THE SERRA CLUB OF
GREATER LITTLE ROCK

CHARTER NUMBER 99 | DISTRICT 18 | REGION 5

Welcome!

The Serra Club of Greater Little Rock welcomes you and invites you to learn more about joining in our mission and ministry.

Serra International is a global organization of lay Catholic men and women whose objectives are:

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; and

to assist its members to recognize and respond in their own lives to God’s call to holiness in Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit.

 

Our Mission and Vision

Our vision is to have all people respond to God’s call to their religious vocation.

Our mission is to foster, affirm and promote vocations to ministry in the Catholic Church

About Us

The Serra Club of Little Rock was established February 12, 1954. The Serra Club works closely with Bishop Anthony Taylor and the diocesan office of vocations director, Rev. Msgr. Scott Friend.

Here we list only a few of our programs to foster and promote vocations:

1. 31 Club
   Seminarian Dinners and Picnics
   Priest Recognition Dinner
   Support of ordinations

In addition, the Serra club works closely with the parish communities in developing parish vocation activities of prayer, awareness, affirmation and support.

Meetings

Our Serra club meets twice a month at the St Vincent Hospital. We would enjoy the opportunity to have you join us. 

Serra Club Meeting #1:  St Vincent Hospital
Time: 1st Friday, 6:30 AM (Mass)
Serra Club Meeting #2: St Vincent Hospital
Time: 3rd Friday, 6:30AM (Mass or Vespers)

We have three types of meetings:

1) General Membership Meetings twice a month.

2) Board of Trustees Meetings monthly.

3) Annual Regional, National and International Conventions are variously scheduled and members are notified well in advance.

The meetings are primarily time for our Club to get together in prayer with a focus on vocations, and to enrich our faith through a variety of program speakers, and fellowship among Serrans.

Each meeting starts at 6:30am with either Vespers or Mass in the Chapel, followed by breakfast at 7am, and ending by 8am.

 

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Our Programs

Serra Club Vocations Activities

The 31 Club is a program for our Serra members to sign up for one day of each month to attend mass and pray for vocations.
Our club asks each member to pick the day of each month corresponding to their birth day, e.g. 25th of each month.
 
The monthly meetings are primarily time for our Club to get together in prayer with a focus on vocations, and to enrich our faith through a variety of program speakers, and fellowship among Serrans.
 
The Annual Seminarian dinner is an event we host to visit with our Seminarians, and show our appreciation and support for their continued journeys to the priesthood.
 
The Annual Priest Recognition Dinner is a dinner to show our appreciation to all and recognition to our priests on 5 year multiple anniversaries.
 
Annual Serra Club Retreat – Each year the Serra Club hosts a weekend retreat at Subiaco Benedictine Monastery. This retreat is a high time for our club to gather together; whole families are encouraged to attend.
 
Adopt a Seminarian is a program within our club designed to help support our seminarians in their journey of becoming a priest. Serran members are encouraged to ‘adopt’ a seminarian and have regular correspondence. Current Club Vocation Activity Schedule

January(2013)  - National Vocation Awareness Week [November(2014)]
February - World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life
May  - World Day of Prayer for Vocations
October  - Priesthood Sunday

Serra Club Programs

Little Rock Serra Club meets the first and third Friday of every month, previous speakers have included:

 

Speaker	Topic
David Napier	Executive Director of Youth Homes
Mike Cumnock	Arkansas Sheriffs’ Youth Ranches
Msgr. John O’Donnell	Experiences as a priest
Professor Bob Musser	UALR Department of Religion
Christian Ruud	Arkansas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
Bishop Anthony Taylor	Prospective New Members
Cliff Yeary	The Church and Usury

 

The Serra Club of Greater Little Rock Board meets the fourth Wednesday of every month.

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Membership

Make a World of Difference!

How many men and women in your parishes are caring and compassionate individuals who are good listeners, articulate speakers, and loving enthusiastic Catholics?

How many of these special, gifted people have ever been invited to consider becoming a priest, sister, brother, permanent deacon, or full-time lay minister?

Holiness is a challenge for us all, whatever our specific vocations. We are called to be holy in all aspects of our lives. This is an ongoing process, often slowed by setbacks. When the saints were alive, they did not regard themselves as saints; rather, they knew they were sinners — and they strived to be saints. The process of becoming holy is, even for saints, painful and filled with struggle. Know you are a sinner; strive to be a saint.
 
Prayer is a moving force in vocation development. Prayer is effective; prayer is powerful; prayer is essential. Few are called to priesthood or religious life, but all are called to pray for vocations.
 
In the Old Testament, Samuel was awakened from sleep by the voice of God calling his name. In the New Testament, Paul was knocked off his horse. Does God call in this way today? Usually not. One seminarian describes his experience of call:
“I was very involved in my parish doing youth ministry and teaching C.C.D. and I was happy with that. But for some reason it wasn’t enough. I had a nagging feeling that I wanted to do more for people.”
Do you feel you may be called to priesthood, sisterhood, or brotherhood? Contact the diocesan vocation office.
 
All too often we forget to express appreciation to those in service-oriented jobs, including priests, sisters and brothers. We forget because we think, “It’s their job to help.” Priests and religious aren’t superhuman. They need genuine support from those they serve. Let them know how you feel.
 
Jesus commanded us to pray for vocations with his words, “Pray, therefore, the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Mt. 9:38). Take on prayer for vocations as your personal effort to increase the number of priests, sisters, brothers, and lay ministers.

 

Membership Benefits

Our membership is comprised of people who reside in the Little Rock area. With the belief that the Holy Spirit directs the formation of the flock to form a unified whole, so Serrans, as a “lay vocation arm of the church,” will encourage and support priests and religious. The members of our club encourage and affirm the ordained priesthood and vowed religious life as a positive lifestyle, through our chapter programs, individual support, Serran fellowship and most importantly prayer.

 

Serran Prayer For Vocations
O God, Who wills not the death of a sinner, but rather that he be converted and live, grant we beseech You, through the intercession of the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, Saint Joseph, her spouse, Blessed Junípero Serra and all the saints, an increase of laborers for your Church, fellow laborers with Christ to spend and consume themselves for souls, through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever.
Amen.

Prayer For The Perseverance Of Vocations
O God, You have constituted Your only-begotten Son supreme and eternal Priest for the glory of Your Majesty and the salvation of mankind: grant that those whom He has chosen ministers and dispensers of His mysteries may be found faithful in fulfilling the ministry they have received.

 

How to Join

The path to membership is easy and comfortable, paced to give you time to consider its benefits. Once you have contacted us, we will invite to our next guest day and introduce you to our Serra club.

Contact Us

Contact the Serra Club of Greater Little Rock

 

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Our Officers

President: Tom Devine

Vocations and Vice President: Betty Jo King

Programs: Jay Fredrich

Communications: Mike Hodapp

Membership: Mary Jo Lewno

Secretary: Pam McCullough

Treasurer: Evelyn Hart

Trustees: Steve Hoffman, John Baker, Beth Walter

 

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