song and prayer to contemplate the season of Lent.  Cost $40.
March 2, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 Noon.  Praying with Pope Francis, presented by Dan Pierson.  Cost $25.
March 16, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. OR 1:15-3:15 p.m.  The Polish Decorated Egg:  Symbol of Easter Mystery, by Sister Mary Margaret Delaski.  Please bring half a dozen hard boiled eggs.  Cost $15.
All retreat participants are welcome to attend the Lenten Lunches.  Donations Appreciated.

At the Heart of Marriage--A Retreat for Married Couples, Saturday February 27, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  The day will include lunch and end with Saturday Vigil Mass at 4:00 p.m.  Cost $70 per couple.
For more information or to register please go to www.lifeprocesscenter.org

Priests' Anniversaries for February.

Father Fredrick Brucker, February 25, 1976.
Fr. William Langlois, February 24, 1974.

Another Suggested Lenten Activity.  
Let us not only pray for our Seminarians, but also consider writing a card or a note to one or more of them.
Andrew M. Ayer, Patrick Byars, Dominic Couturier, Stephen J Durkee, Patrici Jegar N. Fickel, Steven Geerling, Michael J. Goodwin, Jonathan W. Johnson, Kyle J. Kilpatrick, Robert C. Mulderink, Daniel Orris, Michael M. Steffes, Noah J. Thelan, and Justin J. Wiltse are all attending USML/Mundelein Seminary, 1000 E. Maple Avenue, Mundelein, IL 60060.
Notes to the following Seminarians can be addressed to Saint John Vianney College Seminary at St;. Paul, MN 55105.  Michael Dietrick resides at 2115 Summit #6027; Alexander Erickson is at 2115 Summit #6120, William R. Marcinkus is at 1115 Summit #2387, Anthony I. Preston at 2115 Summit #5939, and David J. Sacha at 1115 Summit, #2904.
Deacon Thomas Cavera is at St. Isidore Parish, Grand Rapids; Deacon Colin J. Mulhall is at Holy Family Parish, Caledonia, and Deacon Daniel Schumaker is at St. Michael Parish in Coopersville.
Go to dioceseofgrandrapids.org and ask for the link to Seminarians for complete information.

Let us Keep in Our Prayers....two Serra giants, Ralph Hauenstein, and Francis Patrick Egan, Jr. who passed away on January 7, 2016 at age 86, in Derby, Kansas.