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
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