Serra Club Northeast of Houston March 2018 Volume 3, Issue 9 St. Martha, Mary & Lazarus, Friends of Jesus, St. Philip the Apostle, St. Leo the Great, St. Mary Magdalene, St. John of the Cross, St. Dominic Board of Directors President: Doug Reed President Elect: Melia Reed V.P. Vocations: Jack & Kathy Ward Jim & Jennifer Stevens V.P. Membership: Bob & Arlane Sponaugle V.P. Programs: Tony & Eileen Benvegnu V.P. Communications: Mary Lou Purello Treasurer: Charlie Garland Secretary: Sandie Taylor Chaplain: Msgr. Chester Borski Trustees: 1st year: Diddy Muck 2nd year: Donna Rueby 2nd year: Sandie Taylor Meetings: 4th Monday of the Month Italiano s Restaurant 217 FM 1960 Bypass Humble, TX 6:30 Social, 7:00 Dinner Youth Was the Focus! Top 4 initiatives are dealing with the Altar Servers 58% Vocation Prayer Contest 10% Newman Connection 11% 79% The general meeting on February 26, was a great opportunity for all members to give their valuable input in the direction we want the Serra Club Northeast of Houston to continue to work and grow. We began our meeting with opening prayers from Deacon John Sarabia of St. Philip. Then president Doug Reed, continued the meeting discussing all we have accomplished in our few years as a chapter. We do much to foster vocations, however, we know we want to do more. Our main undertakings include of course, continual prayers for our priests, seminarians, and other religious. We assist vocation ministries in the parishes, as well as staying in contact and helping in any way, the vocation ministry at the archdiocese. We support the international Serra Club, we encourage attendance in daily Mass, spending prayerful time in the Adoration for Vocations, and assisting the Shalom Center are just some of our initiatives. Inviting guest speakers at our meeting is one way we inspire and enhance our own spirituality. The meeting began in earnest discussing what more we can do as a club to foster vocations. How can we narrow down what can be accomplished and not just a dream? Page 3 gives a breakdown of the results. To become a priest or a religious is not primarily our choice, it is our answer to a calling, a calling of love. Pope Francis Page 1 of 6
FEBRUARY MEETING It is Important to Nourish Our Souls with Fellowship and Friendship Welcome new members, the Nelsons and the Williamsons Page 2 of 6
NOTEWORTHY NEWS 1. Recruit new members 3% 2. Altar Server Program 15% 3. Vocation Prayer Contest 10% 4. Priest Seminary Basketball game 9% 5. Traveling Chalice Program 7% Youth was the focus! Top 4 initiatives are dealing with the Altar Servers 58% Vocation Prayer Contest 10% Newman Connection 11% 79% 6. Recruit new Shalom Center drivers 1% 7. Confirmation Dinner with Bishop 12% 8. Altar Server Group from each parish to go on fun with Priest and Seminarians 8% 9. Newman Center Connection 11% 10. Homebound Vocation Prayer 8% 11. Home School vocation connection 0.75 Many great ideas! All were encouraged to select their top 5 initiatives! 12. Support for local vocation committee 0.75 13. Altar Server trip to Seminary 14% Page 3 of 6
NEWSWORTHY Seminarians are SERIOUS. They have been practicing.who will win? Young, elderly and in-between are invited to enjoy watching the basketball game with priests against seminarians. Join the fun in watching and cheering. 7:00pm at Strake Jesuit Competition Gym, 8900 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77036. Welcome and Opening Prayer by His Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo. Free Admission. Donations benefit St. Mary s Seminary. Our club was awarded the prize as the best newsletter in District 10. Mary Lou Purello accepts the award from Greg Schwietz, Serra USA, president. Thanks to all of you who submit pictures and articles. Vocation Expo Several Serrans from our club a0ended the Expo sponsored by Houston Vocations. The morning began with Mass celebrated by Cardinal DiNardo. Rhonda Gruenewald, author of Hundredfold, was the keynote speaker and shared her expertise in starting and expanding church vocation commi0ees. As a fairly new convert to Catholicism, she was an exciting and vibrant speaker. Her ideas were numerous and she was generous in her sharing of ideas. Hmmm What was so funny?? Page 4 of 6
HAVE YOU JOINED THE 31 CLUB? Decide on just ONE day EACH month and on YOUR SPECIAL DAY, pray the rosary and attend Mass. Send Doug your request and you will be added to the calendar. Our goal is to have prayers for vocations every day! Doug, dougrdo@gmail.com M. Reed K.Ward 1 P.Angelino D. Rueby 2 R & R. Williamson 3 T. Benvegnu 4 5 T, & K. Nelson 6 P. & D. Miller J. & K.McMahon 7 8 A.Purcell S. & P. Taylor 9 Deacon John Sarabia 10 MB. Philipp 11 D. & P. Applegate McDonalds 12 13 A. Sponaugle 14 15 16 D. & F. Muck E. Benvegnu S. Wilson D. Kidd M. Halleck 17 C. & D. Garland 18 D. Reed 18 L. Lucas 20 21 22 23 K. & J. Ehlig 24 J & J. Stevens T. & B. Gallagher 25 26 S. Ratliff 27 S. Kidd 28 29 30 B. Sponaugle 31 ML. Purello M. Castro, 1st Friday Page 5 of 6
MARK YOUR CALENDARS SERRA Northeast of Houston HAPPENINGS After 8:30 a.m. daily Mass, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, displayed until 9:00 p.m. at St. Mary Magdalene in Humble March 5-7 Parish Lenten Mission, St. Martha 7-8 p.m. Friday, March 9, Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament following the 8:30 Mass at St. Martha Tues. March13, Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, following the 7:00 p.m. Mass at St. Martha Wed. March 21, 8:30 a.m. Mass at St. Mary Magdalene Fri., March 23, 6:30 p.m., Hour of Adoration at the Co-Cathedral, followed by a Knights of Columbus Fish Fry Monday, March 28 Serra Monthly meeting at Italiano s, 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 30, Good Friday Sunday April 1, Easter Sunday Friday, April 6, 7-10 p.m., Seminarians vs Priests basketball game, Strake Jesuit In Our Prayers March Anniversaries of Ordination March 19 - Sister Josephine, Discalced Carmelite Monastery Are these beautiful twins telling each other secrets? Jack and Kathy Ward are joyous in the birth of their granddaughters, Jacqueline Kathleen and Josephine Adeline, daughters of Bill and Cristina Ward. March Birthdays 10- Deacon John Schuster, St. Martha 19 -Frater Lazarus, St. Michael s Abbey 26- Kathy Ward 31 Mary Lou Purello Let us hear from you! For more information about the Serra Club Northeast of Houston, please contact, President, Doug Reed, dougrdo@gmail.com. To update your information or to share pictures and other Serra information, please contact Newsletter Editor, Lou Purello, marylou0038@icloud.com. Mary Page 6 of 6