The Serra Leader Summer 2004

Uniting Diversity for Vocations | Anthony Plaia, USA Council President 2004-2005 

Using the symbolism of the confluence of the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers to form the great Ohio River, the synergism of this joining of rivers is of great benefit to all down stream. There is the turmoil of roiling water at the junction point indicating the effect of different energies blending to coalesce and finally smoothing out to form a more massive power. This power moves people and goods and helped develop our country and then sustain it by providing electricity and an avenue for continuing commerce and growth.

In a similar way, our faith has grown through this joining of cultures to form a Catholic (universal) church. As the world’s melting pot, the U.S. has welcomed people from every corner of the earth. As we look around the country, we find parishes of every imaginable variety. Some are composed of a certain nationality or geographic regional heritage bringing to its worship ethnic customs and celebrations. Others have a common or similar language that joins them in faith. Still others have an ethnicity in common so that race is their uniting factor. And then there is the blended parish where the second generation of these just described parishioners forms the “all-American” parish with a touch of everything.

Our priests are a reflection of this variety. How many of our newly assigned priests are from new immigrant families? Have you witnessed the difficulty in adjusting to a strange accent coming from your newly assigned associate? Yes, it’s sometimes hard to understand (at first) the English coming from our new priests from Ghana, Vietnam, Nigeria, Korea, the Philippines, Mexico, and Poland, just to name a few countries. These origins are the source of new vocations to our church – not only to minister to their own, but to all of us.

Cardinal Mahoney of Los Angeles told Serrans several years ago that more than two-thirds of new priests come from first generation Americans. The children and grandchildren of new immigrants are entering our seminaries. Are we as Serrans encouraging this source of vocations?

Look around you – are our members representative of the balance of our society and our church? I don’t think so. Do we reach out to a broad cross-section of people to join Serra? Just as we form close ties with others who are similar, so do others of similar race, nationality, gender, ethnicity and language join in their comfort zone. We can appeal to this varied source to join us – or perhaps, for their comfort level, encourage the formation of unique Serra clubs that cater to their backgrounds of commonality. After all, we will be the beneficiaries of the priests they produce. So let’s open our thinking by reaching outside our comfort zones and creatively unite diversity for vocations.

BORING BUT IMPORTANT Why your club should have an Audit Committee 

The title of this section was assigned by a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, our editor, Anne McCormack. As an accountant, certified at that, I take umbrage with this title. Complete, well-written sentences about sparkling topics are something of a joy to Anne; columns of numbers that balance make my day. So until I can get her to think correctly, the title of this column will stay the same.

Every major organization has, somewhere in their charter, bylaws, or policies, a requirement for an annual financial audit, usually by a CPA. Our club bylaws do not continue such a requirement. However it is suggested that the clubs include in their policy manual a requirement for the establishment of an Audit Committee and that is directed to complete a review of the club’s financial transactions on an annual basis.

The Audit Committee can play a critical role in maintaining the integrity of the Serra club’s financial reporting. Volunteers should be selected from the board or general membership with the following qualifications: familiarity with how organizational activities are reflected in the financial statements some understanding of the auditing process lacking the above, at least a natural curiosity and an inquiring mind Individuals with experience in business such as bankers, internal auditors, retired CPAs, corporate officers, etc., should be considered for committee membership.

The Audit Committee should be concerned with the following things, at a minimum: adequacy of internal control accuracy of the records and the reports to the board of directors/trustees proper authorization of activities and expenditures determination of the physical existence of assets a review of the tax-exempt status and identification of any activities that may endanger it ascertaining that per capita dues, sales taxes, and club reports are properly filed in a timely manner  

The major benefit of this annual review is that the club’s board of directors/trustees and membership are assured that the financial affairs of the club are in good order. A complete audit guide is available from the USAC offices on request.

Ed Verbeke, USA Council Executive Director

Dear Peter... Sound advice from USAC Membership Coordinator Peter Cunningham 

Dear Peter,

Our Serra club is struggling to find new members. Do you have any ideas for us?

Struggling 

Dear Struggling,

Have you or has your club membership VP reviewed the suggested membership programs in the Membership Manual? This would be the first place to start. These are time-tested programs for recruiting new members, and perhaps just by looking them in new way your club may find a way to attract new members.

I would recommend the Two Today for Serra program. In this program, your members simply invite prospective members to a club guest day to introduce them to Serra and your club. To get started, call the Chicago office and order merchandise catalog item #188 – the Two Today for Serra (Be/Bring a Member) Card.

This perforated card consists of two segments: one provides the names and contact information of the inviter and the invitee to the Membership Committee, and the other, listing the time, date and place of the club ‘guest day,’ is to be torn off and given to the new member prospect. Your Serra club can make these cards available for your members at every meeting so that they will always have a chance to invite a new member to join your Serra club.

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