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"In the Loop" News

 

A major exhibition to present an in-depth portrait of the life and legacies of Fr. Serra.

Timed to coincide with the 300th anniversary of the birth of Fray Junípero Serra, Junípero Serra and the Legacies of the California Missions is the first major exhibition to present an in-depth portrait of the life and legacies of one of the most visible yet less recognized figures in California history. Californians know Serra as the founding father of the system of 21 missions that today stretches from San Diego to just north of San Francisco.

Junípero Serra and the Legacies of the California Missions

Fray Junípero Serra y Los Legados de las Misiones en California

California History Field Trip Program (Serra Exhibition)

Begin now to Celebrate Blessed Serra's 300th Birthday

The dates and place for the International Convention are set. During the time leading up to the convention we are suggesting that the clubs have a special event to honor Blessed Serra. More ideas will be forthcoming. The Santa Clara Club is having a Novena (described here) which was written by Blessed Serra. Plan now to join your fellow Serrans in Majorca.

Here is another opportunity to celebrate Fr. Serra's 300th Birthday - a pilgrimage to to the California missions. California Mission Pilgrimage 2013 Brochure

A Wish for Blessed Serra's 300th Birthday

November 24, 2013, marks the 300th anniversary of the birth of our patron, Blessed Junipero Serra.

Save the dates: November 22-24, 2013
Western Regional Conference, Carmel Mission Inn, Carmel, CA

On June 5, 2011, the USA Council Board approved a resolution to plan an international celebration to honor this illustrious day. At the Serra International Convention in Ottawa last month, President Thomas Wong formed a committee to plan the celebration.

The celebration of Blessed Serra's birth will give our whole organization a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to honor our patron and to increase the awareness of our organization and mission to non-Serrans and the Church on a wide scale.

As we develop these events, stay in touch with us in the following ways:

Share ideas and friend us on Facebook at Majorca 2013
Bookmark www.majorca2013.com and visit often
Check for updates at www.serraus.org and www.serra.org
We encourage all clubs, regions and districts to plan an extraordinary event during 2012 and 2013 to mark the celebration locally. Make your objective to attract non-Serrans to raise awareness of our wonderful Serran vocations work!

Order your club's Serra Birthday Banner today. Part of the celebration on our trip to Majorca will be to invite all the clubs to purchase a birthday banner marking Fr. Serra's 300th birthday. Click the image on the right for more information.

Finally, let's plan to be in Fr. Serra's birthplace of Petra, Majorca, in June 2013. Majorca is a beautiful small island in the Mediterranean Sea just south of Spain. This momentous occasion calls for a momentous journey; please join us!

All New - Illustrated Novel Of Blessed Junipero Serra’s Life

A terrific vocation activity. Give one to each eighth grade student in your
district and clubs area. To all school & church libraries A fantastic highly professional design and printing. The children love it!! To order contact the:

USA Council of Serra International
65 E Wacker Place Suite 802
Chicago IL 60601-7238
Toll-free voice: 1-888-777-6681
Toll-free fax: 1-888-777-6803
Email: serraus@serraus.org / www.serraus.org $1.00 ea Plus shipping&handling

Implementing “What Can I Do?”

by Norma Swanson, member, USAC Vocations sub-Committee

In January of 2010 at the Super Weekend in Chicago, two presentations were made by the Vocations Sub-committee. One was a film on the shortage of priests (film of priest less church) and the other was a play with actors discussing the shortage situation and how it affected them.
<more>

 

Batter Up!

It's summer time and we all still listen to chorus coming from our ball parks saying, "Hey batter, batter!" Start your All-Star break by collecting these "All-Star" prayer cards. The Serra Club-in-Formation Will County, IL has created this vocation prayer program to involve everyone in your clubs and parishes praying for God's Rookie team our seminarians and newly ordained. The Seminarian Baseball Card is fully described here, download it today!

 

THE HISTORY OF SERRA INTERNATIONAL
75 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

Al Giordano, Ph.D, Historian

The book, The History of Serra International, is now available for distribution. Only 500 copies were printed and 200 of those were sold at two regional conventions in Tacoma, WA and Riverside, CA.

Copies are great as gifts to speakers, to a new club member, for your Bishop or Chaplain, to honor outstanding Serrans, as well as being a great recruitment tool. The first four clubs each purchased a box.

Two copies for $50, a best buy, or $29.75 for one; a box of 17 is $400.

SEND YOUR CHECK TO:
SERRA HISTORY PROJECT
PO Box 3673
Carmel, CA 93921-3673

IRS Reporting Requirement

In order to comply with IRS Reporting Requirements for Not for Profit Organizations, the USA Council of Serra International is required to file a IRS Form 990-EZ for each Serra club in the United States. The Form 990-EZ must be filed by the 15th day following the close of the fiscal year on May 31 or October 15, 2012. Failure to file annually will result in the loss of a clubs' tax exemption.

The USA Council has created an easy to complete online reporting form for your Serra club to submit the required information in a timely manner, please complete this form by September 1. Click here to open the form, you have the option to submit a copy by email or print a copy to mail or fax. We also recommend that you print a copy for your club files.

2013-14 Serra Club Officer Reports Due

The 2013-14 Serra Club Officers reports are due. Please use this report form to submit your club officer report 2013-14 Incoming Club Officer Report

Working for You -- Committee News


Vocations

2012-2013 Best Vocations Programs

The USA Council Vocations Committee wants you to know that the committee believes this summary lists the "best" vocations activities your club can implement in the coming year <click here for the summary>.

Begin Planning Today - National/Worldwide Vocation Events

The National Vocation Awareness Week, World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life and World Day of Prayer for Vocations are now available and posted to our website. The planning kits can be downloaded for use in your clubs, parishes, schools, religious congregations and dioceses.

Previously Serra Clubs, parishes and dioceses paid over $90,000 to NCCV for these materials. The USA Council will be providing these materials at no cost. The $90,000 can now be used for other vocation work and programs. We will not have printed versions available. In order to help us defray the cost of producing these materials, donations can be made to the Bishop Britt Vocations Restricted Fund.

National Vocation Awareness Week (NVAW)
Includes: liturgy planning guide, music suggestions, homily guide, general intercessions, prayer service, prayer card master, bulletin announcements, clip art, poster.
World Day for Consecrated Life (WDCL)
Includes: liturgy planning guide, music suggestions, homily guide, general intercessions, prayer service, prayer card master, bulletin announcements, clip art, poster.
World Day of Prayer for Vocations (WDP)
Includes: liturgy planning guide, music suggestions, homily guide, general intercessions, prayer service, prayer card master, bulletin announcements, clip art, poster.
Priesthood Sunday
This nationwide event is coordinated by the USA Council of Serra International. It is sponsored by the USA Council of Serra International.

Message of Pope Benedict for the 50th World Day of Prayer for Vocations 2013
 

Planning for Graduation - Class of 2013

College Connection for Catholics is a good way to share our Serra Mission.
Please check out the article below. Maybe you could get a similar one in
your Catholic Paper.

Serra Club of South Bend promotes faith connection in college

SOUTH BEND — The Serra Club of South Bend is sponsoring the College Connections for
Catholics (CCC), a program that provides high school students with information about Catholic
organizations at the college of their choice as well as providing campus ministries with the
students’ information so that they can receive invitations to events and liturgies.

Research shows that young Catholics who practice their faith in college attend Mass more often, become leaders in their parish and are more likely to consider a religious vocation. Saint Joseph’s and Marian high schools participated in the program last year. This year the Serra Club of South Bend is broadening the program to cover not only the two Catholic high schools but also Catholic students not attending Saint Joseph’s or Marian.

The Serra Club of South Bend is contacting parishes in the western end of the diocese. For more information, call your parish or contact Stephen Elek, Jr. at (574) 291-0550. The Serra mission is to pray, foster and support vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

College Connection for Catholics is helping your get started with new resources for 2012. <more...>

Serra’s College Connection for Catholics Program Links Catholic Youth with Church on Campus

Parents are often dismayed when their kids go off to college and wander away from the Catholic faith. The USA Council of Serra International saw the need to connect young people with the church on campus and developed the College Connection for Catholics program to forge that bridge.<more>

College Connection in the News!

Program connects college students with Catholic events (Denver Catholic Register May 2011)

Learn More...
the COLLEGE CONNECTION for Catholics

Communications

Attention all Serra Clubs: Do you have a website that we do not know about? Send us an email and we can create a link to your Serra Club's website. Need help please see our Serra Club Webpage Template page for more information.

Serra Club Newsletter Editors: Do you want to post your newsletter online? Send us a copy via email and we add it to our online listing.

Programs

Three NEW Program related items for you and your clubs. The first is related to the 300th Anniversary Celebration of Blessed Junipero Serra's birth and related 2013 SI Convention in Majorca (Greg Lynch's priority). The second and third are Holy Hour Pray Service materials related to the Year of Faith, which I received from Katie Radford.

1. Celebrating the 300th Anniversary of Blessed Junipero Serra's Birth - Suggestions and Information
2. Year of Faith Holy Hour Leader Copy
3. Year of Faith Holy Hour Worship Aid

 

Membership

Membership Workshops

Membership- 101- Recruiting
Membership- 102 - Retention

USA Council Awards Program!

Are you part of a winning team? Let us know.

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SerraUSA

Current Issue:

Remembering Mother Teresa ~ Winter 2010

 

Past issues ... 

What is a "Culture for Vocations?" ~ Spring/Summer 2010

Year for Priests ~ Summer/Fall 2009

 

 

The Serra Leader

If you have any questions, would like to submit an article, offer your suggestions please email the Communications Coordinator.

The Serra Leader (Fall '12)

The Serra Leader (Print Editions)

Annual Reports

USA Council of Serra International Annual Report (2011-12)

USA Council of Serra International Annual Audit Report (2011-12)

Serra International

2013 Serra International Convention
Palma Majorca, Spain

Plan now to attend this wonderful event. The 2013 Serra International Annual Convention will be in Palma Majorca the birthplace of Padre Junipero Serra June 20-23, 2013 it promises to be informative, historical, and very enjoyable. For registration and additional information please visit Serra International.

Serra International Bellringers

 

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Looking Forward

Where two or more are gathered...

One Serran said, "A Serra meeting should be like spending an hour with Jesus." Serrans believe that when members gather for prayer, a meal and conversation, they grow in faith and are inspired and challenged by each other.

We invite you to consider anyone of the following opportunities for you to join us at these events and learn more and why we are Serrans.

On the road...visit a Serra Club during your trip

serraUSA Club Locator (As of Dec 2011, please note dates and times are subject to change without notice.)

 

Eucharistic Adoration for Vocations to Ordained Ministry and Consecrated Life

His Holiness John Paul II blessed this monstrance for the Church in North America so that during the Year of the Eucharist we all might pray for vocations to ordained ministry and consecrated life. In cooperation with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Secretariat for Vocations and Priestly Formation, the USA Council of Serra International is coordinating and sponsoring the tour of this Monstrance to US Catholic dioceses throughout the Year of Eucharist and beyond.

Adoration for Vocations
Exton, PA - June 20 - August 2, 2013
Detroit, MI - September 5-18, 2013


Dates to Remember

May 17-19, 2013
USA Council Annual Meeting - Super Weekend

Jun 20-23, 2013
Serra International Convention, Majorca, Spain

 

Annual District/Regional Conferences

USA Council of Serra International is happy to provide this list of Annual Fall District/Regional Conferences.

Join Serrans from your district and region for fellowship, inspiration, learning, and worship. Discover the world of Serra locally by attending a district or regional conference near you.

 - May God bless you and your work for vocations.

New England Conference

Date: 2013 TBA
Location: TBA

Mid-Atlantic Conference

Date: 2013 TBA
Location: TBA

Great Lakes Conference

2013
Date: September 26-30, 2013
Location: Grand Rapids, MI

Region 7 Conference

2013
Date: September 26-30, 2013
Location: Grand Rapids, MI

Region 8 Conference

Date: Nov 22-24, 2013
Location: Christ the King Retreat Center, Buffalo, MN

Region 9 Conference

2013
Date: September 27-29, 2013
Location: National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows

Western Regional Conference

Date: Nov 22-24, 2013
Location: Carmel Mission Inn, Carmel, CA

District 6 Conference

Date: 2013 TBA
Location: TBA

District 1-Region 12 Conference

Date: 2014 TBA
Location: TBA

The USA Council will be happy to post a notice of your district Spring Leadership and Planning Conferences, Serra Club days of prayer and reflection, and other Serra Club events on our website.

Submit your event notice with us . . .

Vocation Discernment Retreats

"Vocation is about following that God-given pull or leaning that seems to come from deep within."

USA Council of Serra International is happy to provide this list of open invitations to hear God's Call.

VOCATIONAL DISCERNMENT RETREAT ~ YOUNG WOMEN 18-30
May 31-June 2, 2013 ~ DAUGHTERS OF ST. PAUL (www.DaughtersOfStPaul.com)
172 N. MICHIGAN AVE., CHICAGO, IL
Contact Sr. Helena: helraphaelfsp@aol.com - 617-850-5584

Please contact the retreat master directly for more information regarding each scheduled event.

- May God bless you on your discernment journey.

Retreat Masters

The USA Council will be happy to post a notice of your days of discernment, life awareness, prayer, and reflection on our website.

Submit your retreat notice with us . . .

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