Calendar of Events
November 4-11, 2018. National Vocation Awareness Week. O God, Father of all Mercies, Provider of a Bountiful Harvest, send your Graces upon those You have called to gather the fruits of Your labor, preserve and strengthen them in their lifelong service of you. Open the hearts of your children that they may discern Your Holy Will; inspire in them a love and desire to surrender themselves to serving others in the name of your son, Jesus Christ. Teach all Your faithful to follow their respective paths in life guided by Your Divine Word and Truth. Through the intercession of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, all the Angels and Saints, humbly hear our prayers and grant your Church's needs, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
November 11, 2018. Veterans' Day. Let us remember our Veterans. Veterans and their families sacrifice selflessly so that all Americans can enjoy freedoms, including freedom of religion.
November 12, 2018. Luncheon Meeting and Speaker, 12:00 Noon at Cathedral Square.
November 13, 2018. Feast Day of Mother Cabrini (St. Frances Xavier Cabrini), Saint of the Month.
November 21, 2018. The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
November 22, 2018. Thanksgiving Day.
November 25, 2018. Christ the King and the end of the Liturgical Year.
There will be no separate Board meetings during November and December because of the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays.
Looking Ahead.
December 10, 2018. Christmas Dinner at 6:00 p.m. at the University Club. Please look upon this evening as a member-guest occasion. Invite spouses, friends, and all who might consider membership in our club. At the appropriate time, when the December newsletter comes out, you will be asked to R. S. V. P. to Weldon or Nancy.
January 17-20, 2019. Serra Rally, Ventura, California. Stay for the California Mission Trail Pilgrimage, January 20-24, 2019. From our club, Weldon and Karen Schwartz and John and Ellen Osterhart will attend the rally and the pilgrimage.
On November 1 and 2 or each year mark the Solemnity of Saints (All Saints Day) and November 2 (All Souls Day), when we remember the deceased relatives and friends of the faithful. "The souls of the dead are in the hands of God." Wisdom 3:1.
Priests' Anniversaries for November.
The Reverend Daniel De Pew, November 2, 1982.
The Reverend Rock Badgerow, November 3, 1979.
The Reverend Thomas Bouffard, November 7, 1981.
The Reverend Peter Schaefer, November 10, 2005.
The Reverend Wayne Wheeler, November 3, 1979.
Serra Speakers.
We thank Dan La Ville for his excellent choice of speakers over the past several months. A number of our members may have missed these past speakers< the first of which was Tricia Worrell, Director of the Prison and Jail Ministry for our Diocese, and Brian Piecuch, Director of Development of the Saint Benedict Institute. Brian was back for the second time to discuss the exciting happenings of his ministry on the Hope College campus.
Tricia Worrell says she's excited to go to work every day. Her outreach ministry, GROW (Guiding Returning Citizens to Our World), helps returning citizens break the cycle of recividism by educating church communities on the spiritual needs and concerns of returning citizens and their families, thereby helping to create welcoming faith communities through building awareness and relationships.
Please note the article of GROW in the November issue of Faith Magazine. The Prison Ministry is seeking donations for its Annual Christmas Drive. It is collecting the following items for those in local prisons, jails, juvenile detention centers and shelters:
New white tube socks
New plastic reading glasses in varying strengths
Travel-size hygiene items, including shampoo, conditioner, body wash, moisturizing lotion, lip balm and deodorant.
Please deliver all donations Monday, December 10 to the Cathedral Square Cemter at 350 S/ Division Avenue. For more information, call or write Tricia Worrell at tworrell@dioceseofgrandrapids.org or 616-475-1255.
Brian Piecuch directs the Saint Benedict Institute for Catholic Thought, Culture, and Evangelization on the Hope College campus. Brian tells us that the single largest denomination among Hope College students is Catholic. The institute offers Daily Mass, Sunday Mass at 5:00 p.m., with Rosary at 4:30, Adoration, and Confessions. Fr. Nicholas Monco, O. P. serves as the Saint Benedict Institute chaplain. All of this is good news for Serrans, who are interested in keeping our young people Catholic throughout their college years and in nurturing and fostering potential vocations among our young people.
Vianney Visit, November 15-17.
The Diocese offers young men the opportunity to take a closer look at the priesthood by experiencing a few days in the life of a seminarian at St. John Vianney College Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. All transportation, accommodations, and meals willo be provided at no cost. For questions, call or write Father Stephen Durkee at sdurkee@dioceseofgrandrapids.org or 616-475-1254. Father Stephen Durkee is now associate director of priestly vocations. He also serves as parochial vicar at Our Lady of Consolation Church in Rockford.
Spark.
Don't forget to consult the Spark Sampler, which offers 5 tools to create a culture of vocations in our communities. Find the information at serraspark.org. Also, download the "Common Serra Club and District Problems with Suggested Solutions Tool Kit at serraus.org. Serra's USA Council Membership Committee has taken the most common Serra Club membership concerns and compiled them into a book of strategies designed to help you find a solution that works best for your club.
A Message from our President.
Put the Christmas Dinner on your calendar.
Mary, Mother of Vocations, Pray for Us.
