Dates to Remember for Our Club.
December 5, 2008. First Friday Adoration at Sts. Peter and Paul. Mass at 7:00 p.m. followed by Adoration until 10:00.
December 15, 2008. Board Meeting, 12:00 Noon at Louis Benton Steak House.
January 12, 2009. Luncheon Meeting, 12:00 Noon at Louis Benton Steak House.
Watch for other dates in the January, 2009 Newsletter.
February 9, 2009. Member-Guest Reception, 5:30 p.m. at Louis Benton Steak House.
Please give names of potential guests to Tim Hile.
February 21, 2009. Sisters' Appreciation Dinner. Details to follow.
Celebrating Advent. Dates to Remember.
December 6. St. Nicholas. St. Nicholas was the great fourth-century bishop of Myra, in what is now Turkey. His love for the poor, especially, children, has linked him in tradition with gift-giving. Children tradtionally receive gifts--chocolate coins, in particular--in their shoes from St. Nicholas.
December 8. The Immaculate Conception. On December 8, we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception: God prepared Mary to be the mother of Jesus by preserving her from original sin. Many prepare for this feast by praying a novena beginning on November 30.
December 9. St. Juan Diego.
December 12. Our Lady of Guadalupe. Juan Diego remained firm in his account of the Blessed Virgin Mary's appearance to him, even in the fact of doubt from his bishop. We celebrate Mary's appearance as Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas and of the unborn, on this day. December 13. St. Lucy. St. Lucy was a young woman martyred by the Romans in the early fourth century. A Scandinavian custom celebrates the light of her Christian witness in the tradition of a young woman of the house wearing a wreath with lit candles upon her head.
Prayers for Advent.
Prayer starter for Week 1: In hope, I wait for the fullness of your presence, Lord. Come, Lord Jesus!
Prayer Starter for Week 2: Lord Jesus, I hear the call of John the Baptist. I come to You in sorrow for my sins, open to Your grace.
Prayer Starter for Week 3: Lord, I rejoice at the Good News of Your coming. Make my heart ready.
Prayer Starter for Week 4: Lord, I wait for You in trust and hope.
The O Antiphons. From December 17 to 23, the O Antiphons are chanted during Vespers in the Liturgy of the Hours. The titles of Jesus in the antiphons are all titles of the Messiah, rooted in the prophecies of Isaiah.
December 17: O Sapienta (Wisdom)
December 18: O Adonai (O Adonai)
December 19: O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse)
December 20: O Clavis David (O Key of David)
December 21: O Oriens (O Morning Star)
December 22: O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations)
December 23: (O Emmanuel (O Emmanuel)
Source: Our Sunday Visitor pamphlet, 2007. Inventory No. P426.
Serra USA and International Dates to Remember.
December 15, 2008. District Governor Visit Reports due.
January 8-11, 2009. Superweekend, Chicago, Ill.
January 11-16, 2009. National Week of Prayer for Vocations.
February 8, 2009. World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life.
February 20-22, 2009. Serra USA Planning Conference, Kansas City, MO.
May 3, 2009. World Day of Prayer for Vocations.
August 27-30. Serra International Convention, Omaha, NE.
More on Venturing. Serra Club of Grand Rapids Forms First Venturing Crew Using the Matching Serra International Foundation Grant.
Congratulations are in order for Dennis Leiber, of the Serra Club of Grand Rapids, Michigan ,and the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting, on forming the first Serra Club chartered Catholic Venturing Crew for students at West Catholic High School.
Source: Serra USA Homepage.
Dennis recently announced the formation of a second Venturing Crew at Aquinas College.
Details to follow.
Eatra Prayers for Vocations. On December 8, the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women will supply His Excellency Bishop Hurley with a list of names of those who have committed to praying an extra Rosary for vocations once each week. These prayers will continue until Pentecost.
Ora et Labora. Pray and Work. Monastery Gifts for Christmas, handmade by monks and nuns.
Something Sweet. Abbey Brittle. Benedictine monks in Subiaco, Ark sell this product. Search "Abbey Brittle" on YouTube.com to watch Father Richard Walz make it. Order from subi.org or call 479-934-1001.
Something Spicy. Also available at subi.org. Father Walz came up with his fiery concoction while stationed in Belize, Central America. (Editor's Note: Nate McKenzie and John Osterhart might be interested in this product).
The following may be ordered from monasterygreetings.com or 800-472-0425:
Nun Better. Order Nun Better Cookies: Sisters of the Holy Spirit, Cleveland, OH.
"Praylines": St. Benedict Monastery, south of Amaarillo, TX.
Trappist Preserves: St. Joseph's Abbey, Spencer, MA.
Genesee Cakes: Abbey of the Genesee, Piffard, NY.
Holy Java. The cloistered Carmelite monks in Clark, Wyoming have been selling Mystic Monk Coffee since 2007 at mysticmonkcoffee.com or 877--751-6377.
Candy from the Abbey. Sisters at Mount St. Mary's Abbey in Wrentham, MA, offer a number of selections at abbey.msmabbey.org or 866-549-8929.
Creamy Caramels. Cistercian nuns at Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey in Dubuque Iowa sell an assortment of caramels at trappistine.com or 866-556-3400.
Gourmet Confections: Priory of Our Lady of Consolation, Amity, OR. Order from brigittine.org or 503-835-8080.
Creamed Honey, so thick an creamy you'll need willpower not to eat it straight out of the jar, is available in a variety of flavors at redwoodsabbey.org.
Divinely Original Mustard, made by the Benedictine Sisters in Mount Angel, OR, can be ordered from monasterymustard.com.
Fruitcakes, etc.
Fantastic Fruitcakes. Holy Cross Abbey, Berryville, VA. Trappist monks make fruitcase, but their world famous dark chocolate-covered fruitcake slices, called FRATERS, are most renowned. The monks also harvest a clover honey in several flavors. Order from monasteryfruitcake.org or 540-955-9494.
World Class Fruitcakes. Assumption Abbey, Ava, MO. Order from assumptionabbey.org or 888-738-0117.
Gethsemani Gifts. Abbey of Gethsemani in Trappist, KY was Thomas Merton's monastery. Order fruitcake, handmade cheeses, or Butter Walnut Bourbon Fudge from gethsemanifarms.org or 800-549-0912.
Cleaning and Healing.
Premium All-Natural Handmade Soap, beeswax salves, lotions, and wax candles by the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration are available at monasterycreations.com or 877-672-7627.
Desert Refreshment. Benedictine Monks of Christ in the Desert offer alll-natural lip balms, made from almond oil, beeswax, and peppermint. $3 each from christdesert.org.
Monasticism began when St. Anthony of Egypt sought God alone in the Scriptures and the emptiness of the desert and large numbers followed his life of "ora et labora'--prayer and work. Religious across the country live this philosphy as they make handmade gifts and treats.
Source: National Catholic Register, November 9, 2008.
Editor's Note: I have tried each of the above websites and have found them to be accurate. If you have any difficulty ordering, give me a call or send me an e-mail and I will try to correct your problem. Even if you're not sure you want to place an order, you will enjoy a cyber-tour of the beautiful, peaceful places mentioned in the web addresses. Some addresses include Gregorian chant as well as information about the monasteries and the products they sell.
Here's an idea for gifts of women's clothing. Preview the online catalog at http://www.jockeyp2p.com/. Call Aggie Cloyd if you have questions.
Special Prayers for these priests: Father Tom DeYoung retired on November 30. Father Michael Danner plans to return to work next month. Fr. Mark Przybycz 's illness has not been diagnosed. May we keep them, and all priests and religious, in our prayers.
Prayer for Healing through the Intercession of Blessed Junipero Serra. The USA Council of Serra International Executive Committee encourages Serrans throughout the USA to pray for All Serrans around the world who need healing.
"All USA Council of Serra International members are urged to take part in the effort to cononize Blessed Junipero Serra. We are aware that one more miracle is needed to submit to the Church body examining Father Serra's cause for canonization. Perhaps someone you may remember to pray for will be that miracle cure. One way to do so is to pray the Father Serra Novena for the healing of ailing Serrans. One may find the Serra Novena on the home page of the USA Council of Serra International's web site, http://www.serraus.org/. Look at the right hand column toward the bottom entry. Pray the novena and any other devotions for sick Serrans as often as possible."
We appreciate your thoughtful consideration to join us in this prayer.
Sincerely,
The USA Council of Serra International.
A Message from our President.
Dear Serrans: What a wonderful way to start Advent--attending the Vocatioans Dinner. The committee can be very happy with this year's event. The accommodations were delightful and th food was delicious. The music, the conversations with friends, the messages delivered, and the prayers we prayed all contributed to the wonderful time. Our thanks go out to the Serran who tied the evening all together, Joseph Scoville.
Those who did not attend missed a great evening. Sometimes we think only about the bottom line of how much we made. Yes, that is paraat of the picture, but listening to our speakers was the bottom linle for me. Father Matt's enthusiasm and hearing about the results of our first Youth Rally were inspiring. Our youth are the future of the Church, and all of us together can help them make a difference for our Church and for our world. Congratulations to all who worked so hard and to all who attended and supported the work of vocations in our diocese.
January is coming, and Vocations Awareness Week looms at the top of the list. Len Gross and his committee are busy planning vocation presentations to our Catholic high schools and middle schools. All are welcome to call Len to find out where and when the presentations will be held. If you'd like to assist in any way, please let him know.
February will find us busy cooking and serving our many faithful Religious Sisters. The date is Saturday, February 21 at St. Jude"s Brophy Center. We will be needing gifts for the sisters. If you are a craft-type person, your handmade gifts are always a hit! If you're not, the ladies always enjoy a nice box of candy, a good book, stationery--the sky is the limit. Nate McKenzie and Mark Kubik will serve as head chefs and have just about finalized the menu. Please mark the date and plan to help out. The dinner also presents an opportunity to involve our children and grandchildren.
As noted in the Bishop's radio message, I hope all of us can slow down to listen to the Scriptures of Advent, with the theme of remaining watchful for the coming of the Lord. Enjoy your Christmas gatherings with family and friends, and may 2009 bring peace and prosperity to all.
Merry Christmas! Pam McKenzie.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter, November,2008
Calendar of Events.
Nobember 7, 2008. Mass and Adoration, 8:30-10:00 a.m. at St. Stephen's.
November 24, 2008. NO MEETING. ENJOY YOUR THANKSGIVING WEEK.
December 2, 2008. Eighteenth Annual Vocations Benefit Dinner at the Conference Center at Cathedral Square. Social 6:00 p.m. Dinner 7:00 p.m.
February 21, 2009. Sisters' Appreciation Dinner. Please note the correction. The October Newsletter reported the date as February, 2008.
Most Merciful Jesus, from whom comes all that is good, increase Your grace in men and women consecrated to Your service, that they may perform worthy works of mercy; and that all who see them may glorify the Father of Mercy who is in heaven.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the company of chosen ones in Your vineyard--upon the souls of priests and religious; and endow them with the strength of Your blessing. For the love of the Heart of Your Son in which they are enfolded, impart to them Your power and light, that they may be able to guide others in the way of salvation and with one voice sing praise to Your boundless mercy for ages without end. Amen.
Excerpt from Boston Tough. Military Chaplain is Vocations Director to the World.
Father John McLaughlin became the first vocations director for the Arthdiocese for the Military Services, USA, in June, 2008.
National Catholic Register Interviewer Tim Drake spoke with Fr. McLaughlin from his office in Washington, D. C.
Where are you from originally? I'm from Woburn, Mass., 12 miles north of Boston. We call it the "holy city." One parish in particular has had more priests per capita than any parish in the country, with more than 80 priests ordained from it. In 1995, I was the sixth guy ordained in six years...
What led to your own vocation? I was in real estate and owned my own properties and coached high school wrestling for about 10 years. One night in 1986, a car accident killed two of my wrestlers on the last day of the season. My captain was left a quadriplegic, and another young man was left in a coma. Both of them came from very religious families. John Turner came out of his coma and is doing well. I baptized two of his children.
I accompanied the other young man, Tim Donovan, on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje in 1988. Tim was in a wheelchair. I thought I was taking him on the pilgrimage, but in the end, it was he who was taking me. That experience brought me back to my faith.
What was it about the pilgrimage that moved you? There's a great peace you get there. A lot of people look for that peace. I was working, doing what I was supposed to do, trying to make more money. That didn't give me the same peace that I got from the prayer that was going on over there. That propelled me toward the priesthood...
How dire is the need for Catholic military chaplains? It's pretty great. We have around 300 for all the services. When you think of the number of people in the military and the fact that 24 percent of them are Catholic, that's not a great number. The chaplains can't be everywhere, so sacramentally--bringing the Eucharist, anointing the sick and dying, and hearing confessions--they're not able to minister to the men and women as they should.
Some dioceses have been really good about freeing up men for service to the Military Archdiocese, and some haven't been supportive--perhaps because they are facing shortages of their own.
What's the biggest challenge of your work? We're the largest diocese in the world because we go all over the place. Time management is a big concern. Because of the huge distance that I cover, I can't randomly stop into all the bases..I've been traveling to different bases and talking to men who have an interest in religious life. I just got back from Fort Bragg, where I met with three different men...I'm soliciting people to become priests or religious, but am not just soliciting for the Military Archdiocese; they have to be sponsored by another diocese. We do not have people who are priests just for us. If they want to come into the Military Archdiocese or become priests, I direct inquirers to their diocese or diocesan vocation director.
Are there particular qualities that make those who have served in the military good candidates for the priesthood or religious life? The young people I've met are tremendous. Their sense of duty, discipline, and their willingness to sacrifice brings them to a willingness to sacrifice for God.
What can families do to encourage religious vocations? That's the big problem. People wonder why the numbers are going down. Internationally, the numbers in third-world nations are really high. The comfort level in America is at the highest in history. That's part of the reason. Vocations are nurtured. If people aren't going to church or talking about the priesthood in the family, it's not being supported.
Source: National Catholic Register, October 12, 2008.
Items of Interest. Pam McKenzie gave a presentation about vocations to St. Stephen's third,
fourth, and fifth graders on October 29. The students were introduced to the Vocations Chalice...SDVI Scholarship recipient Katie O'Connor (2006) recently called Pam to volunteer for an extra leaf-raking session with the Consolata Sisters. Several members of her family joined in the November 1 effort. Also to be noted is that Katie went back on her own for a second NDVI session...Prayer cards have been sent to Father Tom DeYoung, who will be retiring this month, Julie Klein, and the Msgr. Ancona family. Pray also for Fr. Mark Przybysz and Fr. Danner...Paul Nelson, along with several other Serrans, continues his College Connection work at Aquinas.
Pray the Rosary for Vocations. The following note is being circulated among the parishes of our diocese: Pray for Vocations. Bishop Hurley, we, the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, will pray the Rosary weekly for ministries within the Church, especially the priesthood, the religious life, and the deaconate through May, 2009. The forms are to be returned to Mary Burk, 734 Stewart Street, Fremont, MI 49412, by December 1. They will be presented to Biship Hurley by December 8, Feast of the Immaculate Conception. These prayers can be said at one's convenience, in any setting, and do not require a special meeting, time, or place.
A Letter from Serra International President Cesare Gambardella. October 30, 2008. Dear Brothers and Sisters in Serra: When a family is united and one of its members has a difficult problelm, all get together in an effort to help and support him.
There is no doubt in my mind that this is the case for the Serra Family, due to the nature and characteristics of each Serran: the spirit of friendship freely given and of fraternity.
Joe Donahue of the Serra Dlub of NW Denver in Colorado U. ?S.l A. and also a member of the International Board of Trustees, communicated that he has been diagnosed with cancer of the liver and pancreas, because of which (in his own words) there is little hope.
We, all together and united, can be a great help to Joe: the certainty of our prayers for him and his family.
However, I am asking more. I have Joe's permission to ask all Serrans to pray to ourPatron Blessed Junipero Serra to intercede for a cure, and if this be God's will, to make this initiative a worldwide effort.
It is my dream: could Joe be the instsrument of the miracle needed for Blessed Junipero Serra to be recognized as a saint of the universal Church? It is a fact that we are waiting his canonization for a long time.
To this end, I ask you to inform Chicago Headquarters or me directly on what initiative you have or will be taking.
Mary, Mother of Vocations, pray for us!
Yours in Serra, Cesare Gambardella, S. I. President
Remembering our Beloved Dead. When Benjamin Franklin wanted to convey the inevitability of taxating by governments, he used death as an analogy. "Death and taxes" entered our vocabulary as a piece of folk wisdom. People of all religious beliefs around the world have acknowledged the place of death in the cycle of things, and have connected some of their deepest beliefs and most profound rituals to it. Those of us in the Christian tradition are no different. But what makes death different in our lives is that we connect the life of the departed not only to our own lives and the lives of those he or she knew and loved, but also to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Our celebration of the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed (All Souls) on the Lord's Day is a wonderful opportunity for us to recall that on each Lord's Day we celebrate the mystery that Christ has died, Christ is risen, and Christ will come again. Moreover, as we remember and celebrate the lives of those who have gone before us in faith, we take comfort in our sorrow by remembering that their lives--and their deaths-- are intimately bound up in the life of Christ, who lives forever, no more to die. Source: Our Llady of Sorrows Bulletin, November 2, 2008.
November is the month of the remembrance of the dead.
Prayer for the Dead. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
May their souls and the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.Amen.
A Message From Our President. Dear Serrans: November is upon us and it is the time of year when we remember those who have departed. We certainly want to remember the deceased Serrans who have served our Grand Rapids club over the past 60 years, as well as the priests and religious who have served the Church. May they rest in peace.
With the West Catholic venturing crew off and running, I am happy to report that a second venturing crew is forming. This is a smaller group of men attending Aquinas College. They are discerning about the priesthood. Several priests have been talking and working with them. The
group has scheduled meeting times about every other week as their schedules permit. I will keep you updated as more information becomes available.
Len Gross and the Vocations Committee have some busy days coming. The Youth Rally will take place on November 8. A big thank you to the Serrans who have volunteered to help. Also, don't forget about adoration on Friday morning at St. Stephen Parish. Then on Sunday, November 9, we have been asked to provide hospitality at Grand Valley State University. Father Don Andrie is putting together a social time after the 5:30 mass at DeWitt Center on campus. He called me to see whether I could get about six people to help him. I accepted. This is the first time that I know of for Serrans to meet and mingle with Grand Valley students. If you are interested in helping, please call me at 893-5233 and I will give you the particulars. Stay tuned for more news...
I know all of you have been talking to your friends and neighbors about attending the Vocations Dinner on December 2. Even though the early bird opporunity is over, you can still promote and sell tickets. The Programs Committee is looking over the final plans, and the evening will be very enjoyable.
Our traveling chalice is making its way to Catholic elementary schools. The third, fourth, and fifth graders at St. Stephen were happy to help pray for vocations, including our 10 seminarians. While talking to the students, I learned that one of them has a cousin in a seminary. We decided to add the cousin's name to the list. Boys and girls do know a lot about vocations and discerning about a religious way of life. I am always energized after giving one of these presentations.
Thank you to Dr. Larry Burns for his enlightening presentation on stem cell research and Proposal 2. Don't forget to vote! November 10 is our next meeting date at Louis Benton Steak House. We will have a break the week ofThanksgiving, and then comes the gala Vocations Dinner on Tuesday, December 2, at Cathedral Square.
May you all have a blessed Thanksgiving.
Pam McKenzie
Nobember 7, 2008. Mass and Adoration, 8:30-10:00 a.m. at St. Stephen's.
November 8, 2008. Youth Rally at Cathedral Square. Our club will preside over a table at the rally. We will distribute NDVI materials and information about Serra. Call Len Gross if you want to help with setting up on Friday or working on Saturday. A 4:00 mass will conclude the event.
November 10, 2008. Luncheon Meeting, 12:00 Noon at Louis Benton Steak House.
November 17, 2008. Board Meeting, 12:00 Noon at Louis Benton Steak House.
November 24, 2008. NO MEETING. ENJOY YOUR THANKSGIVING WEEK.
December 2, 2008. Eighteenth Annual Vocations Benefit Dinner at the Conference Center at Cathedral Square. Social 6:00 p.m. Dinner 7:00 p.m.
February 21, 2009. Sisters' Appreciation Dinner. Please note the correction. The October Newsletter reported the date as February, 2008.
News from West Virginia, October 10-12. John Osterhart moderated the two back-to-back Membership meetings and Nate McKenzie served on the panel. One of the themes of the discussion was Recruiting the Next Generation of Serra, looking for a more diverse and younger membership. Let us congratulate John and Nate for their part in an excellent presentation.
Another highlight of the conference was a message by Bishop Emeritus of Wheeling-Charleston Bernard Schmitt. The bishop, one of a family of seven boys, recalls his grandmother. She had always thought about a religious vocation, but instead married and had nine children. She attended two masses every day and prayed fervently that one of her children would feel called to serve the Church with a religious vocation. At one time one of her daughters decided she wanted to become a Sister but left the convent after six months. However, the next generation of the family produced seven priests and six religious sisters. The Lord's ways are not necessarily our ways, the Bishop observed. The Lord answers our prayers, but not always in the way we would have envisioned.
A second point the Bishop made was that there is no easy way to Salvation. The job of Serra, he reflected, is planting seeds, getting ready so that when Christ comes around, we need to make sure that He will find good ground. "Lukewarmness is the great enemy of the Church. Be like St. Francis, he advised, on fire with love of God. In our time, Mother Theresa, beginning with nothing, founded the Sisters of Charity, now more than 700 members strong."
Third, the Bishop inquired why we are not more upset about the lack of vocations in the Church. We need to make people aware of the situation. Good families, he said, provide the good ground to sow the seeds of vocations.
As one might expect, the Oglebay Conference offered a wonderful opportunity for prayer and fellowship in a beautiful setting.
Prayer for the Second Day of the Divine Mercy Novena. Today bring to Me the souls of priests and religious, and immerse them in My unfathomable mercy.
Most Merciful Jesus, from whom comes all that is good, increase Your grace in men and women consecrated to Your service, that they may perform worthy works of mercy; and that all who see them may glorify the Father of Mercy who is in heaven.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the company of chosen ones in Your vineyard--upon the souls of priests and religious; and endow them with the strength of Your blessing. For the love of the Heart of Your Son in which they are enfolded, impart to them Your power and light, that they may be able to guide others in the way of salvation and with one voice sing praise to Your boundless mercy for ages without end. Amen.
Excerpt from Boston Tough. Military Chaplain is Vocations Director to the World.
Father John McLaughlin became the first vocations director for the Arthdiocese for the Military Services, USA, in June, 2008.
National Catholic Register Interviewer Tim Drake spoke with Fr. McLaughlin from his office in Washington, D. C.
Where are you from originally? I'm from Woburn, Mass., 12 miles north of Boston. We call it the "holy city." One parish in particular has had more priests per capita than any parish in the country, with more than 80 priests ordained from it. In 1995, I was the sixth guy ordained in six years...
What led to your own vocation? I was in real estate and owned my own properties and coached high school wrestling for about 10 years. One night in 1986, a car accident killed two of my wrestlers on the last day of the season. My captain was left a quadriplegic, and another young man was left in a coma. Both of them came from very religious families. John Turner came out of his coma and is doing well. I baptized two of his children.
I accompanied the other young man, Tim Donovan, on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje in 1988. Tim was in a wheelchair. I thought I was taking him on the pilgrimage, but in the end, it was he who was taking me. That experience brought me back to my faith.
What was it about the pilgrimage that moved you? There's a great peace you get there. A lot of people look for that peace. I was working, doing what I was supposed to do, trying to make more money. That didn't give me the same peace that I got from the prayer that was going on over there. That propelled me toward the priesthood...
How dire is the need for Catholic military chaplains? It's pretty great. We have around 300 for all the services. When you think of the number of people in the military and the fact that 24 percent of them are Catholic, that's not a great number. The chaplains can't be everywhere, so sacramentally--bringing the Eucharist, anointing the sick and dying, and hearing confessions--they're not able to minister to the men and women as they should.
Some dioceses have been really good about freeing up men for service to the Military Archdiocese, and some haven't been supportive--perhaps because they are facing shortages of their own.
What's the biggest challenge of your work? We're the largest diocese in the world because we go all over the place. Time management is a big concern. Because of the huge distance that I cover, I can't randomly stop into all the bases..I've been traveling to different bases and talking to men who have an interest in religious life. I just got back from Fort Bragg, where I met with three different men...I'm soliciting people to become priests or religious, but am not just soliciting for the Military Archdiocese; they have to be sponsored by another diocese. We do not have people who are priests just for us. If they want to come into the Military Archdiocese or become priests, I direct inquirers to their diocese or diocesan vocation director.
Are there particular qualities that make those who have served in the military good candidates for the priesthood or religious life? The young people I've met are tremendous. Their sense of duty, discipline, and their willingness to sacrifice brings them to a willingness to sacrifice for God.
What can families do to encourage religious vocations? That's the big problem. People wonder why the numbers are going down. Internationally, the numbers in third-world nations are really high. The comfort level in America is at the highest in history. That's part of the reason. Vocations are nurtured. If people aren't going to church or talking about the priesthood in the family, it's not being supported.
Source: National Catholic Register, October 12, 2008.
Items of Interest. Pam McKenzie gave a presentation about vocations to St. Stephen's third,
fourth, and fifth graders on October 29. The students were introduced to the Vocations Chalice...SDVI Scholarship recipient Katie O'Connor (2006) recently called Pam to volunteer for an extra leaf-raking session with the Consolata Sisters. Several members of her family joined in the November 1 effort. Also to be noted is that Katie went back on her own for a second NDVI session...Prayer cards have been sent to Father Tom DeYoung, who will be retiring this month, Julie Klein, and the Msgr. Ancona family. Pray also for Fr. Mark Przybysz and Fr. Danner...Paul Nelson, along with several other Serrans, continues his College Connection work at Aquinas.
Pray the Rosary for Vocations. The following note is being circulated among the parishes of our diocese: Pray for Vocations. Bishop Hurley, we, the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, will pray the Rosary weekly for ministries within the Church, especially the priesthood, the religious life, and the deaconate through May, 2009. The forms are to be returned to Mary Burk, 734 Stewart Street, Fremont, MI 49412, by December 1. They will be presented to Biship Hurley by December 8, Feast of the Immaculate Conception. These prayers can be said at one's convenience, in any setting, and do not require a special meeting, time, or place.
A Letter from Serra International President Cesare Gambardella. October 30, 2008. Dear Brothers and Sisters in Serra: When a family is united and one of its members has a difficult problelm, all get together in an effort to help and support him.
There is no doubt in my mind that this is the case for the Serra Family, due to the nature and characteristics of each Serran: the spirit of friendship freely given and of fraternity.
Joe Donahue of the Serra Dlub of NW Denver in Colorado U. ?S.l A. and also a member of the International Board of Trustees, communicated that he has been diagnosed with cancer of the liver and pancreas, because of which (in his own words) there is little hope.
We, all together and united, can be a great help to Joe: the certainty of our prayers for him and his family.
However, I am asking more. I have Joe's permission to ask all Serrans to pray to ourPatron Blessed Junipero Serra to intercede for a cure, and if this be God's will, to make this initiative a worldwide effort.
It is my dream: could Joe be the instsrument of the miracle needed for Blessed Junipero Serra to be recognized as a saint of the universal Church? It is a fact that we are waiting his canonization for a long time.
To this end, I ask you to inform Chicago Headquarters or me directly on what initiative you have or will be taking.
Mary, Mother of Vocations, pray for us!
Yours in Serra, Cesare Gambardella, S. I. President
Remembering our Beloved Dead. When Benjamin Franklin wanted to convey the inevitability of taxating by governments, he used death as an analogy. "Death and taxes" entered our vocabulary as a piece of folk wisdom. People of all religious beliefs around the world have acknowledged the place of death in the cycle of things, and have connected some of their deepest beliefs and most profound rituals to it. Those of us in the Christian tradition are no different. But what makes death different in our lives is that we connect the life of the departed not only to our own lives and the lives of those he or she knew and loved, but also to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Our celebration of the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed (All Souls) on the Lord's Day is a wonderful opportunity for us to recall that on each Lord's Day we celebrate the mystery that Christ has died, Christ is risen, and Christ will come again. Moreover, as we remember and celebrate the lives of those who have gone before us in faith, we take comfort in our sorrow by remembering that their lives--and their deaths-- are intimately bound up in the life of Christ, who lives forever, no more to die. Source: Our Llady of Sorrows Bulletin, November 2, 2008.
November is the month of the remembrance of the dead.
Prayer for the Dead. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
May their souls and the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.Amen.
A Message From Our President. Dear Serrans: November is upon us and it is the time of year when we remember those who have departed. We certainly want to remember the deceased Serrans who have served our Grand Rapids club over the past 60 years, as well as the priests and religious who have served the Church. May they rest in peace.
With the West Catholic venturing crew off and running, I am happy to report that a second venturing crew is forming. This is a smaller group of men attending Aquinas College. They are discerning about the priesthood. Several priests have been talking and working with them. The
group has scheduled meeting times about every other week as their schedules permit. I will keep you updated as more information becomes available.
Len Gross and the Vocations Committee have some busy days coming. The Youth Rally will take place on November 8. A big thank you to the Serrans who have volunteered to help. Also, don't forget about adoration on Friday morning at St. Stephen Parish. Then on Sunday, November 9, we have been asked to provide hospitality at Grand Valley State University. Father Don Andrie is putting together a social time after the 5:30 mass at DeWitt Center on campus. He called me to see whether I could get about six people to help him. I accepted. This is the first time that I know of for Serrans to meet and mingle with Grand Valley students. If you are interested in helping, please call me at 893-5233 and I will give you the particulars. Stay tuned for more news...
I know all of you have been talking to your friends and neighbors about attending the Vocations Dinner on December 2. Even though the early bird opporunity is over, you can still promote and sell tickets. The Programs Committee is looking over the final plans, and the evening will be very enjoyable.
Our traveling chalice is making its way to Catholic elementary schools. The third, fourth, and fifth graders at St. Stephen were happy to help pray for vocations, including our 10 seminarians. While talking to the students, I learned that one of them has a cousin in a seminary. We decided to add the cousin's name to the list. Boys and girls do know a lot about vocations and discerning about a religious way of life. I am always energized after giving one of these presentations.
Thank you to Dr. Larry Burns for his enlightening presentation on stem cell research and Proposal 2. Don't forget to vote! November 10 is our next meeting date at Louis Benton Steak House. We will have a break the week ofThanksgiving, and then comes the gala Vocations Dinner on Tuesday, December 2, at Cathedral Square.
May you all have a blessed Thanksgiving.
Pam McKenzie
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Grand Rapids Serra Newsletter, October, 2008
Calendar of Events.
October 3, 2008. Monthly adoration at IHM. Mass begins at 9:00 a.m. with adoration immediately following.
October 10-12, 2008. 2008 Serra Super Regional Convention for Regions 2,3,4,6, and 7, Oglebay Resort & Conference Center, Wheeling, West Virginia. Nate McKenzie, John Osterhart, Mark Kubik, and Nancy King plan to attend. Find complete information at http://www.wheelingserra.org. Featured speakers are as follows: The Most Reverend Michael J. Bransfield, Biship of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, WV; The Most Reverend Bernard Schmitt, Bishop Emeritus, Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, WV; the Most Reverend Edwin F. O'Brien, 15th Archbishop for the Diocese of Baltimore; and Heleln Alvare, Associate Professor of Law at the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law.
October 13, 2008. Member-Guest Reception, Louis Benton Steak House, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
There will be no luncheon meeting on October 13. There is still time to submit names to Tim Hile.
October 20, 2008. Serra Board Meeting, Louis Benton Steak House, 12:00 Noon.
October 23, 2008. Leaf raking with the Consolata Sisters. Those who wish to help will join West Catholic High School students in assisting the Sisters with this necessary yearly task. Bring rakes and leaf blowers. The project will take place from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The Sisters will provide coffee and donuts. Call Abe Rossi at 735-3312 if you wish to become part of the leaf raking team. Aside from the spiritual rewards of doing something good for the Sisters, consider also the benefits of the fresh air and exercise! Plan B, in case of rain, is as follows: Saturday, October 25, same time, same place.
October 26, 2008. Priesthood Sunday. Promotion for Priesthood Sunday appeared in the Summer 2008 issue of the Serra Leader with the Liturgy Guide as the center of the publication. Readings for the day are as follows: Reading 1: Exodus 22:20-26; Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 18:2-4, 47-50; Reading 2: 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10; and Gospel: Matthew Matthew 22:34-40.
October 27, 2008. Prayer Service and Luncheon Meeting, Sacred Heart, 12:00 Noon.
November 8, 2008. Diocesean Youth Rally, Cathedral Square. This event will feature music, adoration, Mass, inspirational speakers, and small group meetings. Our club will have a booth there. Details will be finalized in the November newsletter.
December 2, 2008. Vocations Dinner, Cathedral Square. Serrans should have received invitations within the past few days.
February 21, 2008. Sisters' Appreciation Dinner, St. Jude's. Along with our other needs, President Pam McKenzie urges fellow Serrans to devote some thought to door prizes and the distribution thereof. Details about the dinner will follow as they become available.
Reflections from Serra International. At the September 8 luncheon meeting, Fr. Ed summarized the theme of Cardinal Rigali's address to the International Convention, Vocations, the Dream of God.
The following excerpts from the speech clearly define the role Serrans can play in our promotion of vocations:
"In your work for the promotion of vocations you are collaborators in the divine plan for the salvation of mankind through the growth of the Church. As we reflect on this vital and challenging mission, it is helpful to consider the nature of the 'work' of promoting vocations in the Church. Of course we think of the many and varied programs, initiatives and activities that the Serra Clubs sponsor to promote vocations, but we must also remember that the primary, and necessary, 'work' of Serrans is to pray for vocations. It is this 'work' of prayer which must underlie, direct, sustain and support all of Serra's other many and varied activities to promote vocations.
Does not the Lord command us: 'Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest' (Mt 9:38)?
This passage from the Gospel of Saint Matthew teaches us several things about the work of promoting vocations in the Church.
First, Jesus reminds us of the necessity of prayer, and its primacy in our efforts to nourish and support vocatins. While prayer is not the only part of our work, it is clearly the most important part. Without it, we are not only being unfaithful to the Lord's clear directive, but we run the risk of substituting our work, our ideas, our efforts for the plan of God Himself.
Second, this passage from Saint Matthew's Gospel tells us clearly that the harvest belongs to God who is the Lord of the harvest. It is He who sill send out laborers into His harvest. Indeed, it is a conforting thought that the challenge of promoting vocations in the Church does not depend solely upon our efforts, but is tryly the work of God Himself. He asks us to do our part by praying to the Lord of the harvest to supply the needs of the Church in our time, and in the future, for the evangelization of the world and the salvation of souls...
...Our faith is in Jesus Christ and the power of his Pascal Mystery transmitted to us in the Eucharist and through the Church. It is through the mystery of the Eucharist that the power of the live-giving Passion, Death and Resurrection of the Lord is given to each of us. It is through the Eucharist that we are empowered to pray and work for vocations inthe Church, trusting not so much in ourselves and our efforts, but in the loving Providence of God to provide for His Church in response to our prayers, offered in a spirit of humble faith and with an attitude of trust...
...It will be through your devotion to the Eucharist, and your commitment to prayer which is constant, unwavering, and full of trust that you will overcome any obstacles to the growth of an ever greater ecclesial community of one heart and mind for the good of the Church...
...And so, dear Serrans, let us listen to Mary, Mother and Model of the Church, who speaks to each of us in our hearts, saying:
'Do whatever he tells you'
'Do not waver; trust in the words of my Son.'
And listen to, and heed the word of Mary's Divine Son who tells us:
'Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest' (Mt 9:38).
Father Ed's message of urging the faithful to listen to the Lord and gaze upon the Eucharistic presence ties in nicely with Nate McKenzie's announcement regarding Adoration opportunities at St. Isidore Chapel. As of the September meeting, the following time slots needed to be filled:
Sunday 7:00-8:00 p.m.., five to eight weeks only.
Monday, 3:00 a.m.-4:00 a.m.
Tuesday 12:00 noon-1:00 p.m.
Wednesday 3:00 a.m.-4:00 a.m.
Thursday 12:00 Midnight-1:00 a.m.
Friday 6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m.-3:00 a.m.
Saturday 5:00-6:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.-8:00 a.m.
Call Mary Lou Harig at 233-8898 for an update. Both Nate McKenzie and Dan Grady have long been regular participants in St. Isodore's perpetual Adoration program and highly recommend the spiritual benefits derived from this regularly scheduled quiet time with the Lord. This invitation to Adoration reinforces the theme of the 66th Annual Serra International Convention.
In his September 8 address Father Ed also spoke of the need for prayer for those already ordained. We need especially to remember in prayer those who have been placed on medical leave: Father Tom DeYoung of St. Adalbert's, Father Michael Danner of St. Jude's, and Father Donald Lomasiewicz of St. Isidore's. Also, pray for all of the priests of our diocese as they participate in their fall retreat this week.
Other Prayers. Pray also for the repose of the souls of Msgr. Ancona's sister, Illuminata Antoinette (Ancona) Herp; Father Bob Hart, and long-time Muskegon Serran Tom Hebert, all of whom passed away in September.
The College Connection. Serra Clubs in over a dozen dioceses implemented the College Connection program to help Catholic young adults who graduated from high school in 2008 to become connected with the Catholic Campus ministry or parish nearest to their campus. Club leaders can receive more information on the program through serraus.org or by writing to Dick Stolly at dikstoly@wcoil.com
Christ's Humility. Our age has been called the Age of Entitlement. We seem to have lost the ability to distinguish between needs and wants. Advertisers frequently urge consumers to grasp at more and more goods because "you deserve it." Our expectation of reward seems to be disproportionately high for the effort we put forth to earn it. Certainly everyone deserves the basic rights of human life: food, clothing, shelter, freedom, and peace. But this language of deserving doesn't seem to be applied to these things. It is inevitably appended to the desire for luxuries, honors, and riches. It seems to be designed to appeal to our greed rather than our need. In that context, Paul's simple statement about the humility of Christ stands in stark contrast: "Christ Jesus...did not regard equality with God something to be grasped." (Philippians 2:6). And how did he humble and abase himself? By becoming human, one of us. What could we possibly think ourselves entitled to?
Source: Our Lady of Sorrows Bulletin, September 14, 2008.
An Invitation from our Franciscan Friends. Franciscan Center's 20th Annual LIFE fest will take place on October 18, 6-10 p.m. and a family picnic on Sunday, October 19, 12-4:00 p.m. Saturday's speaker will be Charlie Aeschliman, former Navy SEAL and National Character Education Foundation representative. Tickets are $60 per adult, with dinner included, and $50 per student in grades 7-12. Emcee will be John Varineau. Sunday's event will begin with Mass at noon, with live music all afternoon, plus games, crafts, and silent auctin. Admission is $7.50 per person or $25.00 per family. The Francisdan Life Process Center is located at 11650 Downes Street, Lowell, 49331. Call 616-897-7842 for more information. All proceeds to go the Franciscans' scholarship funds and programs.
Venturing News from Serra USA Vocations Committee to Serra USA Leadership:...Congratulations are in order for Dennis Leiber, the Grand Rapids Serra Club and Diocesean Catholic Committee on Scouting for forming the first Serra Club chartered Catholic Venturing Crew for students at West Catholic High School. In 2006, the Serra International Foundation provided a $7,000 grant to fund the establishment of Serra Club chartered Venturing Crews or Sea Scouting units in Catholic high schools, Each Serra Club will receive funding for half of the expenses for chartering a Venturing Crew. Crew 2207 of West Catholic, charatered by Serra Club of Grand Rapids, with 30 male and female members, ages 15-18, is the first unit launched under the new Serra Club program. The Serra Internatinal Foundatin fund are a matching grant administered by the USA Council Vocations Committee to reimburse expenses of establishing a Venturw crew in and with a Catholic high school...Source: Letter of September 29.
October 3, 2008. Monthly adoration at IHM. Mass begins at 9:00 a.m. with adoration immediately following.
October 10-12, 2008. 2008 Serra Super Regional Convention for Regions 2,3,4,6, and 7, Oglebay Resort & Conference Center, Wheeling, West Virginia. Nate McKenzie, John Osterhart, Mark Kubik, and Nancy King plan to attend. Find complete information at http://www.wheelingserra.org. Featured speakers are as follows: The Most Reverend Michael J. Bransfield, Biship of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, WV; The Most Reverend Bernard Schmitt, Bishop Emeritus, Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, WV; the Most Reverend Edwin F. O'Brien, 15th Archbishop for the Diocese of Baltimore; and Heleln Alvare, Associate Professor of Law at the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law.
October 13, 2008. Member-Guest Reception, Louis Benton Steak House, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
There will be no luncheon meeting on October 13. There is still time to submit names to Tim Hile.
October 20, 2008. Serra Board Meeting, Louis Benton Steak House, 12:00 Noon.
October 23, 2008. Leaf raking with the Consolata Sisters. Those who wish to help will join West Catholic High School students in assisting the Sisters with this necessary yearly task. Bring rakes and leaf blowers. The project will take place from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The Sisters will provide coffee and donuts. Call Abe Rossi at 735-3312 if you wish to become part of the leaf raking team. Aside from the spiritual rewards of doing something good for the Sisters, consider also the benefits of the fresh air and exercise! Plan B, in case of rain, is as follows: Saturday, October 25, same time, same place.
October 26, 2008. Priesthood Sunday. Promotion for Priesthood Sunday appeared in the Summer 2008 issue of the Serra Leader with the Liturgy Guide as the center of the publication. Readings for the day are as follows: Reading 1: Exodus 22:20-26; Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 18:2-4, 47-50; Reading 2: 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10; and Gospel: Matthew Matthew 22:34-40.
October 27, 2008. Prayer Service and Luncheon Meeting, Sacred Heart, 12:00 Noon.
November 8, 2008. Diocesean Youth Rally, Cathedral Square. This event will feature music, adoration, Mass, inspirational speakers, and small group meetings. Our club will have a booth there. Details will be finalized in the November newsletter.
December 2, 2008. Vocations Dinner, Cathedral Square. Serrans should have received invitations within the past few days.
February 21, 2008. Sisters' Appreciation Dinner, St. Jude's. Along with our other needs, President Pam McKenzie urges fellow Serrans to devote some thought to door prizes and the distribution thereof. Details about the dinner will follow as they become available.
Reflections from Serra International. At the September 8 luncheon meeting, Fr. Ed summarized the theme of Cardinal Rigali's address to the International Convention, Vocations, the Dream of God.
The following excerpts from the speech clearly define the role Serrans can play in our promotion of vocations:
"In your work for the promotion of vocations you are collaborators in the divine plan for the salvation of mankind through the growth of the Church. As we reflect on this vital and challenging mission, it is helpful to consider the nature of the 'work' of promoting vocations in the Church. Of course we think of the many and varied programs, initiatives and activities that the Serra Clubs sponsor to promote vocations, but we must also remember that the primary, and necessary, 'work' of Serrans is to pray for vocations. It is this 'work' of prayer which must underlie, direct, sustain and support all of Serra's other many and varied activities to promote vocations.
Does not the Lord command us: 'Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest' (Mt 9:38)?
This passage from the Gospel of Saint Matthew teaches us several things about the work of promoting vocations in the Church.
First, Jesus reminds us of the necessity of prayer, and its primacy in our efforts to nourish and support vocatins. While prayer is not the only part of our work, it is clearly the most important part. Without it, we are not only being unfaithful to the Lord's clear directive, but we run the risk of substituting our work, our ideas, our efforts for the plan of God Himself.
Second, this passage from Saint Matthew's Gospel tells us clearly that the harvest belongs to God who is the Lord of the harvest. It is He who sill send out laborers into His harvest. Indeed, it is a conforting thought that the challenge of promoting vocations in the Church does not depend solely upon our efforts, but is tryly the work of God Himself. He asks us to do our part by praying to the Lord of the harvest to supply the needs of the Church in our time, and in the future, for the evangelization of the world and the salvation of souls...
...Our faith is in Jesus Christ and the power of his Pascal Mystery transmitted to us in the Eucharist and through the Church. It is through the mystery of the Eucharist that the power of the live-giving Passion, Death and Resurrection of the Lord is given to each of us. It is through the Eucharist that we are empowered to pray and work for vocations inthe Church, trusting not so much in ourselves and our efforts, but in the loving Providence of God to provide for His Church in response to our prayers, offered in a spirit of humble faith and with an attitude of trust...
...It will be through your devotion to the Eucharist, and your commitment to prayer which is constant, unwavering, and full of trust that you will overcome any obstacles to the growth of an ever greater ecclesial community of one heart and mind for the good of the Church...
...And so, dear Serrans, let us listen to Mary, Mother and Model of the Church, who speaks to each of us in our hearts, saying:
'Do whatever he tells you'
'Do not waver; trust in the words of my Son.'
And listen to, and heed the word of Mary's Divine Son who tells us:
'Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest' (Mt 9:38).
Father Ed's message of urging the faithful to listen to the Lord and gaze upon the Eucharistic presence ties in nicely with Nate McKenzie's announcement regarding Adoration opportunities at St. Isidore Chapel. As of the September meeting, the following time slots needed to be filled:
Sunday 7:00-8:00 p.m.., five to eight weeks only.
Monday, 3:00 a.m.-4:00 a.m.
Tuesday 12:00 noon-1:00 p.m.
Wednesday 3:00 a.m.-4:00 a.m.
Thursday 12:00 Midnight-1:00 a.m.
Friday 6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m.-3:00 a.m.
Saturday 5:00-6:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.-8:00 a.m.
Call Mary Lou Harig at 233-8898 for an update. Both Nate McKenzie and Dan Grady have long been regular participants in St. Isodore's perpetual Adoration program and highly recommend the spiritual benefits derived from this regularly scheduled quiet time with the Lord. This invitation to Adoration reinforces the theme of the 66th Annual Serra International Convention.
In his September 8 address Father Ed also spoke of the need for prayer for those already ordained. We need especially to remember in prayer those who have been placed on medical leave: Father Tom DeYoung of St. Adalbert's, Father Michael Danner of St. Jude's, and Father Donald Lomasiewicz of St. Isidore's. Also, pray for all of the priests of our diocese as they participate in their fall retreat this week.
Other Prayers. Pray also for the repose of the souls of Msgr. Ancona's sister, Illuminata Antoinette (Ancona) Herp; Father Bob Hart, and long-time Muskegon Serran Tom Hebert, all of whom passed away in September.
The College Connection. Serra Clubs in over a dozen dioceses implemented the College Connection program to help Catholic young adults who graduated from high school in 2008 to become connected with the Catholic Campus ministry or parish nearest to their campus. Club leaders can receive more information on the program through serraus.org or by writing to Dick Stolly at dikstoly@wcoil.com
Christ's Humility. Our age has been called the Age of Entitlement. We seem to have lost the ability to distinguish between needs and wants. Advertisers frequently urge consumers to grasp at more and more goods because "you deserve it." Our expectation of reward seems to be disproportionately high for the effort we put forth to earn it. Certainly everyone deserves the basic rights of human life: food, clothing, shelter, freedom, and peace. But this language of deserving doesn't seem to be applied to these things. It is inevitably appended to the desire for luxuries, honors, and riches. It seems to be designed to appeal to our greed rather than our need. In that context, Paul's simple statement about the humility of Christ stands in stark contrast: "Christ Jesus...did not regard equality with God something to be grasped." (Philippians 2:6). And how did he humble and abase himself? By becoming human, one of us. What could we possibly think ourselves entitled to?
Source: Our Lady of Sorrows Bulletin, September 14, 2008.
An Invitation from our Franciscan Friends. Franciscan Center's 20th Annual LIFE fest will take place on October 18, 6-10 p.m. and a family picnic on Sunday, October 19, 12-4:00 p.m. Saturday's speaker will be Charlie Aeschliman, former Navy SEAL and National Character Education Foundation representative. Tickets are $60 per adult, with dinner included, and $50 per student in grades 7-12. Emcee will be John Varineau. Sunday's event will begin with Mass at noon, with live music all afternoon, plus games, crafts, and silent auctin. Admission is $7.50 per person or $25.00 per family. The Francisdan Life Process Center is located at 11650 Downes Street, Lowell, 49331. Call 616-897-7842 for more information. All proceeds to go the Franciscans' scholarship funds and programs.
Venturing News from Serra USA Vocations Committee to Serra USA Leadership:...Congratulations are in order for Dennis Leiber, the Grand Rapids Serra Club and Diocesean Catholic Committee on Scouting for forming the first Serra Club chartered Catholic Venturing Crew for students at West Catholic High School. In 2006, the Serra International Foundation provided a $7,000 grant to fund the establishment of Serra Club chartered Venturing Crews or Sea Scouting units in Catholic high schools, Each Serra Club will receive funding for half of the expenses for chartering a Venturing Crew. Crew 2207 of West Catholic, charatered by Serra Club of Grand Rapids, with 30 male and female members, ages 15-18, is the first unit launched under the new Serra Club program. The Serra Internatinal Foundatin fund are a matching grant administered by the USA Council Vocations Committee to reimburse expenses of establishing a Venturw crew in and with a Catholic high school...Source: Letter of September 29.
A Message from our President. Dear Serrans: This letter is sent while all of our priests are in Traverse City attending their fall conference with Bishop Hurley. Of course, by now youknow their number is one less by the passing of Father Bob Hart. Father Bob suffered for a long time, May the angels greet him with open arms and may his soul rest in peace. Speaking of priests, keep in mind that October 26 is Priesthood Sunday, a good time to give your priest a card of support or some other greeting or gift. Our priests are special people. Let us show our appreciation for them.
The Member-Guest Reception is set for Monday, October 13. This reception has proven very helpful in increasing our membership and making other Catholics aware of the Serra mission.
Two upcoming events offer excellent opportunities to get to know our young people. We need adult supervision for the October 23 leaf-raking. Also, Len Gross is organizing the table and workers for the November 8 Youth Rally at Cathedral Square. We hope to play more Bible trivia with the young people at that event.
The invitation has been written and mailed for our Vocations Benefit Dinner. I have received a few telephone inquiries about the dinner, so I have decided to give some explanations. Over the years this dinner was held at Duba's Restaurant, but Duba's is now closed. Many of the details were handled by Duba's, and we did not have to do much. As we know, times have changed and costs have gone up. For several years, even though costs had gone up, we did not pass those costs on in the ticket price. This year, at the Bishop's request, we are holding the dinner at the new conference center within Cathedral Square. During our planning sessions we posed many questions. There are now guidelines available for using this new facility. One item is that cash bars are not allowed. Adult beverages are allowed; however, the costs of such beverages needs to be included in the ticket price. Several people have also asked why we do not give more money to the Bishop. At one time we donated $10,000, but during the past few years we have given only $5,000. We may not be able to return to the full $10,000 this year, but we should be able to exceed $5,000 while still keeping our Club's projects supported. The Programs Committee should be commended on their fine job in planning this large event; it was not an easy task. Please support the Grand Rapids Serra Club by selling tickets, buying a table, or giving a donation to our major fund-raising event. The evening offers time to visit the new center, socialize with old and new friends, and learn of the progress being made by our club as well as the Diocese in the area of vocations. I look forward to seeing all of you there on December 2, 2008.
Sincerely in Christ,
Pam McKenzie
P. S. Committees are busy at work. If you are not on a committee, please get involved. We need everyone! If I have forgotten to list your name, I'm sure you will let me know.
Programs. Joseph Scoville, Patty Hughes, Bill and Elizabeth Bjork, Weldon Schwarta, Bob Paul, Joe and Kathy Westdorp, Monica Westdorp, Philip Weber, Pam McKenzie. Vocations. Len Gross, Deacon Dale Hollern, Pam McKenzie, Bob Gabridge, Bev Shields, Larry Mulligan, Abe Rossi, Carl Rossi. Communications. Nancy King, Barb King, Darlene Braunschneider, Mark Kubik, John Osterhart. Membership. Tim Hile, Mark Kubik, Ralph Hauenstein, Chris Grady, Carlton Failor, Nate McKenzie. Finances. Pat Leikert, Dan Grady.
Chalice News.
Monica Westdorp has possession of the Vocations chalice during this month. If you would like to be the next person or couple to have it in your home, please let Monica know.
Reminder: The invitation to the Vocations Benefit Dinner reads as follows: The Serra Club of Grand Rapids requests the honor of your presence at the Eighteenth Annual Vocations Benefit Dinner, Tuestday, December 2, 2008, Conference Center at Cathedral Square. Social, 6:00 p.m. Dinner 7:00 p.m. One hundred dollars per person. R. S. V. P. enclosed. Proceeds will benefit vocations to the priesthood and vowed religious life. Conference Center at Cathedral Square, 360 Division Avenue South, Grand Rapds. Please note the opportunity of a $10.00 savings if the reservations, with payment, are sent in by October 30.
Finally, let us pray for this project. Our Muskegon Serra Club friends invite us to pray for their Bible reading project, October 5-11, 2008. "Faith is learned through hearing, and what we hear is the Word of God;" a public reading of the entire Bible from cover to cover. This will take 12-14 hours per day, Sunday through Saturday.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter, September 2008
Calendar of Events.
September 8, 2008. Luncheon Meeting, Louis Benton Steak House, 12:00 Noon. Dennis Leiber, our club's appointed delegate, will speak about the Serra International Convention he attended in July.
September 15, 2008. Board Meeting, Louis Benton Steak House, 12:00 Noon.
September 22, 2008. Prayer Service and Luncheon Meeting, Sacred Heart, 12:00 Noon.
September 15, 2008. Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. Actually, Father Ted Kozlowski, Pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, reminds us that the entire month of September is dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows. The following information sheds light on a special Rosary commemorating the Seven Sorrows of Mary.
The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady is a popular way of sharing in the major crises of Mary's life. As we pray one Our Father and seven Hail Marys for each sorrow, we ponder the pain she endured with her Son. We ask her to help us understand the evil we have done and to lead us in repentance. By mixing our sufferings with Mary's, as she joined her sacrifices with those of her Son, we participate in the work of our redemption.
October 10-12, 2008. Regional Meeting, Wheeling, West Virginia.
October 13, 2008. Member-guest Reception, Louis Benton Steak House, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Every Serran is urged to bring guest who is interested in learning more about our club. There will be no noon meeting on that day.
TBA: Leaf raking with the Consolata Sisters, Belmont. Abe Rossi is in charge of the fall leaf raking. He will work with West Catholic's Cathy Pearce to schedule this event, but we must wait until late October for maximum results.
December 2, 2008. Vocations Dinner. We urge all members to attend and bring guests. We will need two hundred plus attendees to make this event a success. The Programs Committee met on August 29 at Cathedral Square to tour the banquet facility with Patty Hughes. The final decision as to venue for the dinner will be announced in the October newsletter.
The Serra Chalice. Serrans Nate and Pam McKenzie purchased our club's chalice from Rome, where it received a papal blessing. The chalice can be moved from home to home or from meeting to meeting. It has already been placed in two fourth grade classes for one week each. The prayer cards that accompany the chalice have been written by the Detroit Oakland club. These prayers, or any others relating to vocations, can be used, but the decision as to which prayers are to be said is left up to whoever is hosting the chalice. At this time Joe and Kathy Westdorp have it in their home and will bring it to the September 15 meeting for someone else to take.
Serra Pins. Membership Chairman Tim Hile has Serra pins available for the bargain price of $5.00. If you've lost or misplaced yours, or if you never received one, please take advantage of this opportunity, as the new price will be $7.50.
Venturing. Ever since our club began working with the Gerald R. Ford Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the term venturing has made its way into our vocabulary. At the recent Serra picnic, Program Director Aaron Gach further described venturing, and former Eagle Scout Dennis Leiber explained how his experiences as a judge led to his interest in reaching out to the youth of our community.
In 2006, when Serra International Foundation approved a $7000 grant to fund the establishment of Serra Club chartered venturing crews or sea scouting units in Catholic high schools, Dennis saw an excellent opportunity to devote his time and talent to two of his favorite organizations at the same time--Serra and the Boy Scouts. Dennis is now Vice-President of Venturing at the Gerald R. Ford Council. At the picnic Pam McKenzie accepted a framed certificate naming us as the first Serra Club in the USA to join the scouts with the venturing opportunity. Under the rules of the Serra International Foundation, each Serra club will receive funding for half of the expenses incurred for chartering a venturing crew. The cost of starting up a venturing cres is minimal to the chartered organization. The fee is $20, which covers liability insurance for the chartered organization and administrative support from the local council.
What is venturing in general? Ten years ago, the Boy Scouts of America launched a youth development program for young men and women 14-20. Venturing's purpose is to provide positive experiences to help young people mature and to prepare them to become responsible adults. Specifically, teens need to test their capacity to 1) accept and meet new challenges, 2) make independent decisions and choices, 3) make important contributions to a team effort, 4) make ethically morally, and spiritually sound decisions, and 5) contribute something of value through service to a community or family.
Working with local Catholic high schools, Serra club units are intended to allow each young person to grow in religious belief using the Pope Pius XII Religious Emblem and provide opportunities for various outdoor, sports, and career oriented resources of Venturing and Sea Scouting. Serra clubs could offer further support for the religious components of various scouting projects and provide additional opportunities for young people to discern religious vocations. We look forward to watching how our venturing project contributes to the spiritual development of our young people. Father Larry King, pastor of St. Patrick's of Portland, attended the picnic in order to learn more about venturing.
Congratulations to Father Jim Wyse. Father Jim, pastor of Christ the King in Howard City and St. Francis de Sales in Lakeview celebrates the 21st anniversary of his ordination this month.
Pray especially for these Serrans and Spouses: Deacon Dale Hollern, Bob Gabridge, and Paula Mulligan.
A Message from our President. Dear Serrans: As I travel north and pass the apple orchards, I see that the apples are red and ripe and ready to eat. Fall is here and the Club is busy as ever with new ideas and vocation projects, among them writing a club history of the past 60 years, adoration not only for vocations but also for healing for our club members who suffer from a variety of illnesses, the 18th annual Vocations Dinner, the Fall Youth Rally in November, Vocations Awareness Week in January, and the member/guest gathering in October--the list goes on and on. I thought I knew what I was in for as president but really didn't have a clue!
It was a pleasure to see so many folks at the picnic on August 28. Aaron Gach and the Boy Scout facility certainly made this event most enjoyable, especially with the campfire and roasting marshmallows. It is always a pleasure to have Ralph Hauenstein join us for such meetings with his busy schedule. The picnic provided the Boy Scouts with the opportunity to award Ralph personally with the Citizen of the Year Award which he so richly deserves. In addition, Aaron explained more about our Venturing opportunity with the Boy Scouts. Tony Oleck, a student from West Catholic, told how the students from the high school are able to use the scout facilities as they meet to discuss their Catholic faith in today's world. (Editor's note: Tony was one of the students our club sponsored for Notre Dame Week in 2007, and he went back on his own this past summer). Imagine that--high school students talking about their Catholic faith! God does answer prayers. Cathy Pearce, West Catholic Advisor and Campus Minister, also thanked us for sponsoring this faith based student club. opening the door for teachers to use the scout facilities, too. Nate and Mark outdid themselves with the food menu and they even let me help! In the coming weeks we will be hearing more about Venturing. We will learn about what the West Catholic group is doing and maybe even sponsor a second group. I will add, as Dennis Leiber told us, we are the first Serra Club in the USA to join the scouts with the Venturing opportunity.
Aquinas College is back in session and the group of discerning men will be meeting again. Keep them in your prayers. In coming meetings we hope to have Terry Marshall and others from the Aquinas staff join us as we pray and talk about vocations and how we can make a difference. The reding from Romans 12:1-2 comes to mind:
I urge you, brothers and sister, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living
sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves
to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what
is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.
Also, this is a reminder that December 12 is our 18th Annual Vocations Dinner. We need you to invite other Catholics to come and hear about Serra and vocations in our Diocese. Joseph Scoville and the Programs Committee have plans in the works for a super great evening, and we need to fill the room to capacity! As long as we are inviting--don't forget to send potential member names to Tim Hile for the October 13 Member/Guest Reception from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at Louis Benton Steak House.
Football is here----GO BLUE...Go Irish....Go Green....Ohio State who???
Peace to all,
Pam McKenzie
September 8, 2008. Luncheon Meeting, Louis Benton Steak House, 12:00 Noon. Dennis Leiber, our club's appointed delegate, will speak about the Serra International Convention he attended in July.
September 15, 2008. Board Meeting, Louis Benton Steak House, 12:00 Noon.
September 22, 2008. Prayer Service and Luncheon Meeting, Sacred Heart, 12:00 Noon.
September 15, 2008. Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. Actually, Father Ted Kozlowski, Pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, reminds us that the entire month of September is dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows. The following information sheds light on a special Rosary commemorating the Seven Sorrows of Mary.
The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady is a popular way of sharing in the major crises of Mary's life. As we pray one Our Father and seven Hail Marys for each sorrow, we ponder the pain she endured with her Son. We ask her to help us understand the evil we have done and to lead us in repentance. By mixing our sufferings with Mary's, as she joined her sacrifices with those of her Son, we participate in the work of our redemption.
In public recitation say with the priest:
O Lord, Jesus Christ, I am truly sorry for my sins. I humbly ask your forgiveness, and I promise with Your help to prove worthy of Your love by sharing in Your Passion and Death, through Our Blessed Mother's Sorrows. Amen.
The First Sorrow: The prophecy of Simeon
Mary listened to Simeon predict that her Son would suffer so much to redeem the human race, it would cut her to the heart like a sword. For the rest of her life she dreaded the day the prophecy would be fulfilled. One Our Father, seven Hail Mary
The Second Sorrow: The flight into Egypt
To escape Herod's plot to kill her infant Son, Mary left home and friends and endured the fears of sudden flight by dark and uncertain life in a foreign land. One Our Father, seven Hail Marys
The Third Sorrow: The loss of Jesus
Returning from Jerusalem after the Passover, Mary lost her Son in the crowd. She worried and searched for three days before finding Him in the temple. One Our Father, seven Hail Marys
The Fourth Sorrow: The meeting at Calvary
Mary met her Son, tortured by the cross and the crowd, on the road to Calvary, and she was powerless to help him except by her presence. One Our Father, seven Hail Marys
The Fifth Sorrow: The Crucifixion
Mary watched the death agony of her Son on the cross, and witnessed His last will, which made us sinners her children. One Our Father, seven Hail Marys
The Sixth Sorrow: The wake of Jesus
Mary embraced her Son's body, lowered from the cross, and tried to comprehend that the Author of life was dead and the Creator had been killed by his Creatures. One Our Father, seven Hail Marys
The Seventh Sorrow: The burial of Jesus
Mary and her friends washed and anointed the battered body of her Son. They wrapped it in linen and laid it to rest in a fresh tomb. One Our Father, seven Hail Marys.
Three Hail Marys, said in sympathy with the grief of our sorrowing Mother, close the Rosary.
Source: Novena in Honor of Our Sorrowful Mother, Copyright 1987, by the the Servite Fathers, Chicago, Illinois.
Another Special Observance. As our readers undoubtedly know, Pope Benedict XVI announced a special Jubilee Year dedicated to St. Paul. The Jubilee year, which began on June 28, 2008, will end on June 29, 2009, to mark the approximately 2000th anniversary of the saint's birth.
St. Paul was born in Tarsus, in what is now Turkey, at the start of the Christian era, sometime between A. D. 7 and 10, according to church historians. After his conversion on the road to Damascus, he became one of the church's foremost evangelizers, first among Jews and then among gentiles.
The commemorative year will include symposiums and special publications devoted to the writings of St. Paul. The saint's letters are a primary source of information about the life of the early church and have strongly influenced church thinking through the centuries.
St. Paul's life holds a lesson for modern Christians, the pope said. The action of the church is credible and effective only to the extent that Christians are willing to "pay personally for their faith in Christ, in every situation," he said. Where this commitment is lacking, the appeal of the Gospel will be weaker, he said.
"The church is, by its nature, missionary; its primary task es evangelization," said the pope on the occasion of this announcement. "At the beginning of the third millennium, the church feels with renewed strength that Christ's missionary mandate is more pressing than ever."
View this bulletin online at http://www.catholicweb.com/
Mark Your Calendar for the following important dates for October and beyond.
October 10-12, 2008. Regional Meeting, Wheeling, West Virginia.
October 13, 2008. Member-guest Reception, Louis Benton Steak House, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Every Serran is urged to bring guest who is interested in learning more about our club. There will be no noon meeting on that day.
TBA: Leaf raking with the Consolata Sisters, Belmont. Abe Rossi is in charge of the fall leaf raking. He will work with West Catholic's Cathy Pearce to schedule this event, but we must wait until late October for maximum results.
December 2, 2008. Vocations Dinner. We urge all members to attend and bring guests. We will need two hundred plus attendees to make this event a success. The Programs Committee met on August 29 at Cathedral Square to tour the banquet facility with Patty Hughes. The final decision as to venue for the dinner will be announced in the October newsletter.
The Serra Chalice. Serrans Nate and Pam McKenzie purchased our club's chalice from Rome, where it received a papal blessing. The chalice can be moved from home to home or from meeting to meeting. It has already been placed in two fourth grade classes for one week each. The prayer cards that accompany the chalice have been written by the Detroit Oakland club. These prayers, or any others relating to vocations, can be used, but the decision as to which prayers are to be said is left up to whoever is hosting the chalice. At this time Joe and Kathy Westdorp have it in their home and will bring it to the September 15 meeting for someone else to take.
Serra Pins. Membership Chairman Tim Hile has Serra pins available for the bargain price of $5.00. If you've lost or misplaced yours, or if you never received one, please take advantage of this opportunity, as the new price will be $7.50.
Venturing. Ever since our club began working with the Gerald R. Ford Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the term venturing has made its way into our vocabulary. At the recent Serra picnic, Program Director Aaron Gach further described venturing, and former Eagle Scout Dennis Leiber explained how his experiences as a judge led to his interest in reaching out to the youth of our community.
In 2006, when Serra International Foundation approved a $7000 grant to fund the establishment of Serra Club chartered venturing crews or sea scouting units in Catholic high schools, Dennis saw an excellent opportunity to devote his time and talent to two of his favorite organizations at the same time--Serra and the Boy Scouts. Dennis is now Vice-President of Venturing at the Gerald R. Ford Council. At the picnic Pam McKenzie accepted a framed certificate naming us as the first Serra Club in the USA to join the scouts with the venturing opportunity. Under the rules of the Serra International Foundation, each Serra club will receive funding for half of the expenses incurred for chartering a venturing crew. The cost of starting up a venturing cres is minimal to the chartered organization. The fee is $20, which covers liability insurance for the chartered organization and administrative support from the local council.
What is venturing in general? Ten years ago, the Boy Scouts of America launched a youth development program for young men and women 14-20. Venturing's purpose is to provide positive experiences to help young people mature and to prepare them to become responsible adults. Specifically, teens need to test their capacity to 1) accept and meet new challenges, 2) make independent decisions and choices, 3) make important contributions to a team effort, 4) make ethically morally, and spiritually sound decisions, and 5) contribute something of value through service to a community or family.
Working with local Catholic high schools, Serra club units are intended to allow each young person to grow in religious belief using the Pope Pius XII Religious Emblem and provide opportunities for various outdoor, sports, and career oriented resources of Venturing and Sea Scouting. Serra clubs could offer further support for the religious components of various scouting projects and provide additional opportunities for young people to discern religious vocations. We look forward to watching how our venturing project contributes to the spiritual development of our young people. Father Larry King, pastor of St. Patrick's of Portland, attended the picnic in order to learn more about venturing.
Congratulations to Father Jim Wyse. Father Jim, pastor of Christ the King in Howard City and St. Francis de Sales in Lakeview celebrates the 21st anniversary of his ordination this month.
Pray especially for these Serrans and Spouses: Deacon Dale Hollern, Bob Gabridge, and Paula Mulligan.
A Message from our President. Dear Serrans: As I travel north and pass the apple orchards, I see that the apples are red and ripe and ready to eat. Fall is here and the Club is busy as ever with new ideas and vocation projects, among them writing a club history of the past 60 years, adoration not only for vocations but also for healing for our club members who suffer from a variety of illnesses, the 18th annual Vocations Dinner, the Fall Youth Rally in November, Vocations Awareness Week in January, and the member/guest gathering in October--the list goes on and on. I thought I knew what I was in for as president but really didn't have a clue!
It was a pleasure to see so many folks at the picnic on August 28. Aaron Gach and the Boy Scout facility certainly made this event most enjoyable, especially with the campfire and roasting marshmallows. It is always a pleasure to have Ralph Hauenstein join us for such meetings with his busy schedule. The picnic provided the Boy Scouts with the opportunity to award Ralph personally with the Citizen of the Year Award which he so richly deserves. In addition, Aaron explained more about our Venturing opportunity with the Boy Scouts. Tony Oleck, a student from West Catholic, told how the students from the high school are able to use the scout facilities as they meet to discuss their Catholic faith in today's world. (Editor's note: Tony was one of the students our club sponsored for Notre Dame Week in 2007, and he went back on his own this past summer). Imagine that--high school students talking about their Catholic faith! God does answer prayers. Cathy Pearce, West Catholic Advisor and Campus Minister, also thanked us for sponsoring this faith based student club. opening the door for teachers to use the scout facilities, too. Nate and Mark outdid themselves with the food menu and they even let me help! In the coming weeks we will be hearing more about Venturing. We will learn about what the West Catholic group is doing and maybe even sponsor a second group. I will add, as Dennis Leiber told us, we are the first Serra Club in the USA to join the scouts with the Venturing opportunity.
Aquinas College is back in session and the group of discerning men will be meeting again. Keep them in your prayers. In coming meetings we hope to have Terry Marshall and others from the Aquinas staff join us as we pray and talk about vocations and how we can make a difference. The reding from Romans 12:1-2 comes to mind:
I urge you, brothers and sister, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living
sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves
to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what
is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.
Also, this is a reminder that December 12 is our 18th Annual Vocations Dinner. We need you to invite other Catholics to come and hear about Serra and vocations in our Diocese. Joseph Scoville and the Programs Committee have plans in the works for a super great evening, and we need to fill the room to capacity! As long as we are inviting--don't forget to send potential member names to Tim Hile for the October 13 Member/Guest Reception from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at Louis Benton Steak House.
Football is here----GO BLUE...Go Irish....Go Green....Ohio State who???
Peace to all,
Pam McKenzie
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Serra Club of Grand Rapids August,2008
Dates to Remember.
August 11, 2008. Luncheon Meeting, 12:00 Noon at Louis Benton Steak House. Our guests will be our two NDVI students and their parents. The two students, Danielle LaVille and Gabe Anzivino will speak.
August 12-17. Serra International Convention, Aguas de Lindola, Sao Paulo State, Brazil.
Grand Rapids Serrans Dennis Leiber, Mark Kubik, and Moderator Father Ed Hankiewicz will attend. Dennis Leiber will serve as the delegate from our club.
August 18, 2008. Board Meeting, 12:00 Noon at Louis Benton Steak House.
August 22, 2008. Muskegon Serra Club Shrimp Dinner, 5:30 p.m. at Muskegon Catholic Central High School.
August 25, 2008. Serra Picnic, 5:30 p.m. at the Boy Scout Center, Walker Avenue NW. There will be a special presentation of Citizen of the Year award to Ralph Hauenstein. President Pam McKenzie has composed the following invitation:
When: Monday, August 25, 2008--rain or shine.
5:30 p.m. Gather and tour the grounds.
6:30 p.m. Dinner.
8:30 p.m. Campfire with S'mores.
Cost: $15 per c0uple or $25 per family..
Cooks: Nate McKenzie, Mark Kubik.
Where: Boy Scout Headquarters
3213 Walker Avenue, Walker, MI
Directions: Take I-96 toward Muskegon. Exit at Walker Avenue. The Boy Scout sign
is at the end of the exit on the right. Follow signs to the brown building. Plenty
of parking is available.
RSVP: Please respond by Friday, August 22 with number attending.
An RSVP is required and may be sent to Joe Westdorp at 866-6024 or
jawestdorp@chartermi.net
Save these dates:
October 10-12. Fall Conference for Regions 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7, Wheeling, West Virginia. Registration fee $125 before August 1, $150 thereafter. Spouse registration fee is the same. Please make your lodging reservations directly with the desired lodging facility. Our host facility is Oglebay Park's Wilson Lodge, 1-800-624-6988 $125/night reduced, $155 afterward. Please mention that you are attending the Serra Conference and make your reservation by August 8 to guarantee room availability and receive the discounted rate. Nearby lodging is also available at the Hampton Inn 1-304-233-0440 ($102 or $119), and Marriott Spring Hill Suites at 1-304-232-8903 ($109 or $129). Make conference checks payable to Serra Super Regional Conference.
October 13, 2008. Member-Guest Reception, 5:30 p.m., Louis Benton Steak House. There will be no noon meeting on that day.
Vocations Chair Len Gross announces the following Adoration Schedule. This schedule extends through June, 2009.
September 5, 2009. (Friday). St. Isidor. Mass at 8:45 a.m. Adoration 9:30-10:30 a.m.
October 3, 2008. (Friday). IHM. Mass at 9:00 a.m. Adoration 9:30-10:30 a.m.
November 7, 2008. (Friday). St. Stephen. Mass at 8:30 a.m. Adoration 9:00-10:00 a.m.
December 5, 2008. (Friday). SS. Peter and Paul. Mass at 7:00 p.m. followed by Adoration. Benediction 9:50 p.m.
January 2, 2009. (Monday). Holy Spirit. Mass at 8:00 a.m. followed by Rosary. Adoration 9:00-10:00 a.m.
February 5, 2009. Sacred Heart of Jesus. Adoration 6:30 p.m. Benediction 7:00 p.m.
March 6, 2009. St. Isidore. Mass 8:45 a.m. Adoration 9:30-10:30 a.m.
April 3, 2009. (Friday). Mass at 9:00 a.m. Adoration 9:30-10:30 a.m.
May 1, 2009. (Friday). Mass at 9:00 a.m. Adoration 9:30-10:00 a.m
June 5, 2009. (Friday) SS. Peter and Paul. Mass at 7:00 p.m., followed by Adoration. Benediction 9:50 p.m.
Please note that there is also Adoration following a 7:00 p.m. Mass at SS. Peter and Paul every first Friday except in July and August. The schedule is always as follows:
7:00 p.m. Mass, followed by Adoration, with 9:50 p.m. Benediction. This information provided courtesy of Barbara King.
Two thank-y0u notes:
Dear Pam,
On behalf of the diocese of Grand Rapids, I send my heartfelt thanks to the members of the Grand Rapids Serra Club for their service to the liturgy, Saturday, June 7, 2008. Their presence at the Ordination Mass was generous and deeply appreciated.
This year's Ordination Mass was blessed with good weather outside and loving spirits on the inside. Your group welcomed and seated all visitors and guests with great courtesy and commitment to ministry. In addition, it seems that many of the Serrans were already acquainted with some of the guests at the Mass (not including the many priests whom they knew), and this contributed an extra measure of welcome.
I am aware of the generous nature of the Serra Club, especially regarding this diocese, and I cannot send enough thanks for your labor of love in regard to this particular diocesan liturgy. Bishop Hurley joins me in sending thanks. We are truly appreciative of your effort and your kindness.
Best regards, with thanks,
Dr. Patricia Hughes
Director, Pastoral Services Division
and.....
July 24,2008
Dear Serrans:
Thank you very much for the opportunity to attend ND Vision. I learned the importance of a strong relationship with God as well as a deeper meaning of the word "vocation."
Thank you for your generosity in awarding me a scholarship to attend this program. God bless you!
Sincerely,
Danielle LaVille
More Vision Week News. Serrans Nate McKenzie, Bob Gabridge, Len Gross, Beverly Shields, and Tom Vereecke attended the very inspiring pilot follow-up program on Thursday. The emphasis was on getting students to do something to help the community and becoming active in the Catholic faith.
Something wonderful happened on May 7, 2008. Editor's note: For quite some time I have pondered whether the article I am about to reprint from the National Catholic Register is closely enough related to vocations to merit an appearance in this letter. You, the readers, can be the judges, but I can't get this story out of my mind. Not only does it recall the astounding beauty of the Requiem, but also it gives witness to the power of God working through His instruments: Pope Benedict XVI, Mozart, and the Chinese musicians, and Father Tham, to name a few. And who could resist thinking about the implications for vocations in a converted China? At any rate, I hope you enjoy ithe article as much as I did. Also, because China is hosting the Summer Olympics this year, the article may help to provide another perspective on China and its people.
Evidently in response to Pope Benedict XVI's invitation to restore diplomatic relations between China and the Vatican, the Chinese Philharmonic Orchestra and the Shanghai Opera House Chorus performed Mozart's Requiem on May 7, 2008. Legionary Father Joseph Tham was among those present.
...The press saw this (event) as possibly a warming of relations between China and the Vatican...I saw it as something more: Chinese musicians praying in the universal language of art and the Mass in the heart of the Catholic world.
(In Mozart's Requiem) the choir and the orchestra ensemble sing out the different parts of a funeral Mass in Latin, interspersed by the voices of the soloists: soprano, mezzo soprano, tenor and base. I could not help thinking to myself: "If only the musicians knew what they were singing (and praying) for!" Being enraptured in the beauty of the voices, I find myself praying along, and on behalf of the Chinese people.
In the entrance hymn, Mozart begins the piece dramatically. At one point, the chorus repeatedly intoned Exaudi, exaudi orationem meam (hear, hear my prayer). Many times, without even knowing it, we ask God to hear us. There is in the depth of the human heart a yearning to be heard.
The Chinese people, represented by the choir, without knowing what they were saying, are crying out to the heavens to be heard.
In the Latin Mass, the only words in Greek that have been preserved from the ancient liturgy are melodiously repeated: Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison... I found myself praying: "God have mercy on me, and on the Chinese people who did not know you."
We then arrived at the spectacular sequence of Dies Irae, Dies illa (The day of wrath! That day!) It was a rather frightening warning about the reality of the Last Judgment.
The choir continues alternating with the soloists: Quantus tremor est futurus, Quando judex est venturus, Cuncta stricte discussurus! (What trembling there shall be when the Judge shall come to weigh everything strictly!).
As if to placate the divine ire, the stanzas followed with a plea for the mercy of God: Quid sum miser tunc dicturus? Quem patronum rogaturus, Cum vix justus sit securus? (What shall I, a wretch, say then? To what advocate shall I appeal when even the just man is barely safe?)
The tune turns to a very sweet melody of petition Salva me, fons pietatis! (Save me, fount of merciful love!). ..
Recordare, Jus pie, Quod sum causa tuae viae. Remember, merciful Jesus, that I am the reason for the path you trod!) The choir sang under the immense sculpture of the Risen Christ arising among the tortuous branches symbolizing the tree of life. It appeared to me as if Christ is stretching his saving hands to embrace China under the benevolent gaze of the Pope.
The most moving part for me came from the Offertory: Quam olim Abrahae promisisti, et semini ejus (as once you promised to Abraham and to his seed). The word promisisti was repeated many, many times. Yes, God has promised us his salvation through our Father in faith. He will not abandon us; he will not abandon a quarter of the world's population...
The rest of the Mass was sung, in Mozart's characteristic composition of majesty alternating with sweetness: Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus,..Osanna in excelsis...Agnus Dei...
At the end, the applause lasted for almost 10 minutes. The Pope was visibly pleased. He went up to greet and shake hands with the director and the soloists. One of them must be Christian, because he kissed the Pope's ring. Benedict XVI then gave a speech thanking the musicians and organizers of the event. He noted how the interpretation of Mozart by Chinese artists "brings together their own musical talent and Western music..."
Last, the Pope sent his greetings to the entire Chinese people, and "with a special thought for those of your fellow citizens who share faith in Jesus and are united through a particular spiritual bond with the Successors of Peter."
The Olympics will no doubt be a great tribute to the human spirit. But this calling out of the human spirit to the divine is imbedded in my memory now.
Pray for China with the Pope--and pray with China in the Mass.
Legionary Father Joseph Tham teaches bioethics at Rome's Regina Apostolorum College.
As for the Promisisti, he writes, "(God's) promise is mysteriously and providentially united to our mission to spread Christ's Kingdom of love. Surrounded by 400 others of my Legionary family, I felt this to be a part of our call to evangelize China, my extended family and patria.
From the National Catholic Register, July 6-12, 2008
Let us pray for the success of Father Tham's call. nk
Pope Benedict XVI calls World Youth Day a new Pentecost.
Castel Gandolfo, Italy, July 27, 2008 (Zenit.org). World Youth Day was a new Pentecost from which the pilgrims were sent to be apostles to their contemporaries, says Benedict XVI..."I still have this extraordinary occasion," he said, "in which I experienced the youthful face of the Church, on my mind and in my heart: It was like a multicolored mosaic, formed by young men and women from every part of the globe, all gathered together in the one faith in Jesus Christ...
Commenting on the week of events, the Pope called the catechetical sessions "moments of reflection and recollection that were indispensable for making the event one that, instead of being a merely external manifestation, would leave a deep impression on the conscience."
"The evening vigil, in the heart of the city, beneath the Southern Cross," he said, "was a choral invocation of the Holy Spirit; and at the end, during the large Eucharistic celebration last Sunday, I administered the sacrament of confirmation to 24 young people from all different continents, 14 of whom were Australian, inviting all present to renew their baptismal vows.."
World Youth Day was "transformed into a new Pentecost," the Pontiff said, "from which the mission of the young people, called to be apostles to their contemporaries, was relaunched."
Secretary Joseph Westdorp has prepared an updated version of our roster. It is available online and will be sent under separate cover with this newsletter. If you would like a paper copy, please let Joe know.
August 11, 2008. Luncheon Meeting, 12:00 Noon at Louis Benton Steak House. Our guests will be our two NDVI students and their parents. The two students, Danielle LaVille and Gabe Anzivino will speak.
August 12-17. Serra International Convention, Aguas de Lindola, Sao Paulo State, Brazil.
Grand Rapids Serrans Dennis Leiber, Mark Kubik, and Moderator Father Ed Hankiewicz will attend. Dennis Leiber will serve as the delegate from our club.
August 18, 2008. Board Meeting, 12:00 Noon at Louis Benton Steak House.
August 22, 2008. Muskegon Serra Club Shrimp Dinner, 5:30 p.m. at Muskegon Catholic Central High School.
August 25, 2008. Serra Picnic, 5:30 p.m. at the Boy Scout Center, Walker Avenue NW. There will be a special presentation of Citizen of the Year award to Ralph Hauenstein. President Pam McKenzie has composed the following invitation:
When: Monday, August 25, 2008--rain or shine.
5:30 p.m. Gather and tour the grounds.
6:30 p.m. Dinner.
8:30 p.m. Campfire with S'mores.
Cost: $15 per c0uple or $25 per family..
Cooks: Nate McKenzie, Mark Kubik.
Where: Boy Scout Headquarters
3213 Walker Avenue, Walker, MI
Directions: Take I-96 toward Muskegon. Exit at Walker Avenue. The Boy Scout sign
is at the end of the exit on the right. Follow signs to the brown building. Plenty
of parking is available.
RSVP: Please respond by Friday, August 22 with number attending.
An RSVP is required and may be sent to Joe Westdorp at 866-6024 or
jawestdorp@chartermi.net
Save these dates:
October 10-12. Fall Conference for Regions 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7, Wheeling, West Virginia. Registration fee $125 before August 1, $150 thereafter. Spouse registration fee is the same. Please make your lodging reservations directly with the desired lodging facility. Our host facility is Oglebay Park's Wilson Lodge, 1-800-624-6988 $125/night reduced, $155 afterward. Please mention that you are attending the Serra Conference and make your reservation by August 8 to guarantee room availability and receive the discounted rate. Nearby lodging is also available at the Hampton Inn 1-304-233-0440 ($102 or $119), and Marriott Spring Hill Suites at 1-304-232-8903 ($109 or $129). Make conference checks payable to Serra Super Regional Conference.
October 13, 2008. Member-Guest Reception, 5:30 p.m., Louis Benton Steak House. There will be no noon meeting on that day.
November 8, 2008. All high-school age young people are invited to attend the Diocese of Grand Rapids inaugural God Persistently Seeking (GPS) Youth Rally on November 8 at Catholic Central High Schol, 319 Sheldon Avenue SE, Grand Rapids. Look for additional details to follow in the coming weeks on the diocesan Web site at http://www.dioceseofgrandrapids.org/ and in Faith GR Magazine. The Board will decide in the next several weeks whether our club will be represented at a display booth . The cost of renting such a space is $30.
December 2, 2008. Vocations Dinner. The location has been moved to Cathedral Square. Details TBA.
Leaf Raking at Consolata. The exact date of this annual event remains to be announced, but it will take place late in October.Vocations Chair Len Gross announces the following Adoration Schedule. This schedule extends through June, 2009.
September 5, 2009. (Friday). St. Isidor. Mass at 8:45 a.m. Adoration 9:30-10:30 a.m.
October 3, 2008. (Friday). IHM. Mass at 9:00 a.m. Adoration 9:30-10:30 a.m.
November 7, 2008. (Friday). St. Stephen. Mass at 8:30 a.m. Adoration 9:00-10:00 a.m.
December 5, 2008. (Friday). SS. Peter and Paul. Mass at 7:00 p.m. followed by Adoration. Benediction 9:50 p.m.
January 2, 2009. (Monday). Holy Spirit. Mass at 8:00 a.m. followed by Rosary. Adoration 9:00-10:00 a.m.
February 5, 2009. Sacred Heart of Jesus. Adoration 6:30 p.m. Benediction 7:00 p.m.
March 6, 2009. St. Isidore. Mass 8:45 a.m. Adoration 9:30-10:30 a.m.
April 3, 2009. (Friday). Mass at 9:00 a.m. Adoration 9:30-10:30 a.m.
May 1, 2009. (Friday). Mass at 9:00 a.m. Adoration 9:30-10:00 a.m
June 5, 2009. (Friday) SS. Peter and Paul. Mass at 7:00 p.m., followed by Adoration. Benediction 9:50 p.m.
Please note that there is also Adoration following a 7:00 p.m. Mass at SS. Peter and Paul every first Friday except in July and August. The schedule is always as follows:
7:00 p.m. Mass, followed by Adoration, with 9:50 p.m. Benediction. This information provided courtesy of Barbara King.
Two thank-y0u notes:
Dear Pam,
On behalf of the diocese of Grand Rapids, I send my heartfelt thanks to the members of the Grand Rapids Serra Club for their service to the liturgy, Saturday, June 7, 2008. Their presence at the Ordination Mass was generous and deeply appreciated.
This year's Ordination Mass was blessed with good weather outside and loving spirits on the inside. Your group welcomed and seated all visitors and guests with great courtesy and commitment to ministry. In addition, it seems that many of the Serrans were already acquainted with some of the guests at the Mass (not including the many priests whom they knew), and this contributed an extra measure of welcome.
I am aware of the generous nature of the Serra Club, especially regarding this diocese, and I cannot send enough thanks for your labor of love in regard to this particular diocesan liturgy. Bishop Hurley joins me in sending thanks. We are truly appreciative of your effort and your kindness.
Best regards, with thanks,
Dr. Patricia Hughes
Director, Pastoral Services Division
and.....
July 24,2008
Dear Serrans:
Thank you very much for the opportunity to attend ND Vision. I learned the importance of a strong relationship with God as well as a deeper meaning of the word "vocation."
Thank you for your generosity in awarding me a scholarship to attend this program. God bless you!
Sincerely,
Danielle LaVille
More Vision Week News. Serrans Nate McKenzie, Bob Gabridge, Len Gross, Beverly Shields, and Tom Vereecke attended the very inspiring pilot follow-up program on Thursday. The emphasis was on getting students to do something to help the community and becoming active in the Catholic faith.
Something wonderful happened on May 7, 2008. Editor's note: For quite some time I have pondered whether the article I am about to reprint from the National Catholic Register is closely enough related to vocations to merit an appearance in this letter. You, the readers, can be the judges, but I can't get this story out of my mind. Not only does it recall the astounding beauty of the Requiem, but also it gives witness to the power of God working through His instruments: Pope Benedict XVI, Mozart, and the Chinese musicians, and Father Tham, to name a few. And who could resist thinking about the implications for vocations in a converted China? At any rate, I hope you enjoy ithe article as much as I did. Also, because China is hosting the Summer Olympics this year, the article may help to provide another perspective on China and its people.
Evidently in response to Pope Benedict XVI's invitation to restore diplomatic relations between China and the Vatican, the Chinese Philharmonic Orchestra and the Shanghai Opera House Chorus performed Mozart's Requiem on May 7, 2008. Legionary Father Joseph Tham was among those present.
...The press saw this (event) as possibly a warming of relations between China and the Vatican...I saw it as something more: Chinese musicians praying in the universal language of art and the Mass in the heart of the Catholic world.
(In Mozart's Requiem) the choir and the orchestra ensemble sing out the different parts of a funeral Mass in Latin, interspersed by the voices of the soloists: soprano, mezzo soprano, tenor and base. I could not help thinking to myself: "If only the musicians knew what they were singing (and praying) for!" Being enraptured in the beauty of the voices, I find myself praying along, and on behalf of the Chinese people.
In the entrance hymn, Mozart begins the piece dramatically. At one point, the chorus repeatedly intoned Exaudi, exaudi orationem meam (hear, hear my prayer). Many times, without even knowing it, we ask God to hear us. There is in the depth of the human heart a yearning to be heard.
The Chinese people, represented by the choir, without knowing what they were saying, are crying out to the heavens to be heard.
In the Latin Mass, the only words in Greek that have been preserved from the ancient liturgy are melodiously repeated: Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison... I found myself praying: "God have mercy on me, and on the Chinese people who did not know you."
We then arrived at the spectacular sequence of Dies Irae, Dies illa (The day of wrath! That day!) It was a rather frightening warning about the reality of the Last Judgment.
The choir continues alternating with the soloists: Quantus tremor est futurus, Quando judex est venturus, Cuncta stricte discussurus! (What trembling there shall be when the Judge shall come to weigh everything strictly!).
As if to placate the divine ire, the stanzas followed with a plea for the mercy of God: Quid sum miser tunc dicturus? Quem patronum rogaturus, Cum vix justus sit securus? (What shall I, a wretch, say then? To what advocate shall I appeal when even the just man is barely safe?)
The tune turns to a very sweet melody of petition Salva me, fons pietatis! (Save me, fount of merciful love!). ..
Recordare, Jus pie, Quod sum causa tuae viae. Remember, merciful Jesus, that I am the reason for the path you trod!) The choir sang under the immense sculpture of the Risen Christ arising among the tortuous branches symbolizing the tree of life. It appeared to me as if Christ is stretching his saving hands to embrace China under the benevolent gaze of the Pope.
The most moving part for me came from the Offertory: Quam olim Abrahae promisisti, et semini ejus (as once you promised to Abraham and to his seed). The word promisisti was repeated many, many times. Yes, God has promised us his salvation through our Father in faith. He will not abandon us; he will not abandon a quarter of the world's population...
The rest of the Mass was sung, in Mozart's characteristic composition of majesty alternating with sweetness: Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus,..Osanna in excelsis...Agnus Dei...
At the end, the applause lasted for almost 10 minutes. The Pope was visibly pleased. He went up to greet and shake hands with the director and the soloists. One of them must be Christian, because he kissed the Pope's ring. Benedict XVI then gave a speech thanking the musicians and organizers of the event. He noted how the interpretation of Mozart by Chinese artists "brings together their own musical talent and Western music..."
Last, the Pope sent his greetings to the entire Chinese people, and "with a special thought for those of your fellow citizens who share faith in Jesus and are united through a particular spiritual bond with the Successors of Peter."
The Olympics will no doubt be a great tribute to the human spirit. But this calling out of the human spirit to the divine is imbedded in my memory now.
Pray for China with the Pope--and pray with China in the Mass.
Legionary Father Joseph Tham teaches bioethics at Rome's Regina Apostolorum College.
As for the Promisisti, he writes, "(God's) promise is mysteriously and providentially united to our mission to spread Christ's Kingdom of love. Surrounded by 400 others of my Legionary family, I felt this to be a part of our call to evangelize China, my extended family and patria.
From the National Catholic Register, July 6-12, 2008
Let us pray for the success of Father Tham's call. nk
Pope Benedict XVI calls World Youth Day a new Pentecost.
Castel Gandolfo, Italy, July 27, 2008 (Zenit.org). World Youth Day was a new Pentecost from which the pilgrims were sent to be apostles to their contemporaries, says Benedict XVI..."I still have this extraordinary occasion," he said, "in which I experienced the youthful face of the Church, on my mind and in my heart: It was like a multicolored mosaic, formed by young men and women from every part of the globe, all gathered together in the one faith in Jesus Christ...
Commenting on the week of events, the Pope called the catechetical sessions "moments of reflection and recollection that were indispensable for making the event one that, instead of being a merely external manifestation, would leave a deep impression on the conscience."
"The evening vigil, in the heart of the city, beneath the Southern Cross," he said, "was a choral invocation of the Holy Spirit; and at the end, during the large Eucharistic celebration last Sunday, I administered the sacrament of confirmation to 24 young people from all different continents, 14 of whom were Australian, inviting all present to renew their baptismal vows.."
World Youth Day was "transformed into a new Pentecost," the Pontiff said, "from which the mission of the young people, called to be apostles to their contemporaries, was relaunched."
A Message from the President.
Dear Serrans:
We are in the "dog days" of summer. I hope everyone has had at least one opportunity to enjoy some summer fun. Nate and I have had some interesting times painting our kitchen. You all know how a painting job can grow, and grow, and grow. I have spent the month of July on the project with Nate supervising, and we have it done. Now we have the rest of the house to get back in order.
Our club committees are busy planning for the coming months. Len Gross and other St. Stephans are sharing our Serra story after all lthe masses this weekend. We hope to do the same for other parishes. Thanks to Mark Kubik, Monsignor Gus Ancona, and Joe Westdorp, we have a fresh new brochure to hand out.
The Vocation Dinner plans are underway. Please mark the date and start asking your friends and family to attend on Tuesday, December 2, 2008. This is our major fundraising event and it is essential for all members to do their best in selling three or four tickets. There will be an early bird signup, so please watch for more details in the coming weeks.
It has come to my attention that new members are getting confused by hearing about international conventions and regional conferences. I will take a short stab and try to explain. Serra International is the world wide organization to which we belong as the Serra Club of Grand Rapids. The International has divided the world into councils. We belong to the United States Council of Serra International (USAC). Within the United States there are groups of states forming regions. These regions hold regional conventions, and the International holds an annual meeting. Approximately every third year the International Convention is held outside the United States (this year in Brazil, next year in Omaha, Nebraska). Both the International and Regional conferences offer optional opportunities to learn more about vocations and what other clubs do. Our Grand Rapids club has been blessed with members who are interested in participating in the larger areas of the organization. Because of this participation, we are learned more and have been exposed to more. I hope this explanation helps.
Keep Dennis and Margaret Leiber, Mark Kubik, and Fr. Ed in your prayers as they travel to Brazil on August 14. We look forward to hearing about their adventures in September.
August 1 is the last call for early bird registration for the Fall Regional Conference. Remember also that lodging reservations are due by August 9 for a reduced rate. For additional information call Chris Freeman at 1-800-523-2153 or visit the website at SerraSupReginal@aol.com
The past few weeks, I have enjoyed every weekend Mass and the parable stories. Each parable is unique, and we have had many great discussions around them. We all have many blessings and gifts to be thankful for especially the gift of being a Serran and working for vocations for our church. See you at the picnic, and summer blessings!
Pam McKenzie
Secretary Joseph Westdorp has prepared an updated version of our roster. It is available online and will be sent under separate cover with this newsletter. If you would like a paper copy, please let Joe know.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter, July 2008
Calendar of Events for July and Beyond.
July 7, 2008. Mass, Rosary, and Adoration at Holy Spirit Parish, with Mass beginning at 8:00 a.m. Rosary and Adoration will follow.
July 14, 2008. Luncheon Meeting, 12:00 Noon, Louis Benton Steak House. July 14 also marks the beginning of NDVI week. Our two attendees are Danielle LaVille and Zach Anzivino. We need a driver for that date, with departure at approximately 1:30 p.m. and again for Friday, July 18 for their return. The students are to be picked up at 12:30 on that day. Call Pam McKenzie if you can help.
July 21, 2008. Board Meeting, 12:00 Noon, Louis Benton Steak House.
July 28, 2008. Prayer Service and Luncheon Meeting, Sacred Heart Parish.
August 11, 2008. Serra Picnic. Details TBA.
August 13-17, 2008. Serra Interational, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Fr. Ed, Mark Kubik, and Dennis Leiber plan to attend. Dennis will serve as our club's delegate.
August 22, 2008. Shrimp Dinner, Muskegon Catholic Central.
Speaking of dates in July, Leonard Grotenrath calls our attention to presentations given by the Grand Dialogue Community, whose website and be found at http://www.granddialog.org/ This interesting and stimulating series of public lectures concern science, philosophy, and belief.
July presentations will take place at Calvin College and they are scheduled as follows: Wednesday, July 2 in the Seminary Chapel, July 9 and July 16 in the Gezon Auditorium.
All events will begin at 7:30 p.m.
Meet our Newly Ordained.
Ordination of Reverend Michael F. Cilibraise (Priest) and Reverend Mister Michael E. Burt and Reverend Mister Aaron Ferris (Deacons) took place at the Cathedral of St. Andrew on June 7, 2008.
Reverend Michael Cilibraise is the oldest son of Charles and Charlene Cilibraise of Sheridan, Michigan. Father Cilibraise has two brothers and one sister. St. Paul Campus Parish, Big Rapids, is his home parish. He graduated from Ferris State University in 1982 with a bachelor of science degree in social work. He also earned an associate's degree in criminal justice from Kellogg Community College. Father Cilibraise received his master's degree in divinity from St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein, Illinois in May 2008. He has been assigned to St. Thomas and Our Lady of Grace in Muskegon, and when school is in session, he will be spending one day a week with students at Muskegon Catholic Central High School.
Reverend Mister Michael Burt was born in Petoskey, Michigan to Anne and the late Edward Burt. He has one sister, Catherine, and one brother, David. St. Paul Campus Parish and St. Mary Parish, Big Rapids, are his home parishes. Deacon Burt graduated from George Washington University with a bachelor of science degree in health science in 1993 while serving in the U. S. Navy. After serving 22 years, he retired from the U. S. Navy with an honorable discharge in 1996. He will be entering his final year of seminary at St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein, Illinois this fall and is a candidate to receive his master's degree in divinity in May 2009.
Reverend Mister Aaron R. Ferris is the youngest child of Brian and Pauline Ferris of Newaygo. Deacon Ferris has a brother, Jacob, and a sister, Danielle. All Saints Parish, Fremont, is his home parish. He graduated from Seton Hall University in 2004 with a bachelor of arts degree in classical studies. Deacon Ferris will be entering his final year of seminary at St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein, Illinois this fall and is a candidate to receive his master's degree in divinity in May 2009. Source: Diocese of Grand Rapids.
Congratulations...to all of our priests who celebrated ordination anniversaries in June:
Rev. Michael J. Alber, Rev. Msgr. Gasper Ancona, Rev. Matthew Barnum, Rev. Mark Bauer, Rev. M. Thomas Bolster, Rev. Charles Brown, Rev. Thomas Brown, Rev. Patrick Cawley, Rev. James Chelich, Rev. Michael Danner, Rev. Thomas DeYoung, Rev. George Fekete, Rev. Joseph Fix, Rev. Edward Hankiewicz, Rev. Victor Kynam, Rev. Donald Lomasiewicz, Rev. Paul Milanowski, Rev. Troy Nevins, Rev. Phillip Nguyen, Rev. Thomas Page, Rev. Mark Peacock, Rev. Anthony Pelak, Rev. Phong Pham, Rev. Anthony Russo, Rev. R. Luis Quintana, Rev. Leo Rosloniec, Rev. Chris Rouech, Rev. Ronald Schneider, Rev. R. Louis Stasker, Rev. John Thome, Rev. Dung Anton Tran, Rev. John Tuller, Rev. John Vallier, Rev. Peter Vu, Rev. Thomas Vesbit, Rev. Joseph Wiekerak, Rev. John Wisniski , and Rev. William Zink. Please pray for them. Please pray also for those who reside at St. Ann's Home: Rev. Edward Bielskas, Rev. Lionel Harnish, Rev. Thomas McKinney, and Rev. Kenneth Wing.
At the June 23 meeting our club congratulated our Moderator, Fr. Ed Hankiewicz, who celebrated 29 years on that day.
Mary, Mother of Vocations, Pray for us.
News from the Serra All-American Conference, Notre Dame, Indiana, June 19-22.
The theme of the conference was "Vision of the Church in 2025."
All four Michigan District 15 Serra Clubs were represented at the conference. Attendees included Judge Tom Linck, Muskegon (please pray for Tom's brother, who is very ill); incoming District Governor Louis Rapin, Saginaw Serra; Robert O'Roark and wife Pat, Tom Berringer, from Detroit/Oakland; and from Grand Rapids outgoing District Governor Nate McKenzie, Grand Rapids Serra President Pam McKenzie, and John and Ellen Osterhart.
Our club was presented the Outstanding USAC Newsletter of Region 6 Award.
Resolution of USA Council restructuring issues have been largely resolved, with special thanks to Serra USA Council Episcopal Advisor Bishop Blase Cupich, Serra International Episcopal Advisor Justin Cardinal Rigali, and Consultant "Jim the Baptist" Jones.
A Vocations presentation led by Judy Cozzens of Southwest Denver Serra included the following:
1. School Vocations Awareness Program (Santa Clara Serra)
2. College Connection Program.
3. Parish Vocations Committee Programs were highlighted with materials and presentations from multiple Serra clubs. Judy Cozzens may be reached by e-mail at jcozzens@msn.com
or by phone at 303-795-0050.
Other Friday presentations included "A Vision of the Church in 2025," by Serra USA Council Episcopal Advisor Bishop Cupich, of Rapid City, SD, "The Changing Face of the Catholic Church," by Timothy Matovina, Director of the Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism at the University of Notre Dame, and one given by Donald Herman, North San Diego County Serra, mailto:conherm@juno.com or 760-749-2321), who made an appeal for clubs to volunteer to adopt a newly formed sister Serra Club in a developing or third world country. Don's club is helping a Serra Club in South Africa. Greg Lynch, Serra USAC Membership VP and member of the Serra Club of Santa Clara, led a presentation with emphasis on MEMBERSHIP, MEMBERSHIP, MEMBERSHIP. Our club will have an opportunity to participate in a Membership presentation at the Region 6 Conference scheduled for October in Wheeling, WV. We will present further information as the time comes, and we thank Vice President, Membership Chairman Tim Hile for his role in adding new members to our club.
A number of the Saturday presentations addressed changes in the Church directly related to the question of vocations: Mark Plaiss spoke about the increasing role of deacons in the Church. Sister Amy Hoey addressed the preparation and integration of the currently over 30,000 lay ecclesial ministers into parishes and their role in the future. Brother Paul Bednarczyk discussed the trends, opportunities, and challenges in vocations to the avowed religious life in the United States.
On Friday evening Bishop Cupich presided over the liturgy at Little Flower Church. Father David T. Link celebrated mass at Christ the King Church in South Bend on Saturday. Fr. Link, 71, decided to become a priest after the death of his wife and he was just recently ordained. On Sunday Serrans attended mass at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. On a personal note, Serrans witnessed quiet courage as a blind student walked to mass with her seeing eye dog. After entering the Basilica she took Ellen's arm for assistance in finding a seat.
Submitted by John Osterhart, who writes, "My recapitulation does not do justice to (our weekend). I just hope that all of our members will take advantage of the wonderful experience of attending a Regional, National, and/or International Serra Conference when the opportunity is available." Thank you, John for this information.
About the Budget. Dan Grady submitted a treasurer's report for 7/1/07 to 5/19/08.
We have forwarded a copy of this budget by e-mail to those who receive the electronic newsletter. For those receiving a paper newsletter, we plan to include a copy of the budget in the July mailing.
Msgr. Ancona, Mark Kubik and Ralph Hauenstein are writing a history of our club, and the Board approved the application of the Cavera Fund, amounting to approximately $400, to this project and possibly to developing a tri-fold informational brochure about our club. A subcommittee headed by Dan Grady is working on a donation policy. We will publish the policy as soon as the details have been worked out and the board has formally adopted it.
Reflections on a June Scripture Reading. The scriptures of June 15 employ mixed metaphors--images of sheep and shepards, priests and people, harvest and laborers--all of which intermingle to create a web of meaning on which we have based our understanding of Christian vocations. Above all, these images help us see Christian vocations as an extension and expression of Jesus' own ministry in the world. They lend themselves especially well to a reflection on the vocation to ordained priesthood. The scriptures for that day help us to understand the role of the ordained in the life of the Church. They also encourage us to pray for an increase in the number of candidates for priestly ordination, for "the harvest is abundant but the laborers are few" (Matthew 9:37). Source: Our Lady of Sorrows Parish Bulletin, June 15.
Pray especially for these Serrans and Friends: Deacon Dale Hollern, Abe Rossi, and Paula Mulligan. Pray also for the brother of Len Gross, who has returned to the United States from missionary work in Ghana and who is recovering from an illness, and for Franciscan Sister Colleen Sue Nagel.
St. Paul's Year Begins. Sunday, June 29 was the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul (Liturgical Year A, Cycle II). At 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, Pope Benedict XVI solemnly opened the year of St. Paul, marking two millenia since his birth. At 9:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, he gave the pallium to metropolitan archbishops at St. Peter's. The pallium is a wool liturgical garment.
The Vatican has granted a plenary indulgence during the Pauline Year for those who fulfill the requirements of confession, Communin, and prayers for the Holy Father's intentions "in total detachment from sin," and also:
1. Make a pilgrimage to St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome and pray for the Holy Father's intentions at the altar of confession, invoking the Blessed Mother and St. Paul.
2. The Catholic faithful in any local church can obtain indulgence by participating with devotion in a liturgy or other public event dedicated to St. Paul--in any sacred place on the opening and closing days of the jubilee year, and on other days in places designated by the local bishop. The sick must intend to as soon as they're able...
Pope Benedict XVI, in announcing the year of St. Paul last year, gave some lessons we can learn from St. Paul.
1. Evangelization is necessary to Christians...
2. Disagreements are human nature, but charity is eternal. The Pope also pointed out that the year opens on the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. They were very different figures with different roles in the Church, and there was tension between them, the Pope said, but together they helped build the Church and showed the world "a new way of being brothers." Paul also had a famously sharp disagreement with St. Barnabas, so acrimonious that they split. When the Church seems polarized, we can take comfort that there have always been big disagreements in the Church--and even greater charity.
3. Our Church is built on the sacrifice of the apostles. It was only a few decades ago that Peter's tomb was found to be buried deep beneath the center altar of St. Peter's Basilica. Now Vatican experts have discovered a roughly cut marble sarcophagus deep beneath St. Paul Outside the Walls, which, said Pope Benedict: "according to the common opinion of the experts and unopposed tradition holds the remains of the apostle Paul." It should strengthen our faith to know that our Church was built on the martyrdom of the apostles.
4. Be ready for martyrdom. These are scary times, with new legal challenges making it criminal to be a believing Catholic on some issues in Canada and elsewhere. Don't worry, said the Pope. The Church's actions are credible and effective only to the extent that Christians are willing to "pay personally for their faith in Christ, in every situation," said Pope Benedict. Where this commitment is lacking, the appeal of the Gospel will b weaker, he said.
Paul "lived and worked for Christ; he suffered and died for him. How current is his example today!" By Tom and April Hoopes. Source: National Catholic Register, June 22, 2008.
A Message from our President.
Dear Grand Rapids Serrans:
I am writing this message after attending weekend celebrations at both churches I serve. What a great gift to celebrate the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul at weekend mass and hear stories about their lack of faith, and how they were transformed. Of course I am partial to the Psalm responses, and this week's, "The angel of the Lord will rescue those who hear him," rang so meaningful and so true.
The angel of the Lord was watching over John and Ellen Osterhart and Nate and me as we traveled to Notre Dame for the Regional Conference last week. It is always nice to be with old friends and make new ones. I had the opportunity to visit with both Louis Rapin, our new District Governor from Saginaw and Joe Dietrich, ournew Regional Director from Ohio. Both man are excited to be working with the clubs of our region and district. In the coming months, I know we will be hearing from both of them. Many thanks to Nate McKenzie for serving as District Governor for the past two years. I also learned that one of our past regional directors, Doug McRoy, is now president elect for the U. S. Council. It was also a great pleasure to accept the award for outstanding newsletter for our region on behalf of Nancy King. She works very hard to keep us informed and is very deserving of this award. Congratulations, Nancy.
I understand that many of the differences that had been troubling both the USA Council of Serra and Serra International have been ironed out. There is still some work to finalize before their plan can be presented to the membership. Because of the timing, nothing will be happening until next summer at the International Convention in Omaha, Nebraska.The presentations were all exciting, informative, and interesting. We want to keep the newly ordained Father Zinck in our prayers. At age 71, he is on his sixth career. We are never too old to begin anew, and I know the angel of the Lord will keep watch over him.
Our club's committees are moving ahead with planning for the coming months. If you have not notified one or more of them to join a committee, please do so. Our club has many repeat projects, and we are brainstorming and starting new ones. Don't be left out, and please find the committee you find most interesting. Committee chairmen are as follows: Vocations, Len Gross; Programs, Joseph Scoville; Communications, Nancy King; and Membership, Tim Hile. They will welcome your participation, and the angel of the Lord will be watching, too!
There are some pending opportunities for July and August. Watch your e-mails as we finalize our plans. We will look forward to hearing from our students attending Notre Dame Weekend and from Dennis Leiber, our delegate to the International Convention in Brazil. An Adoration schedule is being prepared for the year. For July we invite you to participate in Adoration at Holy Spirit Parish on Monday, July 7. Mass starts at 8:00 a.m., followed by Rosary. Adoration will take place from 9:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. If possible, set aside some quiet time for the Lord that day, praying for vocations either at Holy Spirit, at home, or at work.
We are have prepared a financial statement for your review. Those taking the electronic newsletter should have received it under separate cover. Those receiving the paper newsletter may view it as part of this mailing. I will listen to any comments. Thank you to Pat Leikert and Dan Grady for compiling this information.
This week we celebrate Independence Day. Many blessings for a safe holiday weekend, and the angel of the Lord rescues those who fear him.
Peaceful blessings,
Pam McKenzie
July 7, 2008. Mass, Rosary, and Adoration at Holy Spirit Parish, with Mass beginning at 8:00 a.m. Rosary and Adoration will follow.
July 14, 2008. Luncheon Meeting, 12:00 Noon, Louis Benton Steak House. July 14 also marks the beginning of NDVI week. Our two attendees are Danielle LaVille and Zach Anzivino. We need a driver for that date, with departure at approximately 1:30 p.m. and again for Friday, July 18 for their return. The students are to be picked up at 12:30 on that day. Call Pam McKenzie if you can help.
July 21, 2008. Board Meeting, 12:00 Noon, Louis Benton Steak House.
July 28, 2008. Prayer Service and Luncheon Meeting, Sacred Heart Parish.
August 11, 2008. Serra Picnic. Details TBA.
August 13-17, 2008. Serra Interational, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Fr. Ed, Mark Kubik, and Dennis Leiber plan to attend. Dennis will serve as our club's delegate.
August 22, 2008. Shrimp Dinner, Muskegon Catholic Central.
Speaking of dates in July, Leonard Grotenrath calls our attention to presentations given by the Grand Dialogue Community, whose website and be found at http://www.granddialog.org/ This interesting and stimulating series of public lectures concern science, philosophy, and belief.
July presentations will take place at Calvin College and they are scheduled as follows: Wednesday, July 2 in the Seminary Chapel, July 9 and July 16 in the Gezon Auditorium.
All events will begin at 7:30 p.m.
Meet our Newly Ordained.
Ordination of Reverend Michael F. Cilibraise (Priest) and Reverend Mister Michael E. Burt and Reverend Mister Aaron Ferris (Deacons) took place at the Cathedral of St. Andrew on June 7, 2008.
Reverend Michael Cilibraise is the oldest son of Charles and Charlene Cilibraise of Sheridan, Michigan. Father Cilibraise has two brothers and one sister. St. Paul Campus Parish, Big Rapids, is his home parish. He graduated from Ferris State University in 1982 with a bachelor of science degree in social work. He also earned an associate's degree in criminal justice from Kellogg Community College. Father Cilibraise received his master's degree in divinity from St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein, Illinois in May 2008. He has been assigned to St. Thomas and Our Lady of Grace in Muskegon, and when school is in session, he will be spending one day a week with students at Muskegon Catholic Central High School.
Reverend Mister Michael Burt was born in Petoskey, Michigan to Anne and the late Edward Burt. He has one sister, Catherine, and one brother, David. St. Paul Campus Parish and St. Mary Parish, Big Rapids, are his home parishes. Deacon Burt graduated from George Washington University with a bachelor of science degree in health science in 1993 while serving in the U. S. Navy. After serving 22 years, he retired from the U. S. Navy with an honorable discharge in 1996. He will be entering his final year of seminary at St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein, Illinois this fall and is a candidate to receive his master's degree in divinity in May 2009.
Reverend Mister Aaron R. Ferris is the youngest child of Brian and Pauline Ferris of Newaygo. Deacon Ferris has a brother, Jacob, and a sister, Danielle. All Saints Parish, Fremont, is his home parish. He graduated from Seton Hall University in 2004 with a bachelor of arts degree in classical studies. Deacon Ferris will be entering his final year of seminary at St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein, Illinois this fall and is a candidate to receive his master's degree in divinity in May 2009. Source: Diocese of Grand Rapids.
Congratulations...to all of our priests who celebrated ordination anniversaries in June:
Rev. Michael J. Alber, Rev. Msgr. Gasper Ancona, Rev. Matthew Barnum, Rev. Mark Bauer, Rev. M. Thomas Bolster, Rev. Charles Brown, Rev. Thomas Brown, Rev. Patrick Cawley, Rev. James Chelich, Rev. Michael Danner, Rev. Thomas DeYoung, Rev. George Fekete, Rev. Joseph Fix, Rev. Edward Hankiewicz, Rev. Victor Kynam, Rev. Donald Lomasiewicz, Rev. Paul Milanowski, Rev. Troy Nevins, Rev. Phillip Nguyen, Rev. Thomas Page, Rev. Mark Peacock, Rev. Anthony Pelak, Rev. Phong Pham, Rev. Anthony Russo, Rev. R. Luis Quintana, Rev. Leo Rosloniec, Rev. Chris Rouech, Rev. Ronald Schneider, Rev. R. Louis Stasker, Rev. John Thome, Rev. Dung Anton Tran, Rev. John Tuller, Rev. John Vallier, Rev. Peter Vu, Rev. Thomas Vesbit, Rev. Joseph Wiekerak, Rev. John Wisniski , and Rev. William Zink. Please pray for them. Please pray also for those who reside at St. Ann's Home: Rev. Edward Bielskas, Rev. Lionel Harnish, Rev. Thomas McKinney, and Rev. Kenneth Wing.
At the June 23 meeting our club congratulated our Moderator, Fr. Ed Hankiewicz, who celebrated 29 years on that day.
Mary, Mother of Vocations, Pray for us.
News from the Serra All-American Conference, Notre Dame, Indiana, June 19-22.
The theme of the conference was "Vision of the Church in 2025."
All four Michigan District 15 Serra Clubs were represented at the conference. Attendees included Judge Tom Linck, Muskegon (please pray for Tom's brother, who is very ill); incoming District Governor Louis Rapin, Saginaw Serra; Robert O'Roark and wife Pat, Tom Berringer, from Detroit/Oakland; and from Grand Rapids outgoing District Governor Nate McKenzie, Grand Rapids Serra President Pam McKenzie, and John and Ellen Osterhart.
Our club was presented the Outstanding USAC Newsletter of Region 6 Award.
Resolution of USA Council restructuring issues have been largely resolved, with special thanks to Serra USA Council Episcopal Advisor Bishop Blase Cupich, Serra International Episcopal Advisor Justin Cardinal Rigali, and Consultant "Jim the Baptist" Jones.
A Vocations presentation led by Judy Cozzens of Southwest Denver Serra included the following:
1. School Vocations Awareness Program (Santa Clara Serra)
2. College Connection Program.
3. Parish Vocations Committee Programs were highlighted with materials and presentations from multiple Serra clubs. Judy Cozzens may be reached by e-mail at jcozzens@msn.com
or by phone at 303-795-0050.
Other Friday presentations included "A Vision of the Church in 2025," by Serra USA Council Episcopal Advisor Bishop Cupich, of Rapid City, SD, "The Changing Face of the Catholic Church," by Timothy Matovina, Director of the Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism at the University of Notre Dame, and one given by Donald Herman, North San Diego County Serra, mailto:conherm@juno.com or 760-749-2321), who made an appeal for clubs to volunteer to adopt a newly formed sister Serra Club in a developing or third world country. Don's club is helping a Serra Club in South Africa. Greg Lynch, Serra USAC Membership VP and member of the Serra Club of Santa Clara, led a presentation with emphasis on MEMBERSHIP, MEMBERSHIP, MEMBERSHIP. Our club will have an opportunity to participate in a Membership presentation at the Region 6 Conference scheduled for October in Wheeling, WV. We will present further information as the time comes, and we thank Vice President, Membership Chairman Tim Hile for his role in adding new members to our club.
A number of the Saturday presentations addressed changes in the Church directly related to the question of vocations: Mark Plaiss spoke about the increasing role of deacons in the Church. Sister Amy Hoey addressed the preparation and integration of the currently over 30,000 lay ecclesial ministers into parishes and their role in the future. Brother Paul Bednarczyk discussed the trends, opportunities, and challenges in vocations to the avowed religious life in the United States.
On Friday evening Bishop Cupich presided over the liturgy at Little Flower Church. Father David T. Link celebrated mass at Christ the King Church in South Bend on Saturday. Fr. Link, 71, decided to become a priest after the death of his wife and he was just recently ordained. On Sunday Serrans attended mass at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. On a personal note, Serrans witnessed quiet courage as a blind student walked to mass with her seeing eye dog. After entering the Basilica she took Ellen's arm for assistance in finding a seat.
Submitted by John Osterhart, who writes, "My recapitulation does not do justice to (our weekend). I just hope that all of our members will take advantage of the wonderful experience of attending a Regional, National, and/or International Serra Conference when the opportunity is available." Thank you, John for this information.
About the Budget. Dan Grady submitted a treasurer's report for 7/1/07 to 5/19/08.
We have forwarded a copy of this budget by e-mail to those who receive the electronic newsletter. For those receiving a paper newsletter, we plan to include a copy of the budget in the July mailing.
Msgr. Ancona, Mark Kubik and Ralph Hauenstein are writing a history of our club, and the Board approved the application of the Cavera Fund, amounting to approximately $400, to this project and possibly to developing a tri-fold informational brochure about our club. A subcommittee headed by Dan Grady is working on a donation policy. We will publish the policy as soon as the details have been worked out and the board has formally adopted it.
Reflections on a June Scripture Reading. The scriptures of June 15 employ mixed metaphors--images of sheep and shepards, priests and people, harvest and laborers--all of which intermingle to create a web of meaning on which we have based our understanding of Christian vocations. Above all, these images help us see Christian vocations as an extension and expression of Jesus' own ministry in the world. They lend themselves especially well to a reflection on the vocation to ordained priesthood. The scriptures for that day help us to understand the role of the ordained in the life of the Church. They also encourage us to pray for an increase in the number of candidates for priestly ordination, for "the harvest is abundant but the laborers are few" (Matthew 9:37). Source: Our Lady of Sorrows Parish Bulletin, June 15.
Pray especially for these Serrans and Friends: Deacon Dale Hollern, Abe Rossi, and Paula Mulligan. Pray also for the brother of Len Gross, who has returned to the United States from missionary work in Ghana and who is recovering from an illness, and for Franciscan Sister Colleen Sue Nagel.
St. Paul's Year Begins. Sunday, June 29 was the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul (Liturgical Year A, Cycle II). At 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, Pope Benedict XVI solemnly opened the year of St. Paul, marking two millenia since his birth. At 9:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, he gave the pallium to metropolitan archbishops at St. Peter's. The pallium is a wool liturgical garment.
The Vatican has granted a plenary indulgence during the Pauline Year for those who fulfill the requirements of confession, Communin, and prayers for the Holy Father's intentions "in total detachment from sin," and also:
1. Make a pilgrimage to St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome and pray for the Holy Father's intentions at the altar of confession, invoking the Blessed Mother and St. Paul.
2. The Catholic faithful in any local church can obtain indulgence by participating with devotion in a liturgy or other public event dedicated to St. Paul--in any sacred place on the opening and closing days of the jubilee year, and on other days in places designated by the local bishop. The sick must intend to as soon as they're able...
Pope Benedict XVI, in announcing the year of St. Paul last year, gave some lessons we can learn from St. Paul.
1. Evangelization is necessary to Christians...
2. Disagreements are human nature, but charity is eternal. The Pope also pointed out that the year opens on the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. They were very different figures with different roles in the Church, and there was tension between them, the Pope said, but together they helped build the Church and showed the world "a new way of being brothers." Paul also had a famously sharp disagreement with St. Barnabas, so acrimonious that they split. When the Church seems polarized, we can take comfort that there have always been big disagreements in the Church--and even greater charity.
3. Our Church is built on the sacrifice of the apostles. It was only a few decades ago that Peter's tomb was found to be buried deep beneath the center altar of St. Peter's Basilica. Now Vatican experts have discovered a roughly cut marble sarcophagus deep beneath St. Paul Outside the Walls, which, said Pope Benedict: "according to the common opinion of the experts and unopposed tradition holds the remains of the apostle Paul." It should strengthen our faith to know that our Church was built on the martyrdom of the apostles.
4. Be ready for martyrdom. These are scary times, with new legal challenges making it criminal to be a believing Catholic on some issues in Canada and elsewhere. Don't worry, said the Pope. The Church's actions are credible and effective only to the extent that Christians are willing to "pay personally for their faith in Christ, in every situation," said Pope Benedict. Where this commitment is lacking, the appeal of the Gospel will b weaker, he said.
Paul "lived and worked for Christ; he suffered and died for him. How current is his example today!" By Tom and April Hoopes. Source: National Catholic Register, June 22, 2008.
A Message from our President.
Dear Grand Rapids Serrans:
I am writing this message after attending weekend celebrations at both churches I serve. What a great gift to celebrate the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul at weekend mass and hear stories about their lack of faith, and how they were transformed. Of course I am partial to the Psalm responses, and this week's, "The angel of the Lord will rescue those who hear him," rang so meaningful and so true.
The angel of the Lord was watching over John and Ellen Osterhart and Nate and me as we traveled to Notre Dame for the Regional Conference last week. It is always nice to be with old friends and make new ones. I had the opportunity to visit with both Louis Rapin, our new District Governor from Saginaw and Joe Dietrich, ournew Regional Director from Ohio. Both man are excited to be working with the clubs of our region and district. In the coming months, I know we will be hearing from both of them. Many thanks to Nate McKenzie for serving as District Governor for the past two years. I also learned that one of our past regional directors, Doug McRoy, is now president elect for the U. S. Council. It was also a great pleasure to accept the award for outstanding newsletter for our region on behalf of Nancy King. She works very hard to keep us informed and is very deserving of this award. Congratulations, Nancy.
I understand that many of the differences that had been troubling both the USA Council of Serra and Serra International have been ironed out. There is still some work to finalize before their plan can be presented to the membership. Because of the timing, nothing will be happening until next summer at the International Convention in Omaha, Nebraska.The presentations were all exciting, informative, and interesting. We want to keep the newly ordained Father Zinck in our prayers. At age 71, he is on his sixth career. We are never too old to begin anew, and I know the angel of the Lord will keep watch over him.
Our club's committees are moving ahead with planning for the coming months. If you have not notified one or more of them to join a committee, please do so. Our club has many repeat projects, and we are brainstorming and starting new ones. Don't be left out, and please find the committee you find most interesting. Committee chairmen are as follows: Vocations, Len Gross; Programs, Joseph Scoville; Communications, Nancy King; and Membership, Tim Hile. They will welcome your participation, and the angel of the Lord will be watching, too!
There are some pending opportunities for July and August. Watch your e-mails as we finalize our plans. We will look forward to hearing from our students attending Notre Dame Weekend and from Dennis Leiber, our delegate to the International Convention in Brazil. An Adoration schedule is being prepared for the year. For July we invite you to participate in Adoration at Holy Spirit Parish on Monday, July 7. Mass starts at 8:00 a.m., followed by Rosary. Adoration will take place from 9:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. If possible, set aside some quiet time for the Lord that day, praying for vocations either at Holy Spirit, at home, or at work.
We are have prepared a financial statement for your review. Those taking the electronic newsletter should have received it under separate cover. Those receiving the paper newsletter may view it as part of this mailing. I will listen to any comments. Thank you to Pat Leikert and Dan Grady for compiling this information.
This week we celebrate Independence Day. Many blessings for a safe holiday weekend, and the angel of the Lord rescues those who fear him.
Peaceful blessings,
Pam McKenzie
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Grand Rapids Serra Club Newsletter, June, 2008
Calendar of Events.
June 6, 2008. Adoration, First Friday, June 6 at IHM, 9:00-10:00 a.m.
June 7, 2008. Ordination of one priest and two deacons, St. Andrew's Cathedral. Mass begins at 10:00 a.m. Those Serrans serving on the hospitality team may report at 8:40 in the chapel for prayer time. These times are different from the ones previously published. The prayer time is optional. Hospitality duties begin at 9:00 a.m. All Serrans are invited to attend the mass, even though only 10 Serrans will be serving on the hospitality team.
June 9, 2008. Luncheon meeting, 12:00 noon at Louis Benton Steak House. Fr. Ed will be the speaker. Catholic Lawyers of Grand Rapids will join us on this day as special guests.
June 16, 2008. Board Meeting, 12:00 noon at Louis Benton Steak House.
June 20-22, 2008. USAC Super Weekend with Regional Conference, Notre Dame, Indiana.
June 23, 2008. Prayer service and luncheon meeting, 12:00 noon at Sacred Heart. Investiture of new members is tentatively scheduled on this day.
Additional June Dates. Pledge your prayers for the 49th International Eucharistic Congress in Quebec City, June 15-22. Whether or not they attend, all the faithful are encouraged to make the International Eucharistic Congress Pledge:
Jesus, I pledge to respond to your invitation to take part in the Sunday Eucharist with my brothers and sisters gathered together.
For where two or three meet in my name, I am gathered there among them (Mt. 18:20).
I pledge to listen carefully to your Word. I will meditate and pray on your Word. I will put your Word into practice and do what you say, day after day.
And the Word became flesh and lived among us (Jn 1:14).
I pledge to support priests in their mnistry and recognize that You arte acting through them in the Eucharist and in other sacraments.
While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it, he broke it and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat: this is my body" (Mt. 26:26).
I pledge to welcome your love by partaking of your Body and to take the time to prolong our encounter in prayer and adoration.
I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry; whoever believes in me will never be thirsty (Jn 6:35).
I pledge to recognize you in all people, especially those who are most difficult to love, seeing in everyone a brother, a sister, because God's spirit dwells in everyone.
Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's spirit dwells in you? (1 Cor 3:16).
I pledge to stand by you, Jesus crucified, along with your mother, the Virgin Mary, helping my brothers and sisters who suffer in body, mind, and spirit.
Just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me (Mt. 25:40).
Through the generosity of the Knights of Columbus, Canada's Salt and Light Television Network (http://www.saltandlighttv.org/), in conjunction with EWTN (http://www.ewtn.org/), will telecast these events. For more information visit the International Eucharistic Congress Web site: http://www.cei2008.ca/.
Source: http://www.catholicweb.com/. Secondary source: Our Lady of Sorrows Bulletin, June 1, 2008.
Recommended related reading: The Seven Secrets of the Eucharist, available at Catholic bookstores.
Mark your calendars for the following other important dates:
August 12-17. Serra International Convention, Aguas de Lindoia, Sao Paulo State, Brazil.
Among the speakers will be His Eminence Justin Cardinal Rigali, who will complete his third three-year term at this year's International Convention; His Eminence Zenon Cardinal Grocholewski, who was appointed Prefect of the SacredCongregation for Catholic Education in November, 1999 and was elevated to the College of Cardinals in February, 2001; and His Eminence Odilo Caradinal Scherer, named by Pope Benedict XVI Archbishop of Sao Paulo in March, 2007 and elevated to theCollege of Cardinals in the Public Consistory at St. Peter's Basilica.
Friday, August 22, 2008. Muskegon Club's Annual Shrimp Dinner, 5:30-7:00 p.m. at Muskegon Catholic Central High School. Approximate cost $15 per person, with soft drinks and adult beverages available.
October, 2008. Fall Regional Conference, Oglebay, West Virginia. More information to come.
News from Asia: Bangalore Vocation Camp. We thank Serra International President Emeritus Dennis Leiber for the following note from Chainarong Monthienvichienchai regarding the Bangalore Vocation Camp:
May 1, 2008. Dear Salena: It's always a joy to receive news from the Serra Club of Bangalore in India. Not only are you alive and well, but also you promote vocations with dedication. Indeed, what your club under the leadership of Jeanette has done is truly a role model and (provides) an inspiration for all of us to follow your beautiful example of the Bangalore Vocation Camp. It clearly reflects your strong faith in the Lord.
As Pope Benedict XVI said early this year, we can only serve the Lord energetically if our faith thrives and is present in abundance in us. The Holy Father also quoted the Lord, who said over and over again to those He healed that it was not the physical touch, it was not the external gesture that was operative, but...that those sick people believed.
The Holy Father added that future priests and preachers of the faith must receive good theological training. We need good major seminaries and qualified theology teachers who not only impart knowledge but inculcate in students an intelligent faith so that faith becomes intelligence.
Again, I sincerely commend the Serra Club of Bangalore for the wonderful deeds. Congratulations on the success, and I look forward to hearing more news from you...
Thank you for sharing this most delightful news with us. Praise the Lord! Mary, mother of vocations, pray for us.
Yours in Serra,
Chainarong
P. S. Please note that the next Serra Asian Convention will be held in Singapore in April, 2010. The Serra Club of Singapore has kindly agreed to be the host, and the preparation has already begun. Please plan to bring as many members as possible to this event, which promises to be a great convention for Serra in Asia. Meanwhile, the upcoming Serra International Convention will be held in Brazil in August of this year. More details at http://www.serraconvention.org/
Congratulations to Father Ted Kozlowski, who celebrated his 50th anniversary of ordination on June 1, 2008, at Our Lady of Sorrows. Congratulations are also in order for Fr. Zink of St. Mary's Parish, Marne, 50 years; Fr. Lou Anderson of Carson City, 45 years; and Fr. Troy Nevins, IHM, 11 years.
We extend our best wishes to Serran Past President Mark Kubik, who recently completed the MBA program at the University of Michigan School of Business.
Pray for the continued recovery of these Serrans: Deacon Dale Hollern, Fred Platte, Abe Rossi, and Paula Mulligan.
Catholic Central grad Joe VanderZee writes of his discernment: Over the last few years many of you...have asked me one seemingly innocuous question: "What did you do after high school?" I often replied that I was unsure. My story moved from architecture to engineering to "maybe psychology," to no idea whatsoever. They were all lies. While I knew the honest answer to your question more firmly and longer than even I realized, I refused to acknowledge it. Now I would like to share what I previously lacked the courage to reveal.
My discernment began when my new third grade teacher seemed to fly into the room on our first day as he catapulted himself toward the ceiling. I do not remember if Mr. Fochtman reached it that day, but he would try periodically throughout the year. It was a very high ceiling, often just out of reach. He was a remarkable teacher who expected my classmates and me to take ownership of every assignment: our own high ceiling to grasp. I became a motivated and hardworking student, and I joined the Boy Scouts. I learned much about teamwork and the importance of service. I gained enough experience as a leader to realize that only with personal sacrifices could I really make the troop a better place and help others reach their potential.
However, my reflections on serving and perhaps leading others were driving me down a very uncomfortable path. I found myself entertaining thoughts of becoming a priest. This, my psyche clearly informed me, was not socially acceptable; it would mean sacrificing too much. I happily let the world's ideas of wealth, power, and happiness bury this humbled aspiration one sophisticated shovelful at a time...
Editor's Note: As Joe describes his numerous experiences at Catholic Central, he goes on to describe his participation in CORE:
I was given the privilege of participating on the CORE team where all important decisions were made by consensus. The system forced us to acknowledge each other's perspectives and synthesize forty visions into one. I forged inspiring new friendships that sprang from letting go of my personal wishes to find what was best for our whole class.
When I saw my future bearing down quickly, at the end of my junior year, I realized what a mistake it would be to base my life's most significant decisions on an aspiration motivated by the world's ideas of success and not my honest talents, passions, or faith. I wondered how I could build a life around moments like those that had inspired me: when I left my own wishes behind to share in the growth of others. Before long the replacement dream of a career in arthitecture was no longer adequate to silence the now very loud voice in the back of my head that hinted at a life dedicated to spiritual leadership.
When I reached COREX, I opened a letter I had written during freshman year. My jaw dropped when I read the confident words of my younger self: "You are going to become a priest." It went on to explain the truths about myself I thought I had only then discovered. I realized that priesthood had been my real dream all along; I had simply refused to admit it, even to myself. Though I unearthed the old dream, I kept it closely guarded.
I have spent the vast majority of this year avoiding the question or lying outright when asked to specify to what heights I aspire. I mistakenly felt convinced that if (people) knew, they would never treat me the same way, share the same jokes, or speak with the same candor. I worried that everyone would stereotype me as weird, or as much holier than I am, or worse yet, as someone who thinks he's better than everyone else. Furthermore, telling anyone with conviction that I intend to become a priest would give away not only career ambitions but exactly how I will live my life: a psychological nakedness for which I did not feel prepared. However, should I successfully construct my life to imitate that of a man who offered himself up to death, I suspect it will often be uncomfortable.
The time has long passed to own up to the truth, even if I find it awkward or politically incorrect. I hope a new commitment to honesty might make up for the missed opportunities for conversation that my lying caused. Perhaps it is too late. Yet I know what I have learned at Catholic Central will inspire me in the future to do a much better job living out one certain reality. One ceiling hangs above any skyscraper, free of all limits, and beyond the sky. I want to use my life to support the dreams and hopes of the people around me as we lead each other to God. After all, it is lowly church rafters that hold up our familiar cathedral spires as they ring out noisy calls to prayer, elevate the cross for all to see, and point directly toward heaven.
Source: Senior Issue, Blue and White, May 20, 2008. About this article Serran Tim Hile writes: "The real reason I am forwarding this article is that I hope it will give us more insight as to how to reach young people like Joe. I think it points to all the little touches we can have with younger children to help them understand it is all right to feel called to be closer to God. As a club, how do we take this and aid more young people in nurturing their journey? How can we create more awareness within the Catholic schools and the Faith Formation (CCD) programs throughout the diocese?"
www.serraus.org provides a link to the College Connection Program, the purpose of which is to help high school graduates locate the "Catholic Presence" when they arrive on campus. We especially thank Serrans Nate McKenzie and Paul Nelson for their work with local colleges and universities.
A Message from our President:
Dear Grand Rapids Serrans: May was certainly a rich, liturgy-filled month, starting with the Ascension of our Lord, Pentecost, Holy Trinity Sunday, and Corpus Christi. When we add in First Holy Communions, Mother's Day, May crownings with devotions to Mary--how did we find at date for the 60th Anniversary Charter Night Celebration?
Many thanks to Hon. Joseph Scoville and his committee for a greatly successful evening. The Mass of Thanksgiving was inspiring, giving praise and thanks to our God for the past 60 years and asking for continued guidance in the years to come. We thank His Excellency Bishop Hurley for joining us, and we thank the Lord for the presence of the Honorable Chair and Charter Member Ralph Hauenstein. We also thank Joe and Kathy Westdorp, along with the Diocesean Choir, under the direction of Dennis Rybicki, for the outstanding music. We thank Patty Hughes for coordinating all of the details at the cathedral. The St. George banquet facility was very accommodating. (And then there was that description of a drill sergeant from District Governor Nate McKenzie...I was a little confused, as I thought I was attending the Serra Charter Night Dinner, not entering boot camp)...
Mark Kubik has been an ambitious president, and we thank him for all of his hard work. I especially look for his continued guidance as me remains on the board as Past President.
Again, my appreciation to everyone who helped make the evening a time to restate who we are and what we do as Grand Rapids Serrans.
We have already held our first board meeting of the new term. I shared my focus ideas for the coming months: to continue what has been happening in recent years of growth in membership; to provide informative programs to help us promote, foster, and pray for priestly and religious vocations while enriching our own Catholic journey; to keep communications open; to develop a working budget; and to spend more energy on vocation-related projects, activities, and events. Focusing on vocations, our club urges all members to become involved with a committee or a subcommittee. The vice-presidents will be asking for your help and involvement. If you have a particular area of interest, let them know.
Pentecost Sunday always reminds us of the great story of how the Holy Spirit appeared to the Twelve and how this same Holy Spirit is present to us in the world today. May we continue with our whole hearts, minds, and souls to spread the good news of Jesus Christ, continuing His work as we foster, promote,and pray for priestly and religious vocations.
I look forward to seeing you on Monday, June 9 as we gather with a group of Catholic Lawyers to share a meal and listen to our Moderator, Fr. Ed Hankiewicz. The peace of the Lord be with you. Pam McKenzie
June 6, 2008. Adoration, First Friday, June 6 at IHM, 9:00-10:00 a.m.
June 7, 2008. Ordination of one priest and two deacons, St. Andrew's Cathedral. Mass begins at 10:00 a.m. Those Serrans serving on the hospitality team may report at 8:40 in the chapel for prayer time. These times are different from the ones previously published. The prayer time is optional. Hospitality duties begin at 9:00 a.m. All Serrans are invited to attend the mass, even though only 10 Serrans will be serving on the hospitality team.
June 9, 2008. Luncheon meeting, 12:00 noon at Louis Benton Steak House. Fr. Ed will be the speaker. Catholic Lawyers of Grand Rapids will join us on this day as special guests.
June 16, 2008. Board Meeting, 12:00 noon at Louis Benton Steak House.
June 20-22, 2008. USAC Super Weekend with Regional Conference, Notre Dame, Indiana.
June 23, 2008. Prayer service and luncheon meeting, 12:00 noon at Sacred Heart. Investiture of new members is tentatively scheduled on this day.
Additional June Dates. Pledge your prayers for the 49th International Eucharistic Congress in Quebec City, June 15-22. Whether or not they attend, all the faithful are encouraged to make the International Eucharistic Congress Pledge:
Jesus, I pledge to respond to your invitation to take part in the Sunday Eucharist with my brothers and sisters gathered together.
For where two or three meet in my name, I am gathered there among them (Mt. 18:20).
I pledge to listen carefully to your Word. I will meditate and pray on your Word. I will put your Word into practice and do what you say, day after day.
And the Word became flesh and lived among us (Jn 1:14).
I pledge to support priests in their mnistry and recognize that You arte acting through them in the Eucharist and in other sacraments.
While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it, he broke it and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat: this is my body" (Mt. 26:26).
I pledge to welcome your love by partaking of your Body and to take the time to prolong our encounter in prayer and adoration.
I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry; whoever believes in me will never be thirsty (Jn 6:35).
I pledge to recognize you in all people, especially those who are most difficult to love, seeing in everyone a brother, a sister, because God's spirit dwells in everyone.
Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's spirit dwells in you? (1 Cor 3:16).
I pledge to stand by you, Jesus crucified, along with your mother, the Virgin Mary, helping my brothers and sisters who suffer in body, mind, and spirit.
Just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me (Mt. 25:40).
Through the generosity of the Knights of Columbus, Canada's Salt and Light Television Network (http://www.saltandlighttv.org/), in conjunction with EWTN (http://www.ewtn.org/), will telecast these events. For more information visit the International Eucharistic Congress Web site: http://www.cei2008.ca/.
Source: http://www.catholicweb.com/. Secondary source: Our Lady of Sorrows Bulletin, June 1, 2008.
Recommended related reading: The Seven Secrets of the Eucharist, available at Catholic bookstores.
Mark your calendars for the following other important dates:
August 12-17. Serra International Convention, Aguas de Lindoia, Sao Paulo State, Brazil.
Among the speakers will be His Eminence Justin Cardinal Rigali, who will complete his third three-year term at this year's International Convention; His Eminence Zenon Cardinal Grocholewski, who was appointed Prefect of the SacredCongregation for Catholic Education in November, 1999 and was elevated to the College of Cardinals in February, 2001; and His Eminence Odilo Caradinal Scherer, named by Pope Benedict XVI Archbishop of Sao Paulo in March, 2007 and elevated to theCollege of Cardinals in the Public Consistory at St. Peter's Basilica.
Friday, August 22, 2008. Muskegon Club's Annual Shrimp Dinner, 5:30-7:00 p.m. at Muskegon Catholic Central High School. Approximate cost $15 per person, with soft drinks and adult beverages available.
October, 2008. Fall Regional Conference, Oglebay, West Virginia. More information to come.
News from Asia: Bangalore Vocation Camp. We thank Serra International President Emeritus Dennis Leiber for the following note from Chainarong Monthienvichienchai regarding the Bangalore Vocation Camp:
May 1, 2008. Dear Salena: It's always a joy to receive news from the Serra Club of Bangalore in India. Not only are you alive and well, but also you promote vocations with dedication. Indeed, what your club under the leadership of Jeanette has done is truly a role model and (provides) an inspiration for all of us to follow your beautiful example of the Bangalore Vocation Camp. It clearly reflects your strong faith in the Lord.
As Pope Benedict XVI said early this year, we can only serve the Lord energetically if our faith thrives and is present in abundance in us. The Holy Father also quoted the Lord, who said over and over again to those He healed that it was not the physical touch, it was not the external gesture that was operative, but...that those sick people believed.
The Holy Father added that future priests and preachers of the faith must receive good theological training. We need good major seminaries and qualified theology teachers who not only impart knowledge but inculcate in students an intelligent faith so that faith becomes intelligence.
Again, I sincerely commend the Serra Club of Bangalore for the wonderful deeds. Congratulations on the success, and I look forward to hearing more news from you...
Thank you for sharing this most delightful news with us. Praise the Lord! Mary, mother of vocations, pray for us.
Yours in Serra,
Chainarong
P. S. Please note that the next Serra Asian Convention will be held in Singapore in April, 2010. The Serra Club of Singapore has kindly agreed to be the host, and the preparation has already begun. Please plan to bring as many members as possible to this event, which promises to be a great convention for Serra in Asia. Meanwhile, the upcoming Serra International Convention will be held in Brazil in August of this year. More details at http://www.serraconvention.org/
Congratulations to Father Ted Kozlowski, who celebrated his 50th anniversary of ordination on June 1, 2008, at Our Lady of Sorrows. Congratulations are also in order for Fr. Zink of St. Mary's Parish, Marne, 50 years; Fr. Lou Anderson of Carson City, 45 years; and Fr. Troy Nevins, IHM, 11 years.
We extend our best wishes to Serran Past President Mark Kubik, who recently completed the MBA program at the University of Michigan School of Business.
Pray for the continued recovery of these Serrans: Deacon Dale Hollern, Fred Platte, Abe Rossi, and Paula Mulligan.
Catholic Central grad Joe VanderZee writes of his discernment: Over the last few years many of you...have asked me one seemingly innocuous question: "What did you do after high school?" I often replied that I was unsure. My story moved from architecture to engineering to "maybe psychology," to no idea whatsoever. They were all lies. While I knew the honest answer to your question more firmly and longer than even I realized, I refused to acknowledge it. Now I would like to share what I previously lacked the courage to reveal.
My discernment began when my new third grade teacher seemed to fly into the room on our first day as he catapulted himself toward the ceiling. I do not remember if Mr. Fochtman reached it that day, but he would try periodically throughout the year. It was a very high ceiling, often just out of reach. He was a remarkable teacher who expected my classmates and me to take ownership of every assignment: our own high ceiling to grasp. I became a motivated and hardworking student, and I joined the Boy Scouts. I learned much about teamwork and the importance of service. I gained enough experience as a leader to realize that only with personal sacrifices could I really make the troop a better place and help others reach their potential.
However, my reflections on serving and perhaps leading others were driving me down a very uncomfortable path. I found myself entertaining thoughts of becoming a priest. This, my psyche clearly informed me, was not socially acceptable; it would mean sacrificing too much. I happily let the world's ideas of wealth, power, and happiness bury this humbled aspiration one sophisticated shovelful at a time...
Editor's Note: As Joe describes his numerous experiences at Catholic Central, he goes on to describe his participation in CORE:
I was given the privilege of participating on the CORE team where all important decisions were made by consensus. The system forced us to acknowledge each other's perspectives and synthesize forty visions into one. I forged inspiring new friendships that sprang from letting go of my personal wishes to find what was best for our whole class.
When I saw my future bearing down quickly, at the end of my junior year, I realized what a mistake it would be to base my life's most significant decisions on an aspiration motivated by the world's ideas of success and not my honest talents, passions, or faith. I wondered how I could build a life around moments like those that had inspired me: when I left my own wishes behind to share in the growth of others. Before long the replacement dream of a career in arthitecture was no longer adequate to silence the now very loud voice in the back of my head that hinted at a life dedicated to spiritual leadership.
When I reached COREX, I opened a letter I had written during freshman year. My jaw dropped when I read the confident words of my younger self: "You are going to become a priest." It went on to explain the truths about myself I thought I had only then discovered. I realized that priesthood had been my real dream all along; I had simply refused to admit it, even to myself. Though I unearthed the old dream, I kept it closely guarded.
I have spent the vast majority of this year avoiding the question or lying outright when asked to specify to what heights I aspire. I mistakenly felt convinced that if (people) knew, they would never treat me the same way, share the same jokes, or speak with the same candor. I worried that everyone would stereotype me as weird, or as much holier than I am, or worse yet, as someone who thinks he's better than everyone else. Furthermore, telling anyone with conviction that I intend to become a priest would give away not only career ambitions but exactly how I will live my life: a psychological nakedness for which I did not feel prepared. However, should I successfully construct my life to imitate that of a man who offered himself up to death, I suspect it will often be uncomfortable.
The time has long passed to own up to the truth, even if I find it awkward or politically incorrect. I hope a new commitment to honesty might make up for the missed opportunities for conversation that my lying caused. Perhaps it is too late. Yet I know what I have learned at Catholic Central will inspire me in the future to do a much better job living out one certain reality. One ceiling hangs above any skyscraper, free of all limits, and beyond the sky. I want to use my life to support the dreams and hopes of the people around me as we lead each other to God. After all, it is lowly church rafters that hold up our familiar cathedral spires as they ring out noisy calls to prayer, elevate the cross for all to see, and point directly toward heaven.
Source: Senior Issue, Blue and White, May 20, 2008. About this article Serran Tim Hile writes: "The real reason I am forwarding this article is that I hope it will give us more insight as to how to reach young people like Joe. I think it points to all the little touches we can have with younger children to help them understand it is all right to feel called to be closer to God. As a club, how do we take this and aid more young people in nurturing their journey? How can we create more awareness within the Catholic schools and the Faith Formation (CCD) programs throughout the diocese?"
www.serraus.org provides a link to the College Connection Program, the purpose of which is to help high school graduates locate the "Catholic Presence" when they arrive on campus. We especially thank Serrans Nate McKenzie and Paul Nelson for their work with local colleges and universities.
A Message from our President:
Dear Grand Rapids Serrans: May was certainly a rich, liturgy-filled month, starting with the Ascension of our Lord, Pentecost, Holy Trinity Sunday, and Corpus Christi. When we add in First Holy Communions, Mother's Day, May crownings with devotions to Mary--how did we find at date for the 60th Anniversary Charter Night Celebration?
Many thanks to Hon. Joseph Scoville and his committee for a greatly successful evening. The Mass of Thanksgiving was inspiring, giving praise and thanks to our God for the past 60 years and asking for continued guidance in the years to come. We thank His Excellency Bishop Hurley for joining us, and we thank the Lord for the presence of the Honorable Chair and Charter Member Ralph Hauenstein. We also thank Joe and Kathy Westdorp, along with the Diocesean Choir, under the direction of Dennis Rybicki, for the outstanding music. We thank Patty Hughes for coordinating all of the details at the cathedral. The St. George banquet facility was very accommodating. (And then there was that description of a drill sergeant from District Governor Nate McKenzie...I was a little confused, as I thought I was attending the Serra Charter Night Dinner, not entering boot camp)...
Mark Kubik has been an ambitious president, and we thank him for all of his hard work. I especially look for his continued guidance as me remains on the board as Past President.
Again, my appreciation to everyone who helped make the evening a time to restate who we are and what we do as Grand Rapids Serrans.
We have already held our first board meeting of the new term. I shared my focus ideas for the coming months: to continue what has been happening in recent years of growth in membership; to provide informative programs to help us promote, foster, and pray for priestly and religious vocations while enriching our own Catholic journey; to keep communications open; to develop a working budget; and to spend more energy on vocation-related projects, activities, and events. Focusing on vocations, our club urges all members to become involved with a committee or a subcommittee. The vice-presidents will be asking for your help and involvement. If you have a particular area of interest, let them know.
Pentecost Sunday always reminds us of the great story of how the Holy Spirit appeared to the Twelve and how this same Holy Spirit is present to us in the world today. May we continue with our whole hearts, minds, and souls to spread the good news of Jesus Christ, continuing His work as we foster, promote,and pray for priestly and religious vocations.
I look forward to seeing you on Monday, June 9 as we gather with a group of Catholic Lawyers to share a meal and listen to our Moderator, Fr. Ed Hankiewicz. The peace of the Lord be with you. Pam McKenzie
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