Serra Club "Working for Vocations"
- What is the Serra Club?
Serra Clubs are lay organizations whose members, Catholic laymen and women and permanent deacons, have joined together to foster vocations to the priesthood and religious life and to further Catholicism through their own Christian vocations to service.
The Serra movement is international in scope, Catholic in emphasis and character and democratic in practice.
Its name was taken from Blessed Junipero Serra, the noted Spanish Franciscan missionary, who played a leading part in early missionary work in Mexico and the Western United States.
- What do members of the Serra Club hope to accomplish?
- To foster and promote vocations to the priesthood and religious life and to support priests and religious in whatever way possible.
- To further Catholicism by encouraging its members, in fellowship, through education, to fulfill their Christian vocations in Service.
- Is there a Serra Club near me?
There are three Serra clubs functioning within the Diocese of Youngstown. They are:
- The Serra Club of Youngstown meets twice a month. Business meetings are held at St. Christine's Church in Youngstown. For more information, contact the president, Mr. John Ruggieri at (330) 726-1600.
- The Serra Club of Trumbull County meets twice a month. Business meetings are held at Christ Our King Church in Warren. For more information, contact Mr. Frank Burke at (330) 652- 5198.
- The Serra Club of Stark County meets twice a month. Business meetings are held at St. Paul's Church in Canton. For more information contact Jim and Judy Martell at (330) 497-1688.
For International Information visit the Serra International Website at www.serraus.org
Some Serra Club projects are:
- Speaking to children and youth at parishes and within schools about Religious Vocations.
- Ushering and providing a reception at ordinations of priests and permanent deacons.
- Hosting a summer picnic for seminarians.
- Providing financial aid for the annual Jubilee/Conference Day for Religious Sisters, Brothers and Priests.
- Distribute a monthly calendar with each day dedicated to a local priest to celebrate and pray for him on his birthday or anniversary.
- Host a recognition dinner for Altar Servers.
- Promote the Thirty-one Club in which people in parishes are encouraged to choose a day in the month during which they pledge to pray as a family for priestly and religious vocations.
- Promote the Traveling Cross or Chalice in which a family within a parish takes the Cross or Chalice home for one week and prayers together as a family during each day of the week for Priestly and Religious vocations.
SERRAN PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS
O God, who wills not the death of a sinner, but rather that he be converted and live, grant, we beseech You, through the intercession of the Blessed Junipero Serra, and all the Saints, an increase of laborers for your Church, fellow laborers with Christ to spend and consume themselves for souls, through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever.
