Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter, January 2018

Calendar of Events
January 2, 2018.
Full Moon.  Watch for this special full moon, a reminder of the Lord's wonderful creation.
January 7, 2018.  The Epiphany of the Lord.
January 8, 2018.  The Baptism of the Lord.  The end of the Christmas season.
January 8, 2018.  Luncheon Meeting and Speaker, 12:00 Noon at Ss. Peter and Paul.  Billy K. will cater the luncheon.
January 11-14, 2018.  Phoenix Rally.
January 22, 2018.  Board Meeting, 12:00 Noon at Ss. Peter and Paul.  Billy K. will cater the luncheon.  Also,  Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children.
June 27-July 1, 2018.  Serra International Convention, Nashville, Tennessee.....
Two confirmed speakers are His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Collins, Archbishop of Toronto and
Most Reverend Peter Surtain, Archbishop of Seattle.

Priests' Anniversaries for January.

Father Anthony Aduaka, Chaplain of Spectrum Health, Blodgett and Butterworth Campuses, 2004.
Father Bartholomew Okagbue, Chaplain, Mercy Health Muskegon, 1988.

Looking at year end and new year opportunities to carry out our mission as Christians and Serrans....

Aid to the Church in Need.  This is something we can do on the international level.

"I often cry when I think about how we lived.  I would like to return to the Nineveh Plains because that is our homeland, our homes, our church.  Our faith gives us the strength to keep going."

Rahma Jacon is a young Iraqi girl who has experienced the terror and fear of being driven from her family home by ISIS.  But she still remembers what a joyful life she once had on the Nineveh Plains, and she has hopes that she and her loved ones can experience that again.

With your kind help, it will be possible for Rahma and other displaced Christians to return to their homes, thus ensuring the survival of Christianity in Iraq.  One hundred percent of your donation will go towards the rebuilding and repair of 13,000 homes on the Nineveh Plains, most of which
were destroyed, damaged, and looted under ISIS occupation......

But time is of the essence.  Please let your last donation this year be one that brings stability and peace to families that have endured so much.  Your compassion will allow Christians in Iraq to start the New Year back in their homes, raising their families in dignity and with God's love.

Your last gift of the year will be a new beginning for so many.  May God bless you and your loved ones in the New Year.  And thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kindness to our brothers and sisters in need.

Just search Aid to the Church in Need, or my link to this information came in my e-mail from brianburch@catholicvote.org

Another way to expand our club's influence and support vocations anywhere in the world, from home.  
Ann Maloney, the Serra International Foundation's New Director of Development, writes,
"My husband and I attended out first Serra International Convention in Providence, Rhode Island, in June of 2011.  The first day we arrived, we met a gentleman by the name of Dennis Leiber.  He asked us if we knew about the Serra International Foundation, and we said, "No."  Well, Dennis did such a good job of explaining the Foundation that three years later I found myself on the Serra International Foundation Board.

We Serrans have an avenue to effect real change in the world through contributions to the Serra International Foundation.  It's really quite exciting!  Each year we get many applications from around the globe, asking for help with vocation programs, and our foundation is able to send out money to places in Africa, the Philippines, and Viet Nam, to name a few.  The Foundation supports vocations to the priesthood and religious life by assisting with programs all over the globe...

Since 1951, the Foundation has been used to give you, the Serran, amazing opportunity to empower the world with priests and nuns.  The globe is large, but Serra and its Foundation makes it small.  Tom in Texas can sacrifice a a vacation cruise and the Foundation will send money to a seminary in the Congo that needs its concrete walls reinforced before it completely caves in.  I can send a $25 donation on www.serrafoundation.org while I'm waiting in the carpool line at school!

Instead of worrying about where we will get our future priests and nuns, we can effect that change from anywhere on the planet!  I acknowledge that I have the amazing opportunity to help find and form our future seminarians and sisters through the Serra International Foundation...and I'm asking you to please join me.

Ann Maloney, Director of Development
Serra International Foundation
amaloney@serrainternational.org

New Year's Resolutions

Dan Jones, President of Serra International suggests that we observe the regular habits of the Rosary. spiritual reading,  and quiet time with the Lord in our 2018 routine.  Among other things, he writes,
...We must not forget our Blessed Mother in prayer, especially the Rosary.  In my youth, I said the Rosary sometimes, and maybe less frequently as an adult.  Then a few years ago, when Sean Yeo was president of Serra International during a challenging time, he asked that Serrans pray 40 days of the Rosary for healing.  Well, since we are all creatures of habit, that habit was reestablished in my life.  So now, rarely a day goes by without this prayer.

Spiritual reading (with of course the Bible or other religious literature) is a must.  Another....suggestion is to read five pages of spiritual reading a day,  an excellent habit; in the course of a year we will have read many books about our faith.  Or, read an entire Gospel in one sitting.

It is said that our quiet time with the Lord is as beneficial as all the books you can read in a year.
So, quiet time with the Lord is a must.  Since we are all sinners, confession or reconciliation should be considered a monthly activity.."

This article just lists a few of the activities that can help us be the best version of ourselves every day....

Source:  The Serran, Vol. 64 No 1.

A Message from our President

Happy New Year, fellow Serrans!  I hope you all had an enjoyable Christmas.  We begin 2018 with our first general meeting January 8 at SS. Peter and Paul.  Hope to see you all there.

As a matter of historical interest, there's an old movie from 1955 called The Seven Cities of Gold, 
which is playing on the movie channels.  The movie includes as one of the main characters our namesake St. Junipero Serra.  It is about soldiers and Father Serra traveling from Mexico City and going to Southern California to establish missions.  I found the movie to be fairly interesting.  You will have to search the TV listings for upcoming showings.

Weldon Schwartz, President
Grand Rapids Serra Club

Mary, Mother of Vocations, Pray for Us!

Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter, December 2017

Serrans are lay Catholics, men and women of all ages and from all walks of life:  lawyers, doctors, accountants, business people, musicians, engineers, sales people, clerks, retirees, and more, all dedicated to promote and foster vocations.
Please read further to find some practical information about how we can do that! Calendar of Events.  

December 8, 2017.  Feast of the Immaculate Conception.  Holy Day of Obligation.
December 12, 2017.  Annual Christmas Celebration, 5:30 p.m. at the University Club.
Invite spouses, family members, and friends to celebrate with us.  Cost will be $30 per person. 
The program will include the installation of new members, with Msgr. Hankiewicz presiding, and a buffet sit-down dinner.  We hope to see you there.  PLEASE R.S.V.P. as soon as possible to njking50@gmail.com.  
Also note that the meeting date is on a Tuesday, as opposed to our usual Monday meeting dates.
December 24, 2018.  Christmas Eve.  We note this date because if falls on a Sunday, with the Christmas Vigil Mass falling in the evening of the same day on which we may have attended Sunday Mass.  Mark your calendars accordingly.
December 30, 2017.  Serra International Rosary for Vocations. 9:00 a.m. EST
From computer, tablet or smartphone, go to https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/314-315-981.
Or, dial using your phone:;  1-312-757-3119  Access code 314-315-981.

Looking Ahead.

Serra Rally.  January 11-14, 2018 at Phoenix, Arizona.  Early bird registration of $300 is available until December 15.  After December 15, the rate is $350.  Find all registration and rally information at serraus.org.
Serra International Convention.  June 27-July 1, 2018 at Nashville, Tennessee. Again, find all information and materials online, this time at serrainternational.org

Celebrate Advent with Serra

Serra International President John Liston invites you to sign up for Serra's daily Advent Reflections at jliston@serrainternational.org

He writes,
"Advent, a season of watchful waiting, is upon us once again.  This year, please join us on an Advent journey up the branches of the Jesse Tree.
Originating in medieval Europe, the Jesse Tree is a pictorial representation of Christ's ancestry.  Much like a Christmas tree, the modern Jesse Tree is ornamented with symbols representing 25 symbols of Christ's forbears, beginning with Jesse at the foot of the tree, all the way up to Jesus at the top.
The image helps us to grasp Christ's arrival on earth not only as the ultimate fruit of his family lineage, but also as the embodiment of God's promised love, whose development can be traced all the way back to Adam and Eve.

We will explore one Jesse Tree symbol (occasionally two) for every day of Advent, which takes place from December 3 through December 24 this year.

Advent Day One:  Jesse

The prophet Isaiah foretold the coming Savior:

But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, 
and from his roots a bud shall blossom.
The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him:
a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, 
a spirit of counsel and strength,
a spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord, 
and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord..."

Priests' Anniversaries for December

The Reverend Charles Dautremont, December 18, 1960.
The Reverend Norbert Leyrita, December 21, 1963.
The Reverend Michael Olson, December, 1994.
The Reverend Msgr. John F. Porter, December 15, 1957.
The Reverend Julian Reginato, December 19, 1964.

If you'd like to send anniversary cards or Christmas greetings to these priests, their addresses can be found at Diocese of Grand Rapids /Priests.

The Serra International Foundation.

As the calendar year comes to a close, we might turn our attention to the Serra International Foundation.

This year the Foundation provides an early link to  helping priests and religious to meet their everyday needs.  Please forgive the late notice, but we have received information about "Giving Tuesday, a post Thanksgiving way of fulfilling our mission to promote and foster vocations.
Let us consider every day a "Giving Tuesday."

What is Giving Tuesday?

After a post-Thanksgiving weekend during which we are bombarded with advettisements for "Black Friday" doorbuster deals, Giving Tuesday is a day dedicated to directing some of those hard-earned dollars toward philanthropic, not-for-profit causes.

Every year, the Serra International Foundation makes possible vocations to the Catholic priesthood and consecrated religious life all over the globe.  Funding everything from the repair of a seminary dormitory in the Republic of Congo to the purchase of bicycles to enable pastoral outreach in South India, the Serra International Foundation is the hands and feet of the Serra mission even in places where no Serra Club exists.

Here are three ways to donate:

1.  With credit card online (from the Serra International Foundation web site).
2.  Call 800.488.4008 to donate by phone.
3.  Still have some Christmas shopping to do?  Amazon.com probably has what you still need.  When you shop at Amazon, start and complete your session using the Amazon Smile program.  Via the Amazon Smile program, a portion of your purchase wukk be donated directly to the Serra International Foundation.  Plus, this program runs year-round, so always be sure to use the Smile link whenever you shop at Amazon.  If you have further questions, visit the Serra International Foundation web site.

Mary, Mother of Vocations, Pray for Us.
St. Junipero Serra, Pray for Us.

A Message from our President.

Dear Serrans:

Again this December we're having a Christmas celebration at the University Club on Tuesday, December 12 at 5:30 p.m.  The meal will be a buffet with meat, vegetables, potatoes and more, plus a light dessert and drinks of coffee, tea, or lemonade.  There will be a cash bar.  The cost will be $30 per person.  Each member who attends will also be billed for his our her guests.  We are also going to induct new members to our club.  We hope to see all of you there!

We wish all of you and your families a blessed Christmas season and new year!

Weldon Schwartz

May our labors bear fruit for the Lord's vineyard.

Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter, November 2017

498 Clubs in 46 Countries.  14,490 Members.*

We Welcome New Member Mr. George W. Rutherford.  

His home parish is St. Patrick's of Portland, where he serves as Co-ordinator of the Youth Ministry, Lector, and Cantor.

Calendar of Events.  PLEASE NOTE IMPORTANT CHANGES IN OUR MEETING INFORMATION.  

October 29, 2017.  Priesthood Sunday.  Pray for priests today and every day.
November 1, All Saints Day.  Holy Day of Obligation.
November 2, 2017.  All Souls Day.
November 4-11, 2017.  National Vocation Awareness Week.  Any day is appropriate for the message of  Most Reverend Peter A. Labasci, Bishop of Manchester, New Hampshire:  "I urge you to make your appreciation known to your parish priest.  An invitation to lunch, a card, a smile, even the simplest of gestures to assure him of your gratitude for his service to the people of God...will mean so much."
November 11, 2017.  Veterans Day.  Pray for veterans, especially on November 11.  See below the article on the Archdiocese For the Military Services, USA.  Also keep in mind that our moderator is a veteran of the United States Navy.
November 13, 2017.  Note change of location.  Luncheon Meeting, 12:00 Noon at Ss. Peter and Paul.  Billy K will cater. Speaker will be Ms. Dana Prince, Executive Director of St. Anne's Home.  Sister Gabriela will accompany her.  We look forward to hearing them. Weldon will be receiving information from the University Club regarding choices of menu.  At that time, if you have an opinion, let him know.
November 23, 2017.  Thanksgiving.
November 27, 2017.  Board Meeting, 12:00 Noon at Ss. Peter and Paul.

Looking Ahead.
There will be an evening Christmas meeting at the University Club on Tuesday, December 12.  We were not able to get the room for our regular Monday date. The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m., with dinner being served at 6:00. The dinner will be open to friends, relatives, or spouses.  Please invite them or prospective Serra members to enjoy the dinner, the  prayers, and the fellowship.

January 11-14.  Serra Rally, Phoenix.  Early Bird registration is available for $300 until December 15.  Chaplain Early Bird rate is $200.  See the web site at inspireserrainternational.org


Priests' Anniversaries for November.

Reverend Daniel DePew, November 2, 1982.
Reverend Rock Badgerow, November 3, 1979.
Reverend Thomas Bouffard, November 7, 1981.
Reverend Peter Schaefer, November 10, 2005.
Reverend Wayne Wheeler, November 3, 1979.

Thank you to Dan, Dennis, Sara, and John.

On October 18, Dan Grady, Dennis Leiber, Sara Vander Werff, and John Osterhart filled the 5-6- p.m. time slot during the fall 2018 fund drive for Holy Family Radio.  They discussed their recent trip to Rome, the Papal Audience, and activities in general of our Grand Rapids Serra Club.  Thank you to all of them for their excellent job in making our club and its activities known to the Holy Family Radio listeners.

Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA.

In observance of Veterans' Day, we present the November 2017 newsletter of Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, Archbishop for the Military Services, USA.

Dear (Friends).

On 1 November, the solemnity of Saints (All Saints Day), and November 2, the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed (All Souls Day), I will remember the deceased relatives and friends of the faithful of this Archdiocese, and those of her benefactors, during the celebration of the Eucharist...
"The souls of the just are in the hands of God (Wisdom3:1"

On 10 November, I will participate in the annual Veterans Day event at my alma mater, Boston College, one of two events held on campus each year focused on honoring those who have served in the armed forces.  Since 11 November, 1918, when an armistice was reached to end the fighting in World War I, Veterans Day has commemorated the service of the brave men and women who have fought honorable to protect our nation.  Veterans, and their families, sacrifice selflessly so that all Americans can enjoy freedoms, including the freedom of religion.

This month, I ask for your continued prayers and financial support so that the Archdiocese for the Military Services (AMS), USA, may continue to provide access to the sacraments to service men and women who may be in harm's way.  Through your generous gifts, the AMS is able to:
provide for the formation of future chaplains through the Co-Sponsored Seminarian Program; provide catechesis through the Archdiocesean Curriculum Guide; initiate a young adult conference and marriage retreat; and continue to provide pastoral visits to military installations and the 153 Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers.  These inportant programs would not be possible without your kind support.

There are 43 AMS Co-Sponsored Seminarians, from 26 different dioceses in the United States currently studying in 19 seminaries across the country.  This is the largest number in recent years, and your continued support and prayers are needed to prepare these men, the next generation of priests, to answer the call to serve God and country as military chaplains...

AMS programs and services are solely funded by by the generosity of private benefactors...
With heartfelt sentiments of gratitude, I remain, Sincerely in Christ.
Readers may visit www.milarch.org if you wish to choose this path in supporting and praying for priestly vocations.

In Case you Missed it...

The Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids are now publishing a quarterly magazine, Mission and Ministry.  The Fall 2017 edition contains an article about the Transportation Ministry of the Sisters, which they describe as one of the many ways of "Making a Difference in the Lives of people who need you  We look forward to future editions of this publication.

*Please note that the numbers at the beginning of the newsletter differ from those appearing on the right describing the history of Serra Clubs.  That information was entered at the time we began the online blog and I have lost access to the edit option.  We apologize for any confusion on this matter.

Mary, Mother of Vocations, Pray for Us.

Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter October 2017

October is Respect Life Month and Mary's Month.

Calendar of Events.  Please note change to 11:30 a.m. for our Monday Meetings.

For various reasons, it seems appropriate to begin this newsletter with our President's Message for this month:

Dear Fellow Serrans:

We are going to continue with our luncheon meetings at Olive's Restaurant in East
Grand Rapids.  It would help them if we would begin our meetings or at least place our orders around 11:30.  I agreed to try this for the next meeting.

We delivered Serra brochures and prayer books and other brochures for the Fall Convocation of Priests event held at Shanty Creek Lodge.  We also prepared bifolds announcing that the Muskegon Club and the Grand Rapids Club were supporting their event by funding their reception.

Mary, Mother of Vocations, Pray for Us!

Weldon Schwartz

October 9, 2017.    Columbus Day and Luncheon Meeting and Speaker, 11:30 a.m. at Olive's Restaurant.  This change will help the server because she is responsible for both the downstairs and upstairs sections.  We will try this change for the October and November meetings.  Information about the December meeting TBA.  A short board meeting will follow.  Our speaker will be Father Thomas Cavera.

Father Cavera is the grandson of the late Joseph Cavera, who joined Serra within a year of its founding and who is remembered as one of our longest-time and most dedicated Serrans.  Among other things, he acted as keeper of the archives.  Let us also remember him for his devotion to the club and its mission.

October 29, 2017.  Priesthood Sunday.  Help prepare for this day in your parish.  This day provides a great opportunity to make your fellow parishioners aware of Serra and its mission. 

November 4-11, 2017.  National Vocations Awareness Week.

Priests' Anniversaries for October.  

Reverend Michael Hodges, October 27, 2012.
Reverend Darrell Kempf, October 27, 2012.

Work and Pray for Membership.

John Osterhart received a call from someone inquiring about becoming a member of Serra.  The caller had received his Serra brochure and his Serra Prayer Book from his priest, who got them from the Fall Convocation.  Thank you, Weldon, for distributing these materials at the Convocation, and thank you, John, for responding to the inquiry.  Right now we are reaching out to two prospective members and will let you know of any further news.  We need your prayers and your help.

Also, be sure to get some copies of John's Invitation to Catholic Laity...to join and support Serra.  We will have some available at the October meeting.

John also tells us that he and Ellen encountered David Mohan and his wife Lilly at Devos Hall a couple of weeks ago and found out that they are moving to Florida.  John invited David to come to our October meeting.

Serra Promotion and Resource Kit.

Welcome to the Serra Promotion and Resource Kit (spark.org)  Brought to you by the U. S. A. Council of Serra International, Spark is a free online collection of best-practices tools in religious vocations ministry...
Created by a group of experienced laypeople with a longstanding devotion to the Roman Catholic Church, SPARK covers everything from discernment retreat agendas to vocations talks to using social media in vocations promotion...and much more.

Nearly two dozen topics are covered in this site.  Also look for SPARK videos for vocations.

Serra Club Activities in New Orleans.

John Osterhart attended a Serra USA Council meeting of the Serra USA Executive Committee on September 22-29.  This meeting coincided with the National Convention of Diocesean Vocation Directors.  Serra USA held a reception for the Vocation Directors.

Hurricane Relief.  

During September and October, our attention has been directed toward aid and relief for victims or Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria.  We can help in the form of monetary donations, but also we must remember to pray not only for the victims but also for the priests and religious in the affected locations. 

One of the many ways to help in Puerto Rico is by donating to Catholic Charities of Central Florida

Hurricane Maria:  Catholic Charities of Central Florida joins aid efforts for Puerto Rico.  

September 30, 2017.

Orlando, Fla.

As recovery efforts continue in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria, Catholic Charities of Central Florida is ramping up its own initiative to assist people on the island.  The Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary held a Mass of solidarity Saturday for those devastated by the hurricane in Puerto Rico.  Many members of the church have family on the island.

Catholic Charities of Central Florida parked two trucks outside the cathedral to accept the donations of nonperishable food and personal hygiene items like shampoo and toothpaste.

Father Miguel Gonzalez is a priest at the church.  He's still waiting to hear from some of his relatives on the island.  "The relatives in San Juan are fine, but up on the mountain area, we still have not been able to connect with them," said Gonzalez.

Let us pray for Father Gonzalez as he waits for news of his loved ones.

Mary, Mother of Vocations, Pray for Us!

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

Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter September 2017

Let us pray for those in Texas and Louisiana who are suffering from the effects of Hurricane Harvey, and let us pray for the priests and religious who serve these people.

Calendar of Events

Reminder....Our second Monday and fourth Monday meetings are now at 12:00 Noon at Olive's Restaurant.  We will order from the menu.

September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows.  The Catholic Church celebrates the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows on September 15th, the day following the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

September 8 and 15, 2017.  The Seven Sorrows of Mary devotions, 7:00 p.m. at Our Lady of Sorrows.  Each evening will include a special Rosary for the Seven Sorrows, a homily by a guest priest, meditations on each of the Seven Sorrows, and Adoration followed by Benediction.
The homilist on September 8 will be Fr. Brian Johnson of St. Alphonsus and on September 15, Msgr.  Ancona.
September 11, 2017.  Luncheon Meeting and Speaker, 12 Noon at Olive's Restaurant.
September 14, 2017.  Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
September 24, 2017.  Serra International Rosary for Vocations, 9:00 a.m.  See the Serra International site for dial-up instructions.
September 25, 2017.  Board Meeting, 12 Noon at Olive's Restaurant.  All are welcome.
September 25-28, 2017.  Fall convocation of priests.  As in the past, our club received a letter from Fr. Ron Hutchinson asking us to consider a donation for the reception of September 17.  At the August board meeting, our club agreed to make this donation, as we have done in the past.  Weldon will invite the Muskegon club to participate.  Our club will set up a tri-fold and prayer booklets to show Serra support of the convocation.
Let us pray for the priests of our diocese.  What would your parishes and our diocese be like without our priests?

Looking Ahead.
October 29, 2017.  Priesthood Sunday.
November 4-11, 2017.  National Vocations Awareness Week.


Priests's Anniversaries in September.

Fr. Loc Trinh, September 19, 1992
Fr. Ron Hutchinson, September 24, 1994

Photos Needed.  

Did you attend Serra's 75th International Convention in Rome in June?  We are looking for high-quality photos from the event (but not from the papal audience itself).
Specifically, we are looking for photos of Serrans around the world and speakers at the various hotel events or related events in and around Rome.
If you can help, please e-mail Serra's Communications Coordinator, Anne McCormack at amccormack@serrainternational.org

Nominations

We have completed the following slate of nominees for our club's board:

Weldon Schwartz, President
Sara Vander Werff, Past President
Karen Schwartz, Editor
Nancy King, VP Communications,
Pat Leikert, Treasurer,
Dan La Ville, VP Progams,
Larry and Marian Burns, VPs Vocations
Dominic Niewald, VP Membership.  John Osterhart will assist him in his committee.
Nancy Mulvihill, Jim Hunter, John Osterhart, Trustees
Msgr. Edward Haniewwicz, Moderator/Chaplain.

We do not have a candidate for President-elect.  If you are at all able, please consider this position.
Installation of new officers is to be announced.

The Story of A Vocation.

It's an old story, but one that remains fresh and new each time we read it.  Serrans will recall that the first reading for the weekend mass comes from Jeremiah 20:7-9.

You duped me, O Lord, and I let myself be duped; you were too strong for me, and you triumphed.
All the day I am an object of laughter, everyone mocks me.
Whenever I speak, I just cry out; violence and outrage is my message;
the word of the Lord has brought me derision and reproach all the day.
I say to myself, I will not mention him, I will speak his name no more.
But then it becomes like fire burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones; 
I grow weary holding it in; I cannot endure it.

Jeremiah's vocation, received when he was first called by God, involves both destruction and rebuilding.  He is an unwilling prophet to unwilling audiences, and here we find him experiencing disillusionment, anger, and self-pity.  He sees himself as persecuted by people who plot against him, and persecuted even more harshly by the God who called him.  As he shouts his lament before God, Jeremiah sees his own life as a living example of the destruction he was called to preach.
Jeremiah cries out that God is responsible for all of his suffering.  God enticed Jeremiah, and Jeremiah allowed himself to be tricked.  Although the purpose of his preaching was to bring people to repentance, it results instead in making Jeremiah an object of his scorn.  As much as he tries to resist continuing his prophecy of judgment against people, priests, and kings, Jeremiah cannot stop!  When he says that he must cry out, he refers simultaneously to the abiding impact of his God-given vocation, the strength of God's word, and the urgency of the message.  The power of God's word overwhelms him; it is like fire burning within him, imprisoned in his very bones...
Source:  Workbook for Lectors, 2017, p. 237.

Father David Bergeron also hears the call...

From The Crux Staff, August 27, 2017.
Father David Bergeron of the Catholic Charismatic Center in Houston, was returning from watching the big Mayweather v. McGregor fight and ended up stuck in the storm and sleeping in his truck...
On Sunday morning he woke up ready to do what every priest does that day, which is to say Sunday Mass.  In  his case, his conveyance to get there was a little unusual.  He used a kayak to navigate the city's flooded streets, hoping to find people stranded along the way.  He saw many Hispanics stranded, and was drawn to them, as there are many Hispanics who attend services at his parish.
Father Bergeron of the Catholic Charismatic Center in Houston, in an interview with a local Houston ABC affiliate station, told a reporter, "I'm a French Canadian...this is how the Americas were evangalized, with a canoe."
Technicallly, of course, it wasn't a canoe but a kayak, but for Bergeron, the spirit's the same.
His plan to say Mass was complicated when he found an open liquor store, went in to buy wine for the liturgy, and found that it's illegal to buy alcohol before noon on Sunday...
Afterwards, he said, he didn't have enough time to gather people for Mass before he had to get to the location for his interview, since images of him paddling up and down flooded streets had already made him something of a local insta-celebrity.
He said he was getting texts from parishioners who had seen him on TV, and who told him, "I guess we're alive, and the Lord is alive, and the Lord is always with us as well."
Now, Bergeron said, there's one focus of his prayer above all:  for the strong rains to end.
"There are a few psalms that implore the grace of God and the washing rain, but now we have enough rain, so we just want to repent for whatever it is we need to repent for and go on, he said."

A Message from our President.

This past month, for the first time in years, we tried a new location, Olive's Restaurant in East Grand Rapids, for our monthly meetings, the general membership meeting and the monthly board meeting.
Although the rooms are much smaller, I believe that those who attended did enjoy the new restaurant.  I plan to continue holding both monthly meetings there through the end of this year.
We had a speaker, Dr. Jared Ortiz,  Director of St. Benedict Institute, and a guest, also from the Institute at Hope College,Brian Piesuch.  Dr. Ortiz gave us an update on the college's recent effort to serve the 20 percent or so of their Catholic students.  A Dominican priest has been assigned as a Catholic Chaplain to the college.  Some of the students are expressing an interest in pursuing vocations to the priesthood. We intend to increase our communications to this venture and support them in any way we can. We look forward to finding ways in which we can do that.
Hope to see you at our next general membership meeting on September 11 at Olive's Restaurant.

Weldon Schwartz

Editor's Note:  Attendance at the August meeting in our new location was very good,  One could say that people voted with their feet, and we look forward to future meetings at Olive's.

Mary, Mother of Vocations, Pray for Us.

Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter, August 2017

Save the Date.
August 14, 2017.  Luncheon Meeting followed by a short Business Meeting, 12:00 Noon at Olive's Restaurant, 2162 Wealthy Street SE.  Order from the Menu.  Parking available nearby.  Our speaker will be Dr. Jared Ortiz, Professor of Theology and Director of St. Bernard Institute, Hope College.
August 28, 2017.  Mass at St. Ambrose Chapel at the Cathedral of St. Andrew, 12:05 p.m.

Also Save the Dates for the Our Lady of Sorrows Devotions, 101 Hall St. SE beginning August 4 at 7:00 p.m.  All are Invited.

The feast of Our Lady of  Sorrows is celebrated each year on September 15.  Parishioners at Our Lady of Sorrows will prepare for that day by  weekly devotions, August 4-September 15, 2017.
The service includes the chaplet and stations of the Seven Sorrows, including Marian hymns, and will conclude with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.  There will be a homily each week addressing one of the Seven Sorrows of Mary:

August 4, The Prophecy of Simeon, Homilist Rev. Jegar.
August 11, The Flight into Egypt,  Homilist Rev. James Bozung.
August 18, The Loss of Jesus in the Temple, Homilist Rev. Donald Lomasiewicz.
August 25, The Meeting of Jesus and Mary on the Way of the Cross, Homilist Rev. George Fekete.
September 1, The Crucifixion, Homilist Rev. Stephen Dudek.
September 8, Mary Receives the Body of Jesus, Homilist Rev. Brian Johnson.
September 15, The Burial of Jesus, Homilist Msgr. Gasper Ancona
Future Dates. Plan Ahead.

October 29, 2017  Priesthood Sunday.
November 4-11, 2017.  National Vocations Awareness Week.

Priests' Anniversaries for August.


Fr. George Darling, August 11, 1984
Fr. Stephen Dudek, August 11, 1984
Fr. Dennis Morrow, August 24, 1975
Fr. Dennis O'Donnell, August 20, 1983

Update.

John Osterhart recently sent us an update regarding fellow Serran Dr. John Stepanovich.  John has moved to Clark Home at 1551 Franklin SE, Room 2037, Grand Rapids, MI 49506.  His daughter Ann Dadkowski will make every effort to get him to our regular Serra meetings and will  keep us informed as to any new information.   John has a cell phone at the Clark Home:  616-248-9828.

Ann says her father would welcome visitors, and he is able to leave on his own if someone can pick him up.  He is not driving and is using a walker for mobility.  John has been a loyal Serran for 54 years.  Please keep him in your prayers.

We Welcome our New Serra International Board for 2017-2018.

Congratulations to John Osterhart, who is now serving as a trustee on the new Serra International Board.  He has also served as President of Serra USA Council in 2015-16 and in numerous other positions, including national programs vice-president and Grand Rapids Serra Club trustee.

Also named in the 2017-2018 roster is John Liston, Serra International Executive Director.  John holds a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola University School of Law and teaches courses at Loyola as an adjunct professor in negotiation, mediation, and client counseling.  He is also treasurer for Innovation Experts, a non-profit support service group for public libraries.

Let us Pray...

for our fellow Christians in Pakistan.  On July 6 several members of our club visited Father Ayub  Francis Nasar at St. Mary's Parish in Marne, who was hosting Bishop Joseph Arshad of the Diocese of Faisalabad, which is Fr. Ayub's home town.  During his time in Grand Rapids, Bishop Arshad spoke to Bishop Walkowiak, Bishop emeritus Robert Rose, and parishioners of St. Mary's and St. Michael's abour the problems Christians in Pakistan face every day.

If you wish to make a donation to Bishop Arshad, make checks payable to Instrument of Peace.  If you send notes of support along with the checks, they may be mailed to Fr. Auyb, St. Mary's Parish, 15164 Jupiter Drive, Marne, MI 49435.

A Message from our President for more details.

As was discussed at the last meeting, we are changing our location and times and format for paying for the lunches for the August 14 meeting and lunch.  We will be meeting in East Grand Rapids at Olive's Restaurant at 12:00 noon upstairs.   Each member will be able to order the food or drink each wishes and will receive a separate bill from the restaurant for what is ordered.  As a club we will now be paying only for guests's lunches.  This change will enable us to reduce our monthly dues.. There is a small elevator to assist people in getting to the second floor. This luncheon will be just a test to see how we like the new format for our monthly meetings.  There will be a short business meeting to follow to discuss the suitability of the new time and location.  We look forward to seeing all of you at Olive's Restaurant.

Grand Rapids Serra Club July 2017

498 Clubs, 46 Countries, 14, 940 Members.
Calendar of Events.
July 1, 2017.  Feast Day of St. Junipero Serra.
July 6, 2017.  Special Meeting at St. Mary's Parish in Marne, 7:00 p.m.  St. Mary's is Fr. Ayub's parish.  He will be hosting clergy from Pakistan, including Bishop Arshad, as he has on past occasions.  They wish to update us on the situation for Christians in Pakistan, and the situation of seminarians in particular.  Please plan on attending and invite friends.  This meeting offers us an excellent opportunity to fulfill our mission of heeding the Lord's call to holiness and nurturing and supporting priestly and religious vocations.  Notification of this meeting was the subject matter of our president's July message.  If you can't attend, at least pray for our Christian brothers and sisters in Pakistan and elsewhere in the Middle East.  Also, we will provide information regarding financial support for these priests.  Also, we will make note of Pakistan in our news of Aid to the Church in Need.  See below.
July 10, 2017.  Dinner Meeting and Speakers, 5:30 p.m. at the University Club.  Our speakers will be those who attended the Serra International Convention in Rome and the special audience with the Holy Father.  This is another very important occasion for our club, to learn about what took place in Rome.  Attendees were John (and Ellen) Osterhart, Dennis (and Margaret) Lieber, Dan Grady, and Sara Vander Werff.  Board Meeting  begins at 4:30 p.m.
Coming up...
Beginning on August 4, 2017 and each Friday through September 15.  Seven Sorrows of Mary Devotions, 7:00 p.m. at Our Lady of Sorrows. 101 Hall St. S. E.  Details to follow.
October 29, 2017.  Priesthood Sunday.  Begin preparing now for special plans for your parish.
November 4-11, 2017.  National Vocations Awareness Week.

Goal for July.  Election and installation of new officers.
This is our most current slate of nominees:

President:  Weldon Schwartz
Past President:  Sara Vander Werff
Treasurer:  Pat Leikert
Vice-President, Programs:  Dan LaVille
Vice-President, Communications:  Nancy King
Vice-Presidnet, Secretary, Karen Schwartz.  Karen is also serving as editor of the newsletter.
Vice-President, Membership:  Dominic Niewald.  John Osterhart will assist.
Vice-President , Vocations, Larry and Marian Burns
Trustees:  Jim Hunter, John Osterhart, Nancy Mulvihill
Moderator:  Msgr. Edward Hankiewicz
We need a President-Elect:  Please step forward if you would like to consider this position.

Priests' Anniversaries in July.

Fr. Raymond Bruck, July 20, 1958.
Fr. Larry King, July 8, 1989.
Fr. Peter Omogo, July 7, 2004.

Why Be a Serran?  Let us keep these thoughts in mind as we work and pray for vocations and for new members for our club...

...A Special Honor for All Serrans

On June 23, 2017, as a testament to the outstanding work of our Italian Serrans, as well as a sign that Serra International is ever more recognized for its essential vocations apostolate, all convention attendees were invited to be present for  a special audience with the Holy Father after the opening Mass at St. Peter's Basilica.  To learn what the Holy Father said to the Serrans, please note your special e-mail notification which was sent on Sunday, July 2.  You have also received pictures of the Papal audience which Sara Vander Werff sent.

...and a Special Honor for Our Grand Rapids Club...

In 2016, thanks to your generosity, 22 clubs received awards recognizing their outstanding donations to the Serra International Foundation.

This year the Foundation received more than 90 grant applications.  The Foundation's current resources allowed for less than 11 per cent of these grant applications to be founded.  But with your help, we an do more to support vocations and bring honor to your local Serra Club.

Named to the Majorca Club, the highest category of awards, with $10,000 or more, Houston and Grand Rapids.  The Siempre Adelante Award winner was Grand Rapids.
Source:  The Serran Magazine, June 2017.

Congratulations...

are in order to John Osterhart, who has been recommended to serve as a trustee on the Serra International Board .  Others were Guiseppe Miccal of Ferrara, Italy; Maria Gemma Sartesch, of Lucca, Italy; Richard Peterson, of the Serra Club of the Tri-counties Area of Washington; and Julio Camara of Merida, Mexico.

Why am I a Serran?

Shortly after entering the Catholic Church, my friend Dave Maza suggested I consider joining the Serra Club.  As a new Catholic, I was eager to contribute to the good of this great gift (the Church) that I had discovered.  Married, with four children and a busy financial planning practice, the Serra Club provided a means for me to contribute to the good of the Church without detracting from my family nor my profession.

The mission  of Serra inspired me.  Recognizing the need to pray for, invite, encourage and promote vocations as well as heed our Lord's call to holiness resonated with my desire to serve the Church and, at the same time, cultivate fellowship with others who shared the zeal for Christ and His Church.

It is the vocation of each Catholic to share in the temporal and spiritual works of the Church.  My patron, St. Josemaria Escriva, said, "You have got to be a man of God", "a man of interior life, a man of prayer and sacrifice.  Your apostolate must be the overflow of your life within."  When I read this, it inspired my work  in the apostolate of Serra to deepen my prayer life.  I realized that much of life can be filled with activity.  often fruitless activity.  The only activity that bears the fruit of eternal goodness begins and ends with prayer that is united with Jesus to God, the Father through the Holy
Spirit.  In this way, I find the apostolate of Serra to be a very practical way to contribute to the spiritual work of the Church and at the same time, be formed by this apostolate.
By Wayne Rich, Serra Club of Phoenix, AZ, USA
Serran Magazine, June, 2017

Prayer for Pakistan.

Please visit the website of Aid to the Church in Need, whose mission is helping persecuted and oppressed Christians around the world through prayer, information, and action.  In preparation for the special meeting on July 6 in Marne, let us offer the following Prayer for Pakistan.

Heavenly Father, you call all of those who suffer in your name.
We ask that you be with the Christians in Pakistan and encourage them to remain strong in faith and trust despite physical and psychological abuse.
We remember those who are imprisoned for their faith.
We especially remember Asia Bibi who still remains in jail with a death sentence hanging over her head as a result of Pakistan's Blasphemy Laws.
Please comfort all those who have lost loved ones and who live in fear.  Strengthen the Church leaders in Pakistan; give them wisdom and courage to seek justice and peace.
We also pray, most merciful and loving Father, that our brothers and sisters in Christ are blessed wtih grace to forgive those who persecute them.
Mary, help of Christians, Mother of mercy, pray for them.
Amen.

A Message from our President.

Please refer to the Calendar of Events announcing the special meeting in Marne on July 6 with Fr. Ayub and his Pakistani friends.

Mary, Mother of Vocations, Pray for Us.
Let us go forth with renewed resolve to pray and work for strengthening our prayer life, for vocations, and for our club and its mission.

498 Clubs, 46 Countries, 14,940 Members.  
Calendar of Events.
June 3, 2017.  Ordination of Stephen Durkee, Steven Geerling, and Kyle Kilpatrick to the priesthood.
at the Cathedral of St. Andrew.  We are still looking for ushers from our club.
June 4, 2017.  Masses of Thanksgiving for each of the new priests.
June 12, 2017.  Dinner Meeting and Speaker, 5:30 p.m. at the University Club.  Board meeting will begin at 4:30 p.m.  Our speaker for June will be Msgr. Ancona, Chaplain/Moderator Emeritus of the Grand Rapids Serra Club.
June 21, 2017.  Ordination of Dennis Rybicki, Dean Vernon, and Lance Walters to the permanent diaconate, 7:00 p.m.
June 22-25, 2017.  Serra International Convention, Rome, Italy.  On June 23, Serrans from all over the world are invited to a private audience with His Holiness Pope Francis.  Our club will have a nice representation, with Msgr. Hankiewicz, Dan Grady, Dennis Leiber and family, John and Ellen Osterhart, and Sara Vander Werff.  After the convention, John Liston, Executive Director of Serra International and Serra USA Council will be married at the Basilica of St. Sebastian, with Msgr. Hankiewicz officiating. Serrans are invited.   DON'T MISS THE YOUTUBE TOUR OF ST. SEBASTIAN'S LOCATED ON THE OLD APPIAN WAY, accompanied by the story of St. Sebastian, the Soldier Saint.
June 24, 2017.  The Nativity of St. John the Baptist.
June 26, 2017.  Mass at the chapel of the Cathedral of St. Andrew, 12:05 p.m. The informal meeting which usually follows will  not be held because so many of the principals will be out of town, with the Liston wedding taking place and with post-convention travels..
Looking Ahead.  Prepare for these events in your parish.
October 29, 2017.  Priesthood Sunday.
November 4-11.  National Vocations Awareness Week.

New Assignments in our Diocese, effective July 1, 2017. 
 Reverend Douglas A. Braun, parochial vicar of St. Mary-St. Paul Parish in Big Rapids, will attend the Catholic University of America in Washington, D. C. to study Canon Law.
 Reverend Peter O. Damian, parochial vicar of Our Lady of Consolation Parish in Rockford, is appointed pastor of St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Grand Rapids.
Deacon Stephen J. Durkee, to be ordained June 3, 2017, is appointed parochial vicar of Our Lady of Consolation Parish in Rockford.
Reverend Jegar N. Fickel, is appointed parochial vicar of St. Mary-St. Paul Parish in Big Rapids.
Deacon Steven W. Geerling, to be ordained June 3, 2017, is appointed parochial vicar of St. John Vianney Parish in Wyoming.
Deacon Kyle J. Kilpatrick, to be ordained June 3, 2017, is appointed parochial vicar of St. Francis de Sales Parish in Holland.
 Reverend Godfrey C. Onyekwere, pastor of St. Mary Magdalene Parish in Kentwood, is appointed pastor of Prince of Peace Parish in North Muskegon.
Reverend William R. Vander Werff, parochial vicar of St. Francis de Sales Parish in Holland, is appointed pastor of St. Luke University Parish in Allendale.  The Paulist Fathers will be leaving the Parish as of July 1.
Reverend Peter G. Vu,  pastor of Prince of Peace Parish in North Muskegon, is appointed pastor of St. Mary Magdalen Parish in Kentwood.

Priests' Anniversaries in June.  We thank the Lord for this long list.

The Most Reverend David J. Walkowiak, June 9, 1979;  Bishop Emeritus Walter A. Hurley, June 5, 1965; Michael Alber, June 1, 2001;  Msgr. Gaspar Ancona, June 1, 1963;  Reverend Louis Anderson, June 1, 1963; Reverend Matthew Barnum, June 2, 2007;
Reverend Mark Bauer, June 14, 1986; Reverend Thomas Bolster, June 12, 1982; Reverend Edward Boucher, June 14, 1960;  Reverend James Bozung, June 3, 1961; Reverend Douglas Braun, June 6, 2015; Reverend Charles Brown, June 6, 1999; Reverend Michael Burt, June 6, 2009; Reverend Bernard Carlin, CssR, June 1, 1978; Reverend Thomas Cavera, June 4, 2016; Reverend Patrick Cawley, June 6, 1970; Reverend James Chelich, June 6, 1976; Reverend Michael Cilibraise, June 7, 2008; Reverend Michael Danner, June 5, 1965;  Reverend Thomas DeYoung, June 18, 1983; Reverend Norman Droski, June 6, 1964; Reverend George Fekete, June 5, 1965;  Reverend Aaron Ferris, June 6, 2009; Reverend Patrick Jegar N. Fickel, June 4, 2016; Reverend Joseph Fix, June 1, 1968; Reverend Melvin Fox, June 1, 1963; Reverend Luis Garcia, June 4, 2011;  Reverend Pedro Garcia, June 5, 1965;  Fr. Eugene Golas, June 4, 1955;  Reverend Patrick Grille, June 24, 1971; Reverend David Gross, June 5, 2010; Msgr. Edward Hankiewicz, June 24, 1979;Reverend Victor Kynam, June 2, 2007; Reverend John LaGoe, June 3, 1961; Reverend Donald Lomasiewicz, June 2, 1962; Reverend Richard Lewis, June 7, 1969; Reverend Thomas McKinney, June 3, 1961; Reverend Paul Milanowski, June 5, 1965; Reverend Colin Mulhall, June 4, 2016.  Reverend Ayub Nasar, June 28, 1985; Reverend Troy Nevins, June 1, 1996; Reverend Scott Nolan, June 1, 2013; Reverend Godfrey Onyekwere, June 7, 2003; Reverend Thomas Page, June 16, 1979; Reverend Mark Peacock, June 2, 2007; Reverend Anthony Pelak, June 7, 2003; Reverend Jose Quintana, June 1, 1996; Reverend Chris Rouech, June 1, 1996;  Reverend Kenneth Schichtel, June 2, 1962; Reverend Ronald Schneider, June 4, 2016; Reverend Daniel Schumaker, June 4, 2016; Reverend Charles Schwartz, June 1, 2013; Reverend Phillip Sliwinski, June 7, 1997;  Msgr. Louis Stasker, June 5,
1965; Msgr. Terrence Stewart, June 19, 1970; Reverend John Thome, June 15, 1946; Reverend Anton Tran, June 1, 2002;  Reverend Anthony Vainovicz, June 3, 1961; Reverend John Vallier, June 13, 1987;  Reverend James VanderLaan, June 1, 2013;  Reverend William Vander Werff, June 6, 2015;  Reverend Thomas Vesbit, June 6, 1984; Reverend Peter Vu, June 7, 1997; Reverend John Wisneski, June 6, 1964, and Reverend William Zink, June 1, 1968.

Thoughts on how to recruit new Serrans, by Greg Schweitz, President of the USA Council.

"What is the best way to recruit new Serrans?  This (past) fall our very active USA Council membership committee, Nancy Gibson, VP, has introduced a new and proven recruitment program that encourages club members to work through their local pastors and religious to recommend family members and local Catholic leaders for Serra membership.  In pilot trials, this program has increased local club membership on average over 25%.  This collaboration will help Serran recruiters looking for good people to find them, Then, more importantly, I encourage you to PERSONALLY invite them, and the more personal the invitation, the more likely your invitation will be accepted.

When a new prospective member is invited to join Serra, what is it that he or she is joining?When we talk about preparing our elevator speech of what Serra stands for, we must remember that while Serra is mostly known as a great vocational activity club, it is much bigger than that.  The third objective of Serra provides the answer:  We recognize the importance of working to support each other's Call to Holiness.  An emphasis on good, regular programs is what I consider to be the glue of a good club and the essence of what it means to be a Serran.  Let's face it, the activities and the fun are great, but we are about more than that.  The ones who stay in Serra are drawn to the spiritual camaraderie and growth.  Long time Serrans are also those who find like minded Catholics to share in their faith journey...Although we are rightfully proud about our Priest affirmation activities and our well documented support of vocations to the priesthood and religious life, it is also the essence of our organization that in Serra we will find and nurture Catholic leaders for our respective Catholic Communities...

Serra has a lot to offer new prospective members.  Let us continually look for good, strong members and not be timid about inviting good strong leaders to join us--prospects who will bring new ideas and more energy into the club as we move them forward.  It is a fact of life that in any organization we will lose good Serra members through natural attrition caused by death and work relocation.  But it is truly sad if our loss is because of our inability to convey the benefits of belonging to a dynamic, relevant, important organization.

Call today for assistance in organizing an effective recruiting program.  Contact Nancy Gibson (ngibson1219@gmail.com) or phone her at 913-908-7601...At the end of the day, all Serrans must recognize that they are members of the membership committee.

St. Junipero Serra, guide our efforts.
Mary, Queen of Vocations, pray for us.

Notes on the presidency of our club.

Weldon sent two notes over the weekend on that topic.

The first is, Sara sent me an e-mail asking me to take over meetings from now on because the City Commission failed to act on the salary cut and she needs to find other employment.  I have agreed, at least for the interim period."

The second is as follows:
"Our current president Sara has notified me that because of heavy work load she will be unable to continue as president of our club.  Therefore I've agreed, with the board's permission, to take over until the board decides otherwise.  Hope to see all of you at the next board meeting and our regular meeting."

Let us Pray for a safe and successful journey for those who are traveling to Rome.

Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter May 2017

Serra Clubs Worldwide

498 Clubs                                          46 Countries                                              14,940 Members

Calendar of Events.  Please note numerous opportunities to carry out our mission, not only locally, but with fellow Serrans in Muskegon and Saginaw, and worldwide.  

May is Rosary month.

May 8, 2017
 Dinner Meeting and Speaker, 5:30 p.m. at the University Club.   Sister Mary Ann Barrett, O. P., who in 2013 celebrated her 50th year as a Sister, will speak.   Board Meeting at 4:30 p.m.
May 7, 2017  World Day of Prayer for Vocations.  
On May 7, the Church throughout the world will pray for vocations.  What can we do to make a special effort to ask the Lord for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life?

*Pray for the priests who have ministered to us throughout our lives.
*Keep our parish priests in our prayers throughout the week.
*Encourage our children, grandchildren, or other young people to consider a vocation as a priest or religious brother or sister.
*Pray a rosary for more young men and women in our diocese to respond to God's call.
May 11, 2017.  
Serra Club of Greater Muskegon Vocations Dinner, 6:00 p.m. at Prince of Peace Catholic Church.  So far, seven people from our club plan to attend.  If you wish to double up on rides, please let us know.  At this time we are not formally sponsoring a table of eight, but are paying as individuals.  Tickets are $40 each.  Make checks payable to Serra Club of Greater Muskegon and mail in care of Bob Nolan, 1210 Logan Road, Muskegon, MI 49445.   At this time we are mailing in our checks separately.  John Liston will be the speaker.
May 22, 2017.
Mass at 12:05 p.m. in the Chapel of St. Andrew's Cathedral.  For the time being, attending this Mass has been serving as our spiritual activity for the month.  An informal meeting follows at Cathedral Square.  This is not officially a board meeting, but it provides an opportunity to discuss our ideas and concerns as Serrans.  The meeting is optional.
May 27, 2017.  
Pray the Rosary with Serra International, 9:00 a.m. EDT.
June 20, 2017.  
The Most Reverend Robert J. Carlson Seminarian Endowment Fund Dinner, Swan Valley Banquet Center, 9521 Highland Green Drive, Saginaw, MI.  Keynote Speaker will be Fr. Tony Russo, Pastor of Our Lady of Consolation in Rockford.   The dinner will be hosted by Mistress of Ceremonies Katie O'Mara, with remarks by Bishop Joseph Cistone.  There will also be a silent auction and a raffle.  We may help by attending as guests, buying a table, sponsoring a priest, nun, deacon or seminarian and//or donating a gift for a silent auction basket.  Donation:  $55.00 per person, or a table of eight at $400.
Make checks payable to Saginaw Serra Club and mail to Mary Catherine Siers at 4482 Lynndale,
Saginaw, MI 48603.
June 22-25, 2017.  
Serra International Convention, Rome, Italy.
October 29, 2017.  
Priesthood Sunday.
November 4-11, 2017.  National Vocations Awareness Week.  What can we do as a club and in our local parishes to observe this special week?


For World Day of Prayer for Vocations, Serra's Canada Council and the Serra Foundation of Canada have teamed up with the National Catholic Broadcasting Council to encourage prayers for vocations during daily TV Masses being broadcast during the week of May 6-13.  To watch from the USA, Masses will be carried on Catholic TV or the web:
http://www.catholictv.com/ or www.youtube.com/dailytvmass.

Congratulations!
The Serra Club of Northeast Fort Worth, Texas, USA was chartered on April 18, 2017.  It is the seventh club in the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area.

Priests' Anniversaries for May.

The Reverend Ernest J. Bernott, May 22, 1948.
The Reverend Michael Bliszcz, May 24, 1958.
The Reverend Anthony Britto, May 14, 1988.
The Reverend Charles Cuniff, CSP, May 21, 1983.
Msgr. William Duncan, May 19, 1990.
Very Reverend John Geaney, CSP, May 11, 1964.
Reverend Thomas Hack, May 28, 1955.
Reverend Theodore J. Kozlowski, May 29, 1958.
Reverend Joachim Lalley, CSP, May 22, 1965.
Reverend Charles O. Mason, May 19, 1979.
Reverend Peter Joang-Xuan Nghiem, May 20, 1972.
Reverend Kevin Niehof, OP, May 8, 1993.
Reverend Bradford Schoeberle, CSP, May 27, 2000.
Reverend Philip Shangraw, May 5, 1979.
Reverend Robert Sirico, May 13, 1989.
Reverend Leonard Sudlick, May 15, 1976,
Reverend Dominic Tirkey, May 19, 1998.
Reverend Mark Przybysz, May 19, 1980.

With three ordination Masses in May and June we have much to celebrate.

Bishop Walkowiak will ordain Michael Steffes to the transitional diaconate on Tuesday, May 9 at 7:00 p.m.  On Saturday, June 3 at 10:00 a.m. Bishop Walkowiak will ordain Deacon Stephen Durkee, Deacon Steven Geerling, and Deacon Kyle Kilpatrick to the priesthood and on Wednesday, June 21 at 7:00 p.m. he will ordain Dennis Rybicki, Dean Vernon and Lance Walters to the permanent diaconate.  All Masses will be held at the Cathedral of St. Andrew.  The public is invited to attend or to watch online.

Michael M. Steffes Jr,, 28, is the son of Mike (Rhonda) Steffes and Mary K. (Tom) Schmidtz of St. Patrick Parish, Portland.  He has three siblings:  Jacob, Joe, and Naomi.  He attended the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minn.,where he received a bachelor's degree in 2014.  Michael will enter his final year of seminary in the fall of 2017 and will complete his Master of Divinity degree in the spring of 2018.  He completed his pastoral internship at Our Lady of Consolation Parish, Rockford, under the mentorship of Father Anthony Russo.

Aid to the Church in Need.

Aid to the Church in Need is a Catholic charity under the guidance of the Holy Father.
Here are three ways to help our fellow Christians in these troubled times:

*Help Feed a Christian Family in Iraq.  Since the summer of 2014, some 3.3 million people have been forced to flee their homes within Iraq due to the cruelty of ISIS.  A great many came from Mosul and its surrounding area.Christians were given an ultimatum by the terrorists:  to convert to Islam or be killed.  As a result, there was an exodus of the Christian families from the city itself and in the plain of Nineveh.  Most fled to the region of Erbil in the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan.
The Catholic Church in Kurdistan is now overwhelmed, trying to help the thousands of refugees who have fled here, needing not only a roof over their heads but also food, clothing, medical care and, in the longer term, schooling for their children.  It costs almost $338 to provide one family with basic necessities for six months...

*Pakistan--Keeping the Faith Against all Odds.  A series of anti-Christian atrocities climaxed on March 2, 2016 when Christians celebrating Easter were targeted in a suicide bomb blast at Lahore's Gulshan-Hqbal Park.  The attack killed 72 people, including 29 children, and injured 340 others.
Just hours after the terrorist strike, Archbishop Sebastian Shaw, OFM of Lahore visited with victims of the blast.  "I visited every bedside and every victim, of whatever faith."
Comprising a Catholic community of about 500,000 people, the Archdiocese of Lahore's faithful make up less than two percent of the local population.  Their minority status--coupled with their poverty-- puts Christians and others in the region at direct risk of intimidation and oppression in a country where the rule of law often does not apply.  They need our prayers and support today.

*Help God's Faithful in South Sudan.  In the last three years, more than 50,000 have died and nearly 2.5 million people have been forced from their homes in this, the world's youngest country.  The faithful continue to live the horrors of bloodshed, abductions, and assaults on women and girls.  With your support, Aid to the Church in Need is helping, in particular, the youngest victims of violence by funding Church programs like the House of Hope, started by the Missionaries of the Divine Word in the Parish of Lainya, where youth can play, learn to work as a team, and do their homework.  Any amount will aid God's most vulnerable in their daily struggle to survive.  Thank you and God bless you.
The website of Aid to the Church in Need provides further information as to how to contribute to these causes.

Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter, April 2017

IMPORTANT TOPICS TO CONSIDER THIS COMING MONTH: THE APPOINTING  OF A NOMINATING COMMITTEE FOR UPCOMING VACANCIES, POSSIBLE CHANGES IN DUES STRUCTURE, AND MANY MORE.  PLEASE SHARE YOUR IDEAS WITH US.
Calendar of Events.


For Our Club:

April 10, 2017.  Evening Meeting and Speaker, 5:30 p.m. at the University Club.
Board Meeting 4:30 p.m.  
Our speaker for April will be John Smietanka, former U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan (from 1980 to 1992).  He will talk about how his faith has guided him in his chosen vocation of the law.  Please do continue to invite guests, as several of you are doing now.
April 27, 2017.  We will meet for Mass at the chapel of the Cathedral of St. Andrew and then will gather as a group for an informal discussion of club affairs.  This is for the time being our format for our second monthly meeting as we continue to support our double-fold mission:  to support priestly and religious vocations and to seek our own spiritual growth in the faith.

For Special USA and International Days:

April 29, 2017.  Serra International Rosary for Vocations.
May 7, 2017.  World Day of Prayer for Vocations.
May 27, 2017.  Serra International Rosary for Vocations.
May 30, 2017.  Delegates to the convention must submit their credentials to the Serra International office in Chicago by no later than May 30, 2017.  Download the credential form from the convention page at www.serrainternational.org  Also, Our Lady of Sorrows Spaghetti Dinner, 11:00-3:00.
Tickets $10,  at the door or $9 in advance.  Call 243-0222 if you have questions or want to buy the advance tickets.
June 22-25, 2017.  Serra International Convention.  These activities will include an audience with our Holy Father.  As a testament to the outstanding work of our Italian Serrans as well as a sign that Serra International is ever more recognized for its essential vocations apostolate, all convention attendees are invited to be present for a private audience with the Holy Father after the convention's opening Mass at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City on Friday morning, June 23;.  Convention registrants will be transported to the basilica by bus.  The Vatican Swiss Guards will allow us to skip the line and enter through a special door.
Source:  Serra International Magazine, April, 2017.
Let us pray for our club members as they participate in this great honor.



Priests' Anniversaries for April.

Fr. Steven Cron, April 1, 1978.
Fr. Peter Damian, April 2, 2005.
Fr. Roc Gerald Magalla, April 29, 1992,
Fr. Sahaya Stanley, SAC,

Ideas for a Membership Drive.  

Nancy E. Gibson, USA Council Membership Vice President offers a fresh, new approach to increasing membership, suggesting a "Family First" fall or spring membership drive.

"This particular drive does not target your own family members, (though you should always promote membership in Serra to them, too!)  What is unique and brilliant about the Family First approach is that it targets the siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews of priests and religious sisters and brothers.  Think about it; these are ideal prospects for Serra!...

Here's How it Works:

Each Serran submits to the club Membership Team the names of four priests or sisters who could furnish names of family members who might be good Serrans.  The team then makes the phone calls and invites the prospective members to the membership drive event.

Handy forms for collecting names, a suggested script for phone calls, and a recruitment drive timeline are provided free for download at the membership link of the serraus.org website.

Here's Another Idea for a Club Activity:

Please refer to "Try a Vocations 'Rehearsal Dinner' In Your Club."   Col (Ret.) Jim Halloran, Jr. USA Council Vocations Vice President, from the Serra Club of Lake Charles, LA outlines a successful plan for honoring prospective deacons and their families.

Read more from The Serran,Vol. 63, No. 3).

A Message from our President.

In his message for the 54th Annual World Day of Prayer for Vocations, his holiness Pope Francis states, "In the last few years, we have considered two aspects of the Christian vocation:  the summons to "go out from ourselves" to hear the Lord's voice...."  Not unlike Saint Junipero Serra who traveled, we too must go out from ourselves to continue our mission.  During this holy month of Lent, Easter, and May 7, the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, let us remember to go out from ourselves here in our own parishes and hometowns and be the Lord's voice for vocations.

Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter March 2017

498 Clubs                  46 Countries                  14,940 Members
Let us keep in mind that we are part of a world-wide organization, nurturing, fostering, and praying for priestly and religious vocations.
Calendar of Events
Reminder:  Dinner Meeting and Speaker March 13, 5:30 p.m.  Board Meeting 4:30 p.m.
March 11, 2017.  Men's Conference, West Catholic High School.  Doors open for breakfast at 7:00 a.m.  Conference begins at 8:00 and will end at 4:00 p.m.
March 18, 2017.  Women's Conference,  10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. at Cathedral Square.
March 13, 2017.  Dinner meeting and speaker, 5:30 p.m. at the University Club.  Board Meeting at 4:30 p.m.  Our speaker will be our own club moderator, Msgr. Hankiewicz.
March 27, 2017.  Lenten  Weekday Mass at the Cathedral chapel, 12:05 p.m.  A meeting will follow.  All are welcome to attend the meeting.

Looking Ahead.  Be prepared to observe special occasions with your parish.

May 7, 2017.  World Day of Prayer for Vocations.
June 22-25, 2017.  Serra International Convention, Rome, Italy.
October 29, 2017.   Priesthood Sunday.
November 4-11, 2017.  National Vocations Awareness Week.

SPECIAL EVENT.

Franciscan Life Process Center Women's Breakfast, March 14, 2017, 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
A Note from Sara Vander Werff:
I received this invitation from the Franciscan Sisters in Vergennes and also on the city's West Side, who provide a number of services and offer fun classes to the community.    She has purchased a table and still has 2-3 places available;.  If you'd like to join her, let her know.

Sara Vander Werff
616 (988-9654 h
616 (340-1528 c

Gerrie Murray
gmurray@lifeprocesscenter.org or
616 (897-7842.

Priests' Anniversaries for March.

Fr. Richard Host, March 17, 1974.

Spot Quiz:

How many seminarians do we have in our diocese?  See answer at the end of the newsletter.

Working for Tomorrow.  

Don't miss Fr. Ron Hutchinson's column in the March issue of Faith Magazine.  As Father Ron writes, "Sometimes inspiration comes when and where we least expect it."  How does his message apply to our club as we dedicate our efforts toward nurturing, promoting, fostering priestly and religious vocations?

"You and I aren't praying and working just so that we will have more priests today, but so that future generations will have priests and religious," is the insight Fr. /Ron gained when he attended the National Convention of Diocesan Vocation Directors this past fall.  Let us keep that message in mind as we continue on with our work as Serrans.

Are We a Top Club?  From the serraus.org Website.

A must read is Greg Schweiz's article, "What does it take to be a top club?"  Being a top club involves more than mere membership.  What do top clubs have in common?  Take note of the following recommendations:

a.  Have established activities.  Pick from many vocations activities and consistently perform them over the years.
b.  Be organized and structured.
c.  Have formal meetings.  Two a months has proven to be best.  Meet at a regular place and at a regular time that has been determined by the club.
d.  Have regular board meetings to direct the activities of the club and monitor its direction.
e. Provide regular and frequent communication.  Send out club newsletter regularly, either hard copy or electronic.  Establish a face book page with more frequent reminders of activities.
f.  Emphasize spiritual growth and Serra camaraderie at regular meetings.  There's much more in the letter.  Suggestion for all, but especially for board members:  Download the entire article and make this topic an item for discussion on March 13.

Please continue to pray for persecuted Christians, especially in the Middle East.  Visit the Aid to the Church in Need website if you would like to help in any way.  The articles for this month are, A Lent in Tears, "How can we escape from this torture?", Christians assess the damage on Iraq's Nineveh Plain, ravaged by Isis, A Marshall Plan for Iraq, rebuiding Christian villages on the Nineveh plains, and Mother and Son survived two years under the thumb of the Islamic State.  

The Projects in Need section of the website provides a path to a number of ways to help priests, religious, and seminarians in troubled areas.

Answer to Quiz Question: 22

They are Cody J. Amock, Andrew M. Ayers, William L. Beers, David J. Bridge, Dominic T. Couturier, Mitchell E. Dietrich, Deacon Stephen J. Durkee, Deacon Steven W. Geerling, Michael J. Goodwin, David A. Jameson, Jonathan W. Johnson, Deacon Kyle J Kilpatrick, Robert C. Mulderink, Daniel R. Orris, Anthony J. Preston, Eric B. Rewa, David J. Sacha, Michael M. Steffes, Jr., Noah I. Thelan, Logan C. Weber, Timothy P. Wheeler, and Jacob M. Zemaitis.  Pray for these seminarians, especially the one your parish has adopted.

Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter, February 2017

What is Serra?  
Serrans are lay Catholics, men and women of all ages from all walks of life:  lawyers, doctors, accountants, business people, nurses, engineers, sales people, clerics, retirees and more, all dedicated to promote and foster vocations.

Calendar of Events.  
February 13, 2017.  Dinner and Speaker, 5:30 p.m. at the University Club.  Speaker will be Father Scott Nolan, Pastor, St. Stephen's.  Board Meeting will begin at 4:30.  You're always welcome to invite guests at any Serra event.
February 27, 2017.  Mass at the St. Ambrose Chapel at St. Andrew, 12:05, followed by a Committee meeting. The meeting is not required of all members, but all are welcome to attend. The mass will serve as our monthly spiritual event.  We will also celebrate Serra International Founders' Day (1935).
Looking Ahead.
February 16-19, 2017.  Serra Rally, Phoenix, Arizona.
May 7, 2017.  World Day of Prayer for Vocations and Good Shepard Sunday.
June 22-25, 2017.  Serra International Convention, Rome, Italy.
October 29, 2017.  Priesthood Sunday.
November 4-November 11, 2017.  National Vocations Awareness Week.

It's never too early to plan for these special Vocations events.  Excellent promotional materials are available at serraus.org, providing a great opportunity to share our Serra mission with our fellow parishioners and to nurture and promote vocations at the same time.  If you haven't already visited the new Serra web page, please do so soon.  Also, get on the e-mailing list at serraus.org.

Looking Ahead to Other Events.  


Diocesean Men's and Women's Conferences.
Weldon is looking for volunteers at both events to hand out Serra materials and to promote our club.

The 2017 theme for the men's conferences is, Building a Legacy.  The men's conference, beginning at 8:00 a.m.,  will be held at West Catholic High School and will feature Fr. Larry Richards, Fr. Dave Pivonka, and Fr. Michael Gaitley.  Bishop Walkowiak will celebrate Mass.  For more information go to www.buildingalegacy.org or call Robert at 616-258-8530.
The women's conference is scheduled for March 18, 2017 at the Diocese of Grand Rapids.  The theme is The Father's Love.  Sheri Wohlfert, a motivational humorist who combines laughter and love of God will be the keynote speaker.  Her presentations are said to leave the audience thinking, praying, and finding God's fingerprints in all corners of life.

Priests's Anniversaries for February.

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

Officer Vacancies and Proposed Nominations.

President-elect Weldon Schwartz accepted the nomination to resume his presidency.
Vice-Presidents, Vocations, Larry and Marian Burns.
Vice-President, Programs, Dan LaVille.  Dan is open to suggestions as to the speakers you would want to hear,
Vice-President, Membership, Dominic Niewald.
Editor.  Karen Schwartz has accepted the nomination.
Trustee, Jim Hunter.
Vice-President, Communications, Nancy King.

Professional Support Group.  

As a club, we will work on a list of club members and contact information for those willing to provide advice and services in the following fields:  accounting/business management, insurance (personal or business), legal counsel, dental, medical, investment advice.  There are already diocesean programs available in some of the following areas, but let us offer our own set of unique skills and talents to the mix.  To be discussed at subsequent meetings.

Special Ways to Celebrate Lent.

The Franciscan Life Process Center offers a wealth of spiritual and cooking activities in observance of the Lenten Season.  For more information go to www.lifeprocesscenter.org.  The spring Once-a-Month Kitchen activities include Paczki Class, Lenten and Easter Breads, Gluten Free, Bread Baking for Couples, Baking with Rhubarb and Strawberries, and Strawberry Jam Making.

As for the Lenten Speaker Series, our club members might want to consider the class given by Father Ron Hutchinson (our Diocesean Vocations Director) on March 22:  Lenten Fridays Aren't All About Fish.
"You don't like fish...but you're a priest?  Given Father Ron's desire not to eat fish unless he has to, he has explored many options for his Friday night meal.  Father will share his favorite recipes and bring along some samples.  Who knows?  Maybe you will find something new to replace that worn out tuna noodle casserole you are still serving the family."

All Lenten Lunches and Prayer Experiences are held on Wednesdays, March 8 through April 5 at Noon-1:00 p.m.  Lunches include soups donated by various local businesses, bread baked by Franciscan volunteers, and applesauce made from apples grown on the farm.  A Lenten prayer will be offered at 12:45.  Donations appreciated.

Aid to the Church in Need.  
Visit the website to view the many ways in which we can support the priests and religious as they strive to carry on their work in spite of difficult conditions.  Visitors to the page are offered a variety of ways to direct their contributions to favorite causes, or donors can simply direct the organization to use the funds where they are most needed.

A Letter from our President. 

January proved to be a win for life, as the new Vice President spoke at the March for Life in D. C. on January 27 and the new President nominated Neil Gorsuch to the SCOTUS.  Both events give a new sense of optimism and hope for the support for the right to life and the free exercise of religion for our country.  Let us give thanks as we continue to pray for vocations.



What doth the Lord require of thee but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Mary, Mother of Vocations, Pray for Us.







v

Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter, January 2017

498 Clubs                     46 Countries                            14,940 Members

Ora et labora.  Pray and work for a successful 2017 for our club.  Note carefully some important changes in our regular meeting schedule.  For January 9, we will proceed as usual at 5:30 p.m. at the University Club.  THE JANUARY 23 DATE IS SOMETHING NEW.  PLEASE READ THE INFORMATION CAREFULLY AND MARK YOUR CALENDARS ACCORDINGLY.

And we especially invite you to visit the new website at serraus.org. It's attractive, it's informative, and it's user friendly.  The site offers a wealth of information about each of the Serran committees and how they operate.  As we invite our membership to serve in various capacities, now is a good time to read and study the possibilities.  Also, don't miss the link to the download of the Serran Magazine.

Calendar of Events.
January 9, 2017.  Evening meeting at the University Club, 5:30 p.m.  Board meeting 4:30 P.M.

January 23, 2017.  

THIS IS NEW.  PLEASE NOTE.

Weekday Mass in the chapel at the Cathedral, 12:05 p.m.  Bring a sack lunch or a sandwich for a group meeting following mass.  Explanation follows below the Calendar.

January 28, 2017.  International Rosary for Vocations call.  8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m.
February 2-February 5, 2017.  World Day for Consecrated Life.
February 16-19-2017.  Serra Rally in Sunny Phoenix.
May 7, 2017.  World Day of Prayer for Vocations.

As a result of our December board meeting, we have discussed a plan to reinstate a second monthly meeting in some form in order to add a spiritual element to the club's activities.    On Saturday, December 24, John Osterhart wrote as follows:

"We are planning to re-institute a second monthly meeting on the 4th Monday at Cathedral Square beginning with Mass at 12:05 p.m. beginning in January and will use that first meeting following Mass to discuss and address some of the topics listed below...

We need to address issues of membership, meeting times and locations, meeting formats, vocations activities, programs, and member spirituality components.  We also face nominations 
for filling officers' positions currently vacant, and going forward...."

The note was in reaction to earlier correspondence from Dan Grady as he was putting out suggestions for what a second Monday meeting might look like:

"...We should schedule three or four special evening events:  June Charter Night (combine with Catholic Legacy Award, and two or three other Member-Guest Events with a high-profile speaker.  These could be co-sponsored with another Catholic organization to broaden the base.

2nd Meeting Ideas:

I think we should continue to encourage a second activity that is conducted as either a club-wide activity or smaller group activities in which all members are expected to participate, such as Monthly Vocation Rosary/Adoration/Friday Benediction/Bible Study or Book Club...

Other Ideas:

For certain 'big vocation days' (Good Shepard Sunday, Sunday of National Vocation Awareness Week, Feast Day of St. Junipero Serra) we should schedule some 'whole club' event--attend Mass together at the Cathedral, especially if Bishop Walkowiak is presiding, visit Trinitarians in Lowell, whose purpose is praying for priests, for prayer and fellowship.

Professional Support Group:  List of club members and contact information willing to provide advice and services for accounting/business management, insurance (personal or business), legal counsel (personal/business), dental/medical investment advice, and so on...Many of these activities are probably now handled through Diocesean benefit programs or Dioscean-wide
contracts, but there may be things that we can do.

Dues:  I would suggest that we may at least consider reducing dues to $125, billing for each lunch event attended (too much work for Treasurer/Secretary?), and passing the hat for special needs."

I, Nancy, also add a few of my suggestions for topics for the upcoming year:

Friday Stations of the Cross and Benediction are scheduled at Our Lady of Sorrows at 7:00 p.m. each Friday of Lent.  All are invited.  Or, if your parish schedules a similar Lenten activity, please let us know.

Foods:  Lenten menus and Lenten spiritual activities. 

The spiritual benefits of Kosher cooking, with prepared readings from Exodus.  Can Catholics benefit from these practices?  Resources may be available from Congregation Ahavas Israel. 

Catholic Education series:  

Sacred Heart Academy or other speakers from West Catholic or Catholic Central.

Growing up in a large Catholic family:  Perhaps Fr. William Vander Werff or Dominic  Niewald could speak.

Seminarians with unusual backgrounds about their spiritual journey to the priesthood.

Dr. Burns spoke to our club once about how his faith influenced his practice.  I'm sure he could speak to us about other related topics.

Cynthia Bailey recently spoke about the Seven Sorrows of Mary.  I believe she would like to return to the club to speak on another topic.

Liturgical Music.

Resources unique to the bookstore at Cathedral Square.

(I jotted down some of these suggestions after our December meeting).  You're welcome to offer your own suggestions.

From Greg Schweitz, President, Serra's National Council for the United States:

"The Serran Litany.  We're called:  It's our Vocation:  We're Catholic leaders.  We're committed to our Mission.  We're focused on vocations.  We're do-ers.  We rise to the challenge.  We're called..

Also, visit the website to find Greg's thoughts on how to recruit new Serrans, from November 7th, 2016.

Priests'Anniversaries for January.

Why not start 2017 by sending one or more of these priests a card?  Find addresses at the Diocese of Grand Rapids website.

Fr. Joseph Kenshol, January 19, 1973.
Fr. Mark Mitchell, January 25, 1976.
Fr. Ernest P. Schneider, Jauary 30, 1977.
Fr. Thomas Simons, January 30, 1977.

The following priests have no exact date of ordination listed.  We are following our policy of recognizing them in January of each year.

Fr. Anthony Aduaka, Chaplain, Spectrum Health, Blodgett and Butterworth Campuses,Spring 2004.  
Fr. Bartholomew Okagbue, Chaplain, Mercy Health Muskegon, 1988.

A Message from Our President.

Dear Serrans: 

In January we have no scheduled speaker and want members to bring their ideas for how we go forward.  For example, some have suggested sponsoring a bus trip for prospective seminarians, among other things.  We look forward to your fellowship and your suggestions.

Mary, Mother of Vocations, Pray for Us!