Serra. It’s the name of the missionary Saint, Junipero Serra, on whose feast day I first became rector of Saint John’s Seminary, just three weeks ago.
It’s also the name taken by an international group of Catholic lay men and women who first met in 1935 to foster vocations and to support Priests. Today, there are more than six hundred Serra clubs and more than 23,000 members in thrity-one countries.
This past week I was thrilled to spend some time with the Serra Clubs of Boston and Southern Worcester County. The Boston club meets at Saint Mary’s in Waltham, where I concelebrated Mass with Father Dan Hennessey, Boston’s Vocation Director. Thanks to the kindness of Loretta Gallagher, President of Boston Serra, I was able to share some of the great things happening at Saint John’s these days. And I hear that next month, our own Patrick Fiorillo will be leading a delegration of our semianrians to Serra Boston.
The President of Serra of Southern Worcester County, Stephen Kohut, graciously hosted a cookout for the Serrans and Worcester Seminarians at his house in Webster. Although I'm not sure you can really call it a cookout when the entree is stuffed pork! Bishop McManus and Father Jim Mazzone, Worcester’s Vocation Director, were on hand for that event. A good time was had by all! Thanks for your generosity, Steve!
As the Serrans pray for us at Saint John’s Seminary, let us pray in gratitude to God for all of them and for all they do for us. Perhaps you might join me in praying daily for all our benefactors with this simple prayer which has long found a place in the back of my Prayer Book:
Reward those who have been good to us
for the sake of your name, O Lord,
and given them eternal life with you,
who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.
