Serra in Eastern Europe: 10 Years and Growing

  It’s been 10 years since Serra chartered its first club in Eastern Europe. In the wake of the post-communist era, the creation of the Serra Club of Ljubljana in 1991 signaled the introduction of Serra into a region newly receptive to Catholic organizations. It launched Serra’s effort to help the re-emerging church in its vocation and priestly formation efforts. At the same time, Serra became a vehicle for developing strong Catholic lay leaders, a vital need as the church seeks to re-establish itself in the atmosphere of greater freedom.

In Eastern Europe, there are now 16 Serra clubs, 10 clubs in formation, and 693 members. The successful expansion could not have happened without the expert coordination and untiring efforts of Serra International Trustee Antonio LaVerghetta, Serra Club of Padua, Italy. From the start, he has been a leader of the Central Eastern Europe Serra Extension Committee, rallying the support of his fellow Italians and personally making numerous St. Paul-like journeys to bring new Serra clubs to charter and to encourage them in their continued development. Other Serrans, notably Deputy Trustee Lisa Guarda Nardini, Serra Club of Padua, also have made significant contributions to the spread of Serra into Eastern Europe.

The missionary efforts of the Italian Serrans and the resulting bonds that have developed between Serrans in Italy and Eastern Europe are gratifying examples of the cross-cultural cooperation that exists in Serra. While organized into four districts and four independent clubs, the Eastern European Serra clubs continue to be "affiliated" with the Italian Serra Council. There is considerable communication and contact between them. At the special invitation of Italian Serrans, 78 Eastern European Serrans came to Rome in December 2000 to participate in the Great Serra Jubilee Pilgrimage. Eastern European Serrans regularly attend the Italian Serra National Congresses. Earlier this year, the biennial Italian Congress convened in Zadar, Croatia, with participants from Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary and Bosnia, along with the Italians.

Among the Eastern European Serrans, a number of capable, dedicated leaders have arisen. One club chaplain, Fr. Ivan Zupan, Serra Club of Ljubljana, received the Archbishop William E. Cousins Award at the 2001 Serra International Convention in Los Angeles. A champion of Serra in Slovenia, he has been instrumental in forming clubs, has served as a liaison between the clubs and the local bishops, and has translated the key Serra International documents into Slovene.

There is a strong potential for Serra to continue growing in eastern European countries in which Serra now has a foothold, and to reach into many neighboring areas, such as Praha, Plzen, to support the Monastery of Novy Dvur (Czech Republic) and Sarajevo (Bosnia). But there are obstacles to overcome. First, the economic and political situation in the post-communist era for these countries is difficult. Second, continued expansion depends on the availability and capacity of the Italian and Eastern European Serrans to carry out the extension work. Lastly, there is the problem of funding. The Serra International Foundation and the Italian Serra Council Foundation have been providing valuable support that has fueled the expansion.

None of these difficulties is insurmountable. A missionary spirit of generosity and determination opened up these regions to Serra. The Serrans responsible for this expansion see it as just the beginning. Much work - and growth - lies ahead.
Father Serra would be proud.

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