Who are we?
"Serra is the global lay apostolate for vocations
in the Catholic Church."
The Mission of Serra:
To foster and promote vocations to the ministerial priesthood in the Catholic Church
as a particular vocation to service and to support priests in their sacred ministry;
To encourage and affirm vocations to consecrated religious life in the Catholic Church;
To assist members to recognise and respond in their own lives to God’s call to holiness
in Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit.
The basic unit of Serra International is the Serra Club which is the primary presence of Serra internationally in the local community. Serra’s International, National and District structures assist a Club in functioning as efficiently as possible in the local community. Each Serra Club is subject to the Diocesan Bishop and governed by a Board of Trustees. We exist world-wide with over 12,000 members, over 500 Clubs in 30 countries and 6 continents.
At the time of Serra’s formation in 1935 the two great needs for the Church were for dedicated priests and religious and for informed Catholic lay leaders who understood and lived their own Christian vocations to service. As the Catholic population worldwide expands our needs are even greater, we need more priests and consecrated religious. We need more Catholic lay people to assist our Bishops in attracting and supporting vocations.
In 1951, the Holy See affirmed Serra's role as a worldwide lay organisation committed to vocation ministry. Serra International is aggregated to the Pontifical Work for Vocations to the Priesthood within the Dicastery (formerly the Sacred Congregation) for the Clergy and considered as the Global lay apostolate for vocations in the Catholic Church.
St Junipero Serra:
Serra is named after Father ("Fray") Junipero Serra, the Franciscan missionary from Majorca, Spain, who played a leading part in early missionary work in Mexico and California between 1749 and 1784. Father Junípero Serra was beatified in 1988 and canonized by Pope Francis in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, Sept 23rd, 2015. Serrans from across the world joined an estimated 25,000 faithful converging on the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception for the first canonization Mass celebrated in the United States. It was the largest public event during the Pope’s widely popular three-day visit to the USA.
Documentary on St Junipero Serra courtesy KoC here
Retrace St Junipero Serra's steps in California courtesy EWTN here
What do Serra Clubs do?
Serra Clubs work with their Bishops, Dioceses and Religious Vocation Directors to encourage and support vocations to the Priesthood and to the Consecrated Life. Serrans pray daily for an increase in vocations to the Priesthood and the Consecrated Life and for the perseverance of existing vocations. Activities of which there are many include "31 Prayer Clubs" encouraging others to attend an extra Mass each month for vocations and to pray for vocations daily. Schools vocations events, Vigils for vocations, Adoration for vocations, Holy hours, arranging speakers on topics of importance for Catholics, vocations essay competition for youth, appreciation dinners for Priests and Religious and support for retired priests.
When do Serra Clubs meet?
Serra Clubs meet at various times, normally twice monthly. A typical Serra club meeting will last two hrs commencing with our vocations Mass followed by light refreshment, a speaker or discussion, and business. See more details for each individual Serra club name. here
Who can join Serra?Membership is open to all practising Catholic youth, laymen, laywomen and to the permanent Deaconate. Serra is about doing more to foster vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. If you think that you can help in our mission then please use the "Contacts" section of this web site for any membership enquiries or contact your nearest Serra club on our Serra GB page.
Serra (UK) Foundation:The objectives and purposes of The Serra (UK) Foundation
Serra International Great Britain is not a fundraising organization. The primary mission is prayer and action.
However, in order to support and complement that mission, the Serra (UK) Foundation was founded in 1996
as a charitable trust:
To fund programs that foster and promote vocations to the ministerial priesthood of the Catholic Church
in the United Kingdom as a particular vocation to service:
To fund programs of formation for men and women in consecrated religious life of the Catholic Church
in the United Kingdom:
To enhance the recognition of Serra in the United Kingdom and Serra as the lay apostolate for vocations
in the Catholic Church:
To advance Christian education, and to carry out such other legally charitable purposes for the relief of poverty or the advancement of education as the trustees shall from time to time by Deed or Deeds executed with their unanimous consent declare.
The trustees of the foundation are appointed by the Council of Serra GB.
Serra (UK) Foundation
Registered Charity No. 1056572.
Should you wish further information contact: foundation@serragb.org.uk
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