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