Serra GB National Conference, 4th-6th October 2019
Theme: "Serra and vocational discernment"
 Glasgow Serra had the honour of organising and hosting our Serra GB National Conference at The Best Western Lancashire Manor Hotel. It was indeed a most inspiring presentation given by our keynote speaker. Fr Eamonn Mulcahy C.S.Sp. (Spiritan fathers) who guided us through the Holy Father's apostolic exhortation "Christus vivit" with great knowledge and indeed humour.
We were introduced to Fr David Pember also of the Spirit Fathers and some of his young people from the "Just Youth Volunteers" who joined us to share their experiences of Youth ministry and promoting our faith to other young people. Many of the young volunteers go forward to seminary or congregations to become priests or religious. Both presentations were in response to the Bishop's Synod on young people.
The Conference fulfilled all our expectations with great speakers, meaningful liturgies and excellent company with our Serran friends from throughout Great Britain.
Serra International Conventions
The 78th Serra International Convention 2020 Our Convention of 2020 will take place in New Orleans, June 25th -27th. Planning is well underway by the New Orleans Serrans in a city famous for its jazz festivals, noted French Quarter and Bourbon Street. You can sit in Jackson Square in the shadow of the 18th century St Louis Cathedral where artists paint portraits or simply absorb the serenity of this Majestic Cathedral. Again a programme of renouned speakers promises another great convention. More details will follow as the programme develops.
The 77th Serra International Convention 2019
Our 2019 Serra International convention in Mexico City was a great success. Delegates were treated to typical Mexican Serran hospitality and joined in celebrations of the Eucharist with other members of the Serra community. They enjoyed speakers of international renown. Serrans from across the world were honoured and indeed privileged to visit the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe as a special highlight of our convention program, Most outside the Americas were not familiar with our Lady of Gaudalupe. See the feature in our August issue of the Serra GB focus. The 76th Serra International Convention 2018The conventionat the end of June 2018 was an outstanding success with 5 prelates of the church as speakers and concelebrants at our liturgies. The introduction of our new Episcopal Advisor, His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Collins of Toronto was our keynote speaker expressing the need for more vocations, encouraging our apostolate to continue carrying out our necessary work and expanding our membership throughout the world. The Cardinal’s homily here . Serra international President’s inaugural speech here
Serra GB focus newsletter, October 2019 edition: here
Our Newsletter is distributed to our members, associates, friends of Serra and those interested in our vocations apostolate. Should you wish to view previous issues of the focus enter Serra GB focus on your browser and select the month from the dropdown list.Retrace St Junipero Serra's footsteps, courtesy EWTN: here
Vigils for vocations:
Around the time of the Holy Father's vocations message on Good Shepherd Sunday,12th May, our Vigils took on national and international importance with vigils being held around the country. Vigils for Vocations are on going in various parishes throughout the country, with Mass, reflections, Eucharistic Adoration, speakers, seminarians and finishing with Benediction and Night Prayer.
Contact your local Serra club for more information.
Mass for deceased Serrans
During the month of November each year the Serra clubs of Great Britain recognize and pray for their deceased members. Each club will have a mass dedicated to those members who have passed into the loving care of Our Lord. Each club will have some token of remembrance usually a plaque inscribed with those names of the ones who have gone before them. We also pray for their surviving relatives that the Lord will comfort them in their sorrow. May their souls and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen. If you are interested in participating in our masses for the deceased contact your nearest Serra club
Schools Vocations events: Our senior schools events, with pupils from the 4th-6th years attracted some 500-600 pupils viewing our religious and diocesan exhibitions for priesthood and consecrated life followed by discussion groups and finishing with a concelebrated vocations mass. These school events are becoming very popular with the staff and school chaplains. We hope we are planting the seeds for the Lord's call. View some of our photos
Rosary for Vocations:
The last Saturday of every month, Serrans from all over the world are invited to join in a recitation of the Rosary for vocations. Our monthly international Rosary continues on Saturday 30th December and each last Saturday thereafter in 2019. To join the Rosary free of charge from your computer, tablet or smart phone, click: here You can also download Rosary for vocations intentions from our resources page under Holy Hours.
Holy Father's 2019 message for The World Day of Prayer for Vocations, here :
“The courage to take a risk for God’s promise”
An extract from the Holy Father's message: ............ " And yet, there can be no greater joy than to risk one's life for the Lord! I would like to say this especially to you, the young. Do not be deaf to the Lord's call. If he calls you to follow this path, do not pull your oars into the boat, but trust him. Do not yield to fear, which paralyzes us before the great heights to which the Lord points us. Always remember that to those who leave their nets and boats behind, and follow him, the Lord promises the joy of a new life that can fill our hearts and enliven our journey."
The Holy Father's theme for 2019 marking the 56th anniversary of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations is "The courage to take a risk for God's promise" focusing on the fruitful experience of the Synod of last October devoted to young people. The purpose of this day is to publicly give thanks and celebrate vocations to ordained ministry and religious life in all its forms. Many parishes and religious institutes commemorate this day with prayer for vocations and vocation promotion events. 73% of women and men professing final vows participated in one or more parish activities and 88 % served in one or more parish ministries before entering religious life.
We must invite our young people to be involved in parish life and liturgical ministries as altar servers, readers, eucharistic ministers, etc in prayer and the hope that they will hear God's promise.
Consider asking parishes for opportunities, to hold vigils, to speak, pray, provide bulletin inserts, prayer cards, and conversation before and after Masses.Our presence and participation in such activities that mark this special day is essential.
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