The Serra Club is dedicated to fostering religious vocations as well as supporting seminarians and novitiates in their religious lives. Our local chapter, the Serra Club North, hosted their annual religious vocations luncheons for middle-school and high-school young ladies and young men in October and November, respectively. The luncheons were held at the Jessing Center at the Josephinum, and our council’s financial support helped not only make the luncheons possible, it prevented the Serra Club members from having to reach into their own pockets to ensure these teens had the opportunity to hear the journey to religious life told by motivating speakers.
Our financial support of the Serra Club’s efforts, funded entirely by our Hoagies For Heaven fundraiser, have helped the luncheons grow from about 75 attendees at each luncheon five years ago to about 240 young ladies and almost 200 young men, including three tables at each luncheon from St. Michael School. And what are the fruits of these luncheons? According to Fr. Frank Rimelspach, the chaplain of the Serra Club, about 50% of the seminarians at the Josephinum have attended at least one of the luncheons.
The speaker for the young ladies was Sr. Elfie, a Salesian sister who gave an energetic and stirring presentation before the attendees got to visit the info tables from 21 sisters representing 8 religious orders. For the young men, Fr. Tennant, chaplain at Bishop Ready, told about his journey to the priesthood. He was followed by Fr. Hahn, vocations director for the diocese, and then the attendees broke into groups led by seminarians and toured the grounds of the Josephinum.
You can read more about the luncheons at the following links:
- Girls Vocation Luncheon Brings Hope to All! – Serra Columbus
- Young women attend Serra Club vocations luncheon – Catholic Times
- Young men hear about priestly vocation at Serra Club luncheon – Catholic Times
Thanks to everyone for their help with the Hoagies For Heaven fundraiser last year. It wouldn’t have been possible without everyone who pitched in to take orders, assemble, and distribute the subs, and it’s good to see that our labors are bearing good fruit.
