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Club Activities

What’s happening in Serra Clubs around the Nation

Northwest Houston club celebrates Life Awareness Vocation Program 25th Anniversary

The Serra Club of Northwest Houston started the Life Awareness Program  in 1983 as a retreat for single adults, ages 18 to 40, interested in learning more about the priesthood and religious life.

Joining the club in sponsoring and conducting the program was the Passionist Holy Name Retreat Center , who furnished their beautiful retreat facilities, and the Diocesan Vocation Office, whose staff conducted the weekend retreat with the help of other priests, sisters and brothers. The Serra club was responsible for advertising and promoting the program, raising the necessary funds to defray all the operating costs, and handling administrative details. More recently, the Diocesan Vocations Office and the retreat center have participated in sharing the cost, which has increased over the years and is now over $8,000. The other seven clubs in District 10 also assisted in promoting the program.

Twenty-five years later, these same organizations continue to work closely and conduct this program which is free to the young adults attending. Since the program’s inception, a total of 1,148 young men and woman have attended with an average attendance of 45 and a total of 152 entering a seminary, convent or brotherhood, with an average of about six per year.

Considered by the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston’s Vocations Office one of the more effective local vocations programs, the Life Awareness Weekend has been recommended by the USA Council of Serra International over the years. A comprehensive manual was created to guide others in developing their own version of the retreat, which inspired many clubs around the nation to host one in their own diocese. The manual is still available from the USA Council under the title, “Single Adult Discernment Weekend.”

“The Life Awareness Program is not difficult for a club to maintain once they get it organized,” says Walter Naughton, Northwest Houston club trustee. “In addition to producing excellent religious vocation results, it also does wonders for the club’s membership by producing a vocation program in which each member can participate, and most importantly, feel that his or her efforts are having a direct result in producing vocations to our beloved Church.”

If your club is looking for an outstanding vocation program which is tailored to the abilities of most Serra clubs and which has historically proven vocation results, give the Life Awareness program a try. Call the USA Council at 888.777.6681 to purchase the “Single Adult Discernment” manual or to find out more.

God blesses Boston – with a new Serra club!

The Serra Club of Boston is pleased to announce that permission has been granted from Serra International to receive a club charter. 

Cardinal Seán O’Malley will be the main celebrant at a Mass of Thanksgiving to be held at St. John’s Seminary in Brighton , Mass. , on Friday, June 26, 2009.  The chartering ceremony and dinner will immediately follow the Liturgy.

All Serrans are invited to attend.  Due to the limited seating capacity at the seminary, tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.  For more information, please visit the Serra Boston website at www.serraboston.org. 

Kansas and Missouri Serrans go the extra mile for priests and seminarians

The four Serra clubs of the Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese invited the 26 seminarians studying for the priesthood in their diocese along with their families to the clubs’ annual Seminarian Appreciation Dinner on Dec. 26, 2009. Of the 250 who attended the event’s Mass and banquet, 20 were seminarians. The seminarians received gifts and financial assistance from the Serra clubs.

Father Joseph Cisetti, chaplain of the Downtown Kansas City club, addressed guests, saying “The first seminary that a priest attends is not a school – it is the family. The things you need to be a priest – love, faith and compassion – you learn in the family.”

Bishop Robert Finn advised the seminarians to “prepare well. You must work and study so that the timeless lessons of the Church’s traditions and the heritage of the fathers and the magisterium will fortify your efforts.”

Each seminarian in attendance introduced his family to those assembled and told guests a little bit about himself. Read more here.

In late 2008 eight area clubs from Kansas and Missouri co-sponsored their annual Priests and Seminarians Appreciation Day, which features a golf tournament and lavish prizes. The 2008 event sold out with a record number of 288 golfers, and raised about $65,000 which will be used to support additional vocation activities.

Wichita Club hosts Sisters Appreciation Dinner

The Serra Club of Wichita , Kan. , enjoyed a large turnout for their annual Sisters Appreciation Dinner on Nov. 6, 2008. This was the event’s 10th anniversary and over 50 sisters attended. Over 100 Serrans and guests as well as two priests were also among the well-wishers.

Honolulu Serrans honor priests and religious

Serrans in Honolulu , Hawaii , hosted not one but two dinners in September to honor religious as well as local and visiting priests.

The 13th Annual Religious Appreciation Dinner on Sept. 8 welcomed over 50 sisters and brothers and featured a song contest, for which the Dominican Sisters performed “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini!”

Over 30 local and visiting priests enjoyed dinner and fun at the Honolulu club’s Annual Priest Appreciation Dinner on Sept. 16. Attendees walked away with door prizes which were hand-made wine-bottle cover center pieces in the likeness of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The evening’s entertainment featured the priests themselves, who were asked to relate a humorous story or anecdote from their ministry. Bishop Larry Silva kicked it off with a hilarious story about confession, and about half of the other priests present contributed some very funny material. Bishop Silva thanked the Serrans for providing a venue where the priests could get together and enjoy fellowship.

Montgomery , Ala. , Serrans visit Dominican sisters at Marbury

Serrans Ellen Hamady, Madelene El Masri, visitor Jeanne Paxson and Serran Jim Baker restock the cloistered Dominican sisters’ pantry at St. Jude Monastery.

One of the Montgomery Serra Club’s most anticipated meetings is the annual visit to the St. Jude Monastery at Marbury where the Serrans attend Mass, pray, and talk informally with the cloistered Dominican sisters.

The November visit was no exception. Serrans and sisters prayed the rosary for vocations to the priesthood and religious life followed by Mass. During the informal ‘talk time’ with the sisters, who welcome questions and comments on any subject, the sisters reported that six young women recently attended a silent retreat at the monastery, with the best part being the ‘hour of guard’ before the Blessed Sacrament. The Serrans expressed their gratitude to the Sisters for their prayers and good works by providing them with a supply of food stuff and household staples.

Portland Annual Clergy Appreciation Dinner

Portland , Ore. , Serrans had double the reason to celebrate on Feb. 22, 2009: That evening they held their Annual Clergy Appreciation Dinner and wished a very happy birthday to Portland Archbishop Vlazny. The event started with a social hour and dinner kicked off with everyone singing “Happy Birthday” to the archbishop.

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