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Serra International and the USA Council . .  

. . . at a glance

Since 1935, Serra International has grown from the informal luncheon of four men in Seattle WA. to a global association of over 19,000 individuals in thirty-six countries. 

On May 3, 1951, Serra International was made part of the “Pontifical Work for Priestly Vocations within the Sacred Congregation for Seminaries and University Studies.”

The USA\Canada Council was approved and formed in 1994. In 2000, Serra International approved and formed the the Serra Council of Canada and USA Council each adopted the an organizational structure similar to Serra International. The USA Council adopted the geographical regional boundaries parallel to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Today

There are over 11,500 Serrans in 327 Serra Clubs in the United States. The primary purpose of the USA Council is to assist and promote the local Serra club.

To accomplish this purpose and respond to the unique vocational needs of the Church in the United States the USA Council of Serra International adopted a structure and vision to support vocations.

The Episcopal Advisor of the USA Council is Most Rev. Blasé Cupich, Bishop of Rapid City, SD.

Mr. Ernest Dolcar of Serra Club of University of Dallas, TX is the USA Council President. Ed Verbeke, the Executive Director, heads the support staff in the Chicago.

Volunteers!

Coordinate the activities of Serra clubs in each of the geographic regions in the United States. District Governors and the local Serra clubs take the lead in Serra’s mission throughout the United States that is to encourage and ensure our vocation work is fulfilled.

Join US!

Therefore, please consider joining us in asking the Lord of the harvest to bless our efforts in working for vocations:

Our Vision

To have all people respond to God’s call to their vocation in life.

We hope: 

To educate and inform our members, collaborators, and the Catholic Community of our commitment to promote the ordained priesthood and religious life.

To encourage and affirm the ordained priesthood and vowed religious life as a positive lifestyle

To inspire and call forth a well-trained and dedicated corps of leaders at all levels of Serra by spiritual and practical formation.

Therefore, that by our works, we will be recognized and sought after as the organization that actively works and promotes vocations to the ordained priesthood and vowed religious life.

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"Lord, open the hearts of many men and women to courageously consider a vocation to the ordained ministry or consecrated life."

Our Ministry

The work of the USA Council of Serra International demonstrates its grounding in the baptismal call of unity in holiness and in mission to the world by calling forth laborers to reap the harvest of the Spirit. Serra remains a group of lay men and women who are committed to the work of the Church and who seek to achieve excellence in that vocation while convinced of the need to support its ministers. 

By performing works cited as "criteria for ecclesiality for lay groups" by Pope John Paul II in Christifideles Laici, Serrans continue "the reawakening of vocations to . . . the ministerial priesthood and the consecrated life . . . and [maintain] a capacity for teaching and forming Christians.

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