At the heart of Serra: Quality Internal Programs

Cardinal Samuel Stritch, Episcopal Adviser 1946-1958

“The first function of a Serra Club is to give the Church trained, resolute Catholic men who will stand for things Catholic, who will stand for things Christian.”

Cardinal Stritch challenged Serrans to a high calling: “Serrans must be leaders with big Christian vision, men who can bring about a great Christian social renaissance.”
His words may sound grandiose, but they have served as a valuable touchstone for our efforts for the past half century. Over that period, every pope has reminded Serra that our work to promote church vocations must be accompanied by attention to fulfilling our own callings as lay men and women in the world.

Our second objective cites fellowship and education as ways that Serra encourages members to live out their Christian vocations to service, thereby furthering Catholicism. To that end, good internal programming is integral to a Serra club’s success. It is not enough for our meetings to feature presentations that mildly entertain us. Serra club programs should inform and engage members. Through Serra, every member should expect to gain knowledge and insights on theology, the scriptures, spirituality and the social teachings of the church, as well as vocation ministry in particular. It was Cardinal Stritch again who articulated this goal by describing Serra as a “University of Christian Principles.”

Most Serra club meetings feature guest speakers who address topics related to Catholic life and thought. We draw on local priests, sisters and brothers, lay ministers, religious educators, diocesan personnel, pastoral workers and sometimes our own members. Clubs also have had success using videotapes, panel presentations, table discussions and other formats. The more that members can be actively engaged, the better.

There are an endless number of topics for Serra Club programs. Many of them could be developed as a series to allow more in-depth treatment. Here are some examples:

Celebrating the liturgical seasons

Papal encyclicals

Varieties of ministry

Ways of prayer

Theology of the sacraments

Spirituality in the workplace

Business ethics (The case study method can be especially effective.)

Social teachings of the church (There are numerous subjects to explore such as economic justice, modern warfare, racism, abortion, etc.)

Christian marriage

Church history (Examining particular eras can be fascinating and also give a context to the challenges we face today.)

Authority in the church

World religions (Recent events show the importance of understanding other religious traditions.)

Vocation ministry today (As Serrans, we need to be knowledgeable in our chosen apostolate.)

Vocation trends

Report from the diocesan vocation office (Participation in the diocesan vocation plan is essential.)

Priesthood today

Consecrated life

Cardinal Stritch’s vision of Serra provides valuable criteria for examining ourselves. Are our Serra clubs giving the Church trained, resolute Catholic men and women?

Are we developing leaders with big Christian vision, men and women who can bring about a great Christian social renaissance?

Are our Serra clubs true Universities of Christian Principles?

One important step toward making that vision a reality lies in making high quality internal programs a hallmark of every Serra club.

Return to Top