Marach 4-5, 2016.
24 Hours for the Lord, beginning after the 12:05 p.m. Mass on March 4 and continuing through March 5 at noon at the Cathedral of St. Andrew Priests of our diocese will be readily available to hear confessions during that time.
March 5, 2016. Women's Conference at Cathedral Square, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Morning hospitality and lunch are included. Speaker will be Sr. Mary Anne Lidner, FSE. Program theme is, "A Love of Incredible Proportion."
March 12, 2016. Men's Conference at West Catholic High School. Speakers will be Jason Evert, International Speaker and Culture Warrior; Fr. Mike Schmitz, Gifted National Speaker and Priest Par Excellence; and The Most Reverend David J. Walkowiak, Bishop of the Diocese of Grand Rapids who will preside at Mass. Doors open at 7:00 a.m. Hot breakfast and lunch are included.
Check the diocesan web site for links to both conferences.
Check the diocesan web site for links to both conferences.
March 13, 2016. Daylight Saving Time Begins.
March 14, 2016. Note the Change. Serra Board Meeting to Precede the Monthly Meeting and Speaker, 5:00 p.m. at the University Club. Evening meeting and speaker to follow at 5:30 p.m. Scheduled Speaker is Fr. Marcos Zamoras, St. Andrew's Cathedral.
March 20, 2016. Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord.
March 25, 2016. Friday of the Passion of the Lord. Day of Fast and Abstinence.
March 26, 2016. Serra International's monthly group Rosary for Vocations. Further notes and instructions to follow when the time comes.
March 26, 2016. Serra International's monthly group Rosary for Vocations. Further notes and instructions to follow when the time comes.
March 27, 2016. Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord.
March 28-April 7, 2016. California Mission Pilgrimage. If we cannot attend ourselves, we can always follow the trip via the Internet and pray for its success.
In the Future...
April 17, 2016. World Day of Prayer for Vocations. It's not too early to prepare for a Parish event to include the general membership in this prayer activity. Vocation awareness is one way we can support our mission of nurturing, fostering, and praying for priestly and religious vocations. See serraus.org for materials supporting this day.
April 21-24, 2016. USA Council Transitional Executive Committee Meeting, Techny, Illinois.
June 30-July 3, 2016. Serra International Convention, St. Louis, Missouri. For registration and additional information please visit Serra International.
Planning for Graduation--Class of 2016. Keep in mind that the Newman Connection is a good way to share our Serra Mission.
Priests' Anniversaries for March.
Fr. Richard Host, March 17, 1974.
A Letter from the Bishop.
Our President Weldon Schwartz received this letter from our Bishop, dated February 1, 2016.
Dear Mr. Schwartz,
In keeping with the desire to be of more assistance to the clergy in this diocese, I understand the Serra Club of Grand Rapids is embarking on a new initiative to provide assistance to your younger clergy. The Club membership is to function as a means to connect priests with the services of professionals (not necessarily club members themselves) for advice or counsel regarding such matters as personal finance, medical issues, administrative skills, leadership training, language skills, and other matters as they arise.
It is important for our clergy in their formative years, usually as Parochial Vicars, to learn more of the "tools of the trade," not necessarily covered by formal seminary training. I support your endeavors in this matter and will pray for your success. The better prepared our priests are in their personal skills, the better able they will help the faith to flourish. I would appreciate updates as to how this program is progressing.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend David J. Walkowiak
Thoughts on Why Be A Serran?
As we continue with our special Lenten activities and prayers, let us renew our dedication to the mission of our club. The serraus.org web site offers a wealth of Serra promotional materials and guidelines for preparing for special Vocation activities, such as World Day of Prayer for Vocations and Priesthood Sunday, to name a few. Especially helpful for inviting new members is the "Why Be A Serran?" brochure. Check out these materials and reflect on how they can be used to support our mission.
One Model for Celebration of Vocations.
Serra USA "In the Loop" presents a wonderful example of how to celebrate vocations:
"On Saturday, January 23, 2016, the Columbia River Serra Club (Vancouver, WA, Archdiocese of Seattle) held its 6th Annual Celebration of Vocations Mass and dinner. This event supports vocations in the Archdiocese of Seattle, specifically Quo Vadis Days. Quo Vadis is a 3-day camp for young men who might be interested in the priesthood. The camp allows young men to spend time with priests and seminarians. This program started in the Portland Archdiocese 17 years ago and has spread throughout the Northwest region.
Why is this dinner event such a gem? This year 450 people attended a vigil Mass, with Archbishop Peter Sartain, followed by a buffet dinner. In attendance were families with their children, priests, seminarians, sisters, novices, Archbishop and Serrans. The buffet dinner was served by students of Seaton High School. The program included a seminarian Chris Holland (whose parents are members of the Columbia River Serra Club) and Sister Maria Gemma, OP as master of ceremonies; with a seminarian (Chad Hill) and a novice, Sister Maria Jeannette, OP, sharing their vocation stories. The keynote speaker was Archbishop Sartain; followed by the Columbia River Serra Chaplain Father Thomas Nathe doing the "ask" for funds to support vocations, and Serra, but in particular because of all the young people who are present at these events.
Source: The SERRAN Magazine Spring 2015.
A Message From Our President.
Dear Serrans:
Eight of us from the Grand Rapids Serra Club attended the Bishop's fundraiser dinner sponsored by the Muskegon clu b. The bishop spoke about vocations to the priesthood and religious life. He also discussed the the seminaries our prospective priests are attending. He said he appreciates the work of both Serra clubs in their important endeavor of supporting religious and priestly vocations.
As you know, our Moderator, Msgr. Hankiewicz spoke about the need for our support for newly ordained priests in the diocese. Such support would be providing assistance to the priests in areas not covered in their seminary training, such as business or financial matters or requests for any other kind of help as the need arises. To that end, we received a letter from the Bishop which is included elsewhere in this edition supporting this concept to be incorporated into our other club activities.
Finally, I am suggesting that we might want to move our board meetings to the same night as our monthly meetings. This change would reduce our schedule from three meetings a month to only one per month. The change would offer a reduction in cost, since we wouldn't have to pay for the noon lunch at Board meetings or the Fourth Monday meeting included in our old schedule. Therefore, I plan to hold the March Board meeting beginning at 5:00 AT THE UNIVERSITY CLUB ON MARCH 14TH. If this new time works better for everyone, then we will continue the plan for the rest of the year. Changes can be made in the need arises.
Mary, Mother of Vocations, Pray for Us!
Let Us Pray.
First, let us pray for the repose of the soul of Hazel Paul, wife of former Serran Bob Paul. Also,
let us continue to pray for our persecuted Christian and Jewish brothers and sisters all over the world, especially in the Middle East in these especially troubled times.
Mea Culpa.
USA Council President John Osterhart sent a link to the Monthly SERRA Rosary for Vocations Prayer for Vocations. I thought I had sent the information to the membership, but the attempt failed. The important thing to remember is that this group prayer will take place on the last Saturday of each month, beginning at 8:00 a.m. Central Time, 9:00 a.m. Eastern. Serrans from all over the world are invited to join together in a monthly recitation of the Rosary for vocations. If you wish to dial in by telephone, the number is 1-312-757-3119. Access Code is 314-315-981. We will remind you again next month of this group.
SI President Emeritus Dan Grady also alerts us to daily Lenten readings and reflections via your
Smart Phone. We will forward this information to you as well upon request, or call the Chicago
office.
We welcome new member Dominic Niewald. He was introduced to the club by Tim Hile.
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.
Thoughts on Why Be A Serran?
As we continue with our special Lenten activities and prayers, let us renew our dedication to the mission of our club. The serraus.org web site offers a wealth of Serra promotional materials and guidelines for preparing for special Vocation activities, such as World Day of Prayer for Vocations and Priesthood Sunday, to name a few. Especially helpful for inviting new members is the "Why Be A Serran?" brochure. Check out these materials and reflect on how they can be used to support our mission.
One Model for Celebration of Vocations.
Serra USA "In the Loop" presents a wonderful example of how to celebrate vocations:
"On Saturday, January 23, 2016, the Columbia River Serra Club (Vancouver, WA, Archdiocese of Seattle) held its 6th Annual Celebration of Vocations Mass and dinner. This event supports vocations in the Archdiocese of Seattle, specifically Quo Vadis Days. Quo Vadis is a 3-day camp for young men who might be interested in the priesthood. The camp allows young men to spend time with priests and seminarians. This program started in the Portland Archdiocese 17 years ago and has spread throughout the Northwest region.
Why is this dinner event such a gem? This year 450 people attended a vigil Mass, with Archbishop Peter Sartain, followed by a buffet dinner. In attendance were families with their children, priests, seminarians, sisters, novices, Archbishop and Serrans. The buffet dinner was served by students of Seaton High School. The program included a seminarian Chris Holland (whose parents are members of the Columbia River Serra Club) and Sister Maria Gemma, OP as master of ceremonies; with a seminarian (Chad Hill) and a novice, Sister Maria Jeannette, OP, sharing their vocation stories. The keynote speaker was Archbishop Sartain; followed by the Columbia River Serra Chaplain Father Thomas Nathe doing the "ask" for funds to support vocations, and Serra, but in particular because of all the young people who are present at these events.
Source: The SERRAN Magazine Spring 2015.
A Message From Our President.
Dear Serrans:
Eight of us from the Grand Rapids Serra Club attended the Bishop's fundraiser dinner sponsored by the Muskegon clu b. The bishop spoke about vocations to the priesthood and religious life. He also discussed the the seminaries our prospective priests are attending. He said he appreciates the work of both Serra clubs in their important endeavor of supporting religious and priestly vocations.
As you know, our Moderator, Msgr. Hankiewicz spoke about the need for our support for newly ordained priests in the diocese. Such support would be providing assistance to the priests in areas not covered in their seminary training, such as business or financial matters or requests for any other kind of help as the need arises. To that end, we received a letter from the Bishop which is included elsewhere in this edition supporting this concept to be incorporated into our other club activities.
Finally, I am suggesting that we might want to move our board meetings to the same night as our monthly meetings. This change would reduce our schedule from three meetings a month to only one per month. The change would offer a reduction in cost, since we wouldn't have to pay for the noon lunch at Board meetings or the Fourth Monday meeting included in our old schedule. Therefore, I plan to hold the March Board meeting beginning at 5:00 AT THE UNIVERSITY CLUB ON MARCH 14TH. If this new time works better for everyone, then we will continue the plan for the rest of the year. Changes can be made in the need arises.
Mary, Mother of Vocations, Pray for Us!
Let Us Pray.
First, let us pray for the repose of the soul of Hazel Paul, wife of former Serran Bob Paul. Also,
let us continue to pray for our persecuted Christian and Jewish brothers and sisters all over the world, especially in the Middle East in these especially troubled times.
Mea Culpa.
USA Council President John Osterhart sent a link to the Monthly SERRA Rosary for Vocations Prayer for Vocations. I thought I had sent the information to the membership, but the attempt failed. The important thing to remember is that this group prayer will take place on the last Saturday of each month, beginning at 8:00 a.m. Central Time, 9:00 a.m. Eastern. Serrans from all over the world are invited to join together in a monthly recitation of the Rosary for vocations. If you wish to dial in by telephone, the number is 1-312-757-3119. Access Code is 314-315-981. We will remind you again next month of this group.
SI President Emeritus Dan Grady also alerts us to daily Lenten readings and reflections via your
Smart Phone. We will forward this information to you as well upon request, or call the Chicago
office.
We welcome new member Dominic Niewald. He was introduced to the club by Tim Hile.
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.
