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Developing A Culture of Vocations
SERRA IS CALLED THE LAY VOCATION ARM OF THE CHURCH, AND IS THE ONLY LAY ORGANIZATION IN THE CHURCH WHOSE SOLE PURPOSE IS TO FOSTER AND CELEBRATE VOCATIONS
Serra Brandon – encouraging and supporting vocations for over 46 years
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ministry of St Augustine’s since 1978. During that time a great many men and women have worked to fulfill the goals of Serra which are:
1) To foster and encourage vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, and religious life;
2) To affirm and support existing clerical and religious vocations; and
3) To grow in our holiness through helping to achieve the first two goals.
Serra is called the Lay Vocation Arm of the Church, and is the only lay organization in the Church whose sole purpose is to foster and celebrate vocations.
In Brandon, over the past 46 years a number of initiatives have been undertaken to fulfill these goals. These include:
supporting young people
who have attended discernment groups or visited a seminary or convent;
running vocation awareness events for young people, to learn about what a vocation is whether it be marriage, priesthood, religious, or single life;
sending cards to religious and clergy to celebrate the anniversary of their ordination or profession; and
assisting or supporting altar servers’ recognition events.
Other activities have included:
assisting the Archdiocesan vocation director Fr. Peter Nemcek with his ministry; having special Holy Hours to pray for vocations; encouraging our seminarians and aspirants in convents through letter writing; and
helping to organize a youth vocation rally.
But perhaps the most visible and well-known activity has been the Annual Appreciation Dinner for Clergy and Religious.
To show our appreciation for their service to us, parishioners from both Parkland and Westman deaneries attend this event along with their parish priest. This has always been the highlight of the Serra year and very well attended and is appreciated.
This year’s dinner is on October 2nd at St Augustine’s, with his Grace Archbishop Gagnon as the speaker.
Please consider using your gifts and talents to help with vocation activities. If you are interested and concerned about fostering and celebrating vocations, or want to become a
member please come and see a Serra member after Mass.
Pope Frances addressed Serra in Rome in 2017:
“Look ahead, do not be afraid to renew your structures do not rest on your laurels be ever ready to try new things”
Thank you for prayerfully considering joining us in our work to foster and encourage vocations.
Yours, in Christ, Brandon Serra
Saint Junipero Serra, Our lady of Vocation pray for us!
