Today's Top Vocations Programs

1. National Priesthood Sunday Oct. 31, 2010. If you go to www.serraus.org and click on National Priesthood Sunday it will give you a lot of great ideas You can also go to www.priestsunday.org. Selected materials are en español, for liturgy planning guide and the religious education materials are now in Spanish.

Consider putting a basket in the vestibule and having parishioners write Thank You card for your pastor or any priest who was important in their life.

2. National Vocation Awareness Week January 9-15, 2011. A packet will be available through the USAC of SI web site or by calling 888-777-6681. This packet has information for many staff members and ages from young children through grandparents, homily information etc.

Consider special activities during this week, homily on vocations, prayer cards passed out as people enter mass, special activities for the youth ie a priest or sister tell their story

3. World Day for Consecrated Life Feb 6, 2011. A packet will be available through the USAC of SI web site or by calling 888-777-6681. This packet has information for many staff members and ages from young children through grandparents, homily information etc. The past several years the Archdiocese of Portland has had a Vigil Prayers Service to honor those committed to the consecrated life.

4. World Day of Prayer for Vocations May 15 , 2011. Everyday is a day to pray for Vocations, but this is just a special day or consider “31 Club’ where some one from your parish signs up to go to mass on that day each month (1-31) and pray for vocations. A packet will be available through the USAC of SI web site or by calling 888-777-6681.

PS… If you don’t have a Vocation Committee in your parish. How can we help you start one?

How would like to create your own posters to publicize your parish celebration?

This World Day of Prayer for Vocations Poster has areas where you can enter text for the name of the Event, the Date i.e. Month Date, Year (formatted just this way), the time i.e. 1:00 pm (formatted just this way HH:MM tt), the Place including an address, and at the left edge of the photo at the bottom where the sponsor or sponsors can be recognized.<Take a look - Try it today!>

The Best Vocation Programs...

What Serra does for you and vocations and what YOU can for Serra and vocations. <Take a look and share with your friends>

Try Adopt-a-Seminarian it is a very rewarding program that still works today.

Priesthood Sunday appreciation cards...Catholic youth are creative.

Fr. John Bolderson, pastor at St. Regis in KC, MO, received many appreciation cards from the school and CCD students. He picked a few to share during the homily on Priesthood Sunday. The first one he chose to read and show was from a 4th grader. It had a drawing of a man in black clothing and a dog inside the card with this note. “I love your dog!” He smiled, he loved his dog, too. <more...>

Serra Donates Stations of the Cross for Philmont Scout Ranch Chapel

Ceramic tile Stations of the Cross have been installed at the Catholic Chapel of the Philmont Scout Ranch, Cimarron, New Mexico. The tiles were obtained from Catholic Supply of Saint Louis (catholicsupply.com) item No. 5416, 6-inch square hard-fired ceramic tiles imported from Belgium, then mounted in protective metal frames with captions mounted below. The Stations were donated by the Vocations Committee of the USA Council of Serra International, Serra Venturing in Catholic High Schools Program, during Relationships Week June 21-27, 2009.<more...>

Serra Bishop's Crew Serves at Phoenix Seminarian Picnic

The Serra Club of Phoenix held its annual Seminarian Picnic on Sunday, July 26, 2009, for Seminarians and their families. This event is usually catered at a substantial cost. Several Venturing Crew members had attended the Ordination of three new Priests on June 6, 2009 sitting in the Serra Club of Phoenix section along with the Serrans. <more...>

the COLLEGE CONNECTION for Catholics

A recent study completed by CARA for the U. S. Bishops concerning Catholic Campus Ministry (November, 2005) confirmed a strong opinion that those who were active in Campus Ministry: attended Mass more often than those who did not participate in Campus Ministry; donated more to their Parishes; became leaders in the Parishes; and were more likely to consider a vocation to the Priesthood or Religious Life.

The obvious conclusion: increasing the number of students participating in Campus Ministry should greatly benefit the Church in many ways.

SerraUSA wants to help High School graduates locate the "Catholic presence" when they arrive on campus - especially at schools that have an active Catholic Campus Ministry program.

the College Connection for Catholics Updates!

Date: June 7, 2010

From: College Connection for Catholics

Subject: Invitation to Help our Young Catholics

Dear Serrans,

The 2010 College Connection for Catholics program is into its last month of service to the Catholic graduates for the year. More Serra Clubs have served more Catholic High Schools and Catholic graduates in public schools through their parish than ever before. We want to do more!

We would like your support to reach the 2010 graduates another way….with your help. Even if your club has not participated this year, you can submit the names of Catholic graduates you and your Club members know personally.

Please make an announcement at your Serra Meetings that the College Connection for Catholic is accepting information until July 15, send the information to collegeconnectionforcatholics@gmail.com.

We are hoping that every SERRA club will ask their members to submit the names of their GRAND-KIDS, KIDS, RELATIVES, and FRIENDS. We can accept them using the Excel Enrollment found here College Connection for Catholics Updates or enter the following information in an e-message sent to: Judy Cozzens.

STUDENT LAST NAME - FIRST NAME - ADDRESS - CITY - STATE - ZIP - COLLEGE/UNIV - BRANCH CITY - BRANCH STATE

We need the name of the graduate, address, college name and location of college. Someone in the club might have a computer to print. If you put this persons name, email and phone on the Excel ---we will communicate with them and help them print the 3 page information packets example are on the website to be distributed to members at a meeting. The club can also have us print the packets at a cost of $1.00 each packet. If we print, we will mail the packets to the club in a package for distribution with a bill.

THIS IS SUCH A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO EVANGELIZE BY SHARING THE CAMPUS MINISTRY PACKET WITH THE YOUNG PERSON.

This will also let club members see the beauty of the program. Maybe one of their kids will come home and talk about how the campus ministry program contacted them. Direct all questions to me.

Sincerely,

Judy Cozzens, College Connection for Catholics, Chair, USA Council of Serra International

Excel Enrollment Form

Sample Packet Cover Page

Sample Packet University of Missouri

College Connection for Catholics Launches NEW Website!

The website is at collegeconnectionforcatholics.org We have nearly 700 colleges in the program and will add more when we need them.

The procedure is simple. You attach your completed EXCEL file to an email and send it to collegecc@netusa.org Then we will upload your file into the website and notify you when the packets are ready to be printed and send you a password. Some clubs may opt to have their packets printed and then mail the package of packets to the club/school for distribution. This will cost $1 a packet. There is no charge if you print your own packets.

This has been a tough job to get all the information in the website and some very dedicated individuals have worked extremely hard. At some point we will publish the names of our volunteers to honor them.

Below we have attached the EXCEL file we are using, an example form and Why CCC is important.

Remember, even if we don't get all the names from a parish or school--if we get some this year they will see the value of the program for another year.

God bless you for helping change the lives of young people. I have spoken with at least 50 campus ministers getting information for the website and they are thrilled with this program and have told me how important they think this work is.

Excel Student Enrollment Form

Excel Student Enrollment Form (PDF)

Excel Student Enrollment Form Example (PDF)

Why CCC is so important-schools or youth ministers?

Revised College Connection for Catholics Activating Kit

We are pleased to release the revised College Connection for Catholics Activating Kit. While the program typically begins in the Spring, it will help to get a head start. Download the new College Connection for Catholics Activating Kit today.

Mary, Queen of Vocations, pray for us.

Judy Cozzens
Homer Radford

Learn more and get started today...

2010 Net Tour

NET Ministries may be coming to your diocese this winter or spring. It is great to connect with these energetic missionaries when they are in your area. Check out the list of their spring routes and let me know if you would like to arrange a get together, speaker for your meeting or just a time to share a cup of coffee. My email is jcozzens@msn.com. Thanks, Judy Cozzens

Net Ministries Tour Dates

The SERRA and NET Connection

This past year a successful effort was made to connect young missionaries of the National Evangelization Team (NET) with Serra Clubs across our nation. NET Teams, made up of 6 young men and 6 young women ages 18 to 28, visited over 70 Dioceses, giving retreats for young Catholics. The following information came from a meeting of Serrans and Netters during the annual NET wrap-up week. About 15% of all team members enter the convent or Seminary after serving on NET. The rest of the team are very good candidates as future Serrans.
<read more....>

NEW Program to Plant Seeds for Vocations via Serra Venturing in Catholic High Schools

Many Catholic priests and men and women religious serving the Church today began their discernment, or found support for their budding vocation interest, during High School and/or in Scouting.

Serrans across the country are invited to be part of a NEW movement to offer Serra awareness and discernment opportunities for youth in Catholic High Schools, through Serra Club chartered Venturing crews.

The Serra Club of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and their Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting (CCS) formed the first Serra Club chartered Catholic Venturing Crew for students at West Catholic High School

in Grand Rapids, with matching funds provided by a Serra International Foundation grant, for initial start-up costs.

Learn more and get started today….

Serra Club of Grand Rapids Forms First Venturing Crew Using the Matching Serra International Foundation Grant

Congratulations are in order for Dennis Leiber, the Serra Club of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting on forming the first Serra Club chartered Catholic Venturing Crew for students at West Catholic High school.<read more...>

School Vocation Awareness Program

The School Vocation Awareness Program is designed for use in parish schools to increase the vocation awareness of eighth grade students. It describes the procedures for obtaining approval, sample letters and the details of conducting the program. The teachers normally introduce the program to the students who prepare essays on a topic selected by the Serra leader. The essays are judged by members of the local club. The program normally includes Mass with the students, continental breakfast, viewing of a DVD/film (A Family Affair), a short talk by a Serra on Serra and vocations, a talk by the parish priest and / or nun, and the awarding of prizes for the winning essays. Click here for a program description... you may also contact Greg Lynch for additional information.

Traveling Chalice for Vocations a school project

All Souls Church in Englewood, Colorado has decided to make the Traveling Chalice for Vocations a school project for the second semester of this school year. The chalice is presented to a class at the weekly school Mass and the class pledges to pray for vocations that next week. We are blessed to have a seminarian working in our school on Thursdays so some of the classes are also inviting the seminarian into speak during their week of hosting the chalice. Our students are enjoying praying for vocation, reading stories about vocations and discussing vocations. In our school we have the class bring the Chalice back to the next school Mass and Father calls representatives from the hosting class up to pass the chalice to some representatives of the new class. We have adapted a Chalice program from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati (with their permission) and pass this to the teacher of each class.

We have included a generic copy of this program that might be adapted for use in your school with the approval of your priest and principal. <Download the program today!>

“The Biloxi SERRA Club & Knights of Columbus joined to “Create a Culture for Vocations”

By Terry Dickson, Gulf Pine Catholic

DIOCESE OF BILOXI – As with all dioceses, one of the things at the top of this diocese’s wish list, not only at Christmas time but year round, is an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life. <more>

Affirming Priests and Promoting Membership

From the Serra Club of South Suburban Minneapolis

The Serra Club of South Suburban Minneapolis has started a new program of honoring and affirming our priests in our area. A member from the affirmation committee or vocation committee arranges a date with each priest to attend one of his masses in a group. We offer our Mass and Communion in a spiritual bouquet card in thanksgiving for his vocation. We also include a small gift card as a token of our appreciation. We usually have one member lead us as we pray over Father after Mass. We invite Father to attend breakfast with us if he has time. Some priests say a little something about the Serra Club and acknowledge us. This program was modeled after the SW Denver Serra Club’s program.

We have found this is a good way to publicize Serra. Some newcomers have started joining us for the masses and then expressed an interest in our group. We also pass out little notices about our upcoming meeting to the daily Mass attendees. We use the fourth Friday of the month to help members set their schedule. <Read more...>

School Awareness Program

Each year the Serra Club of Santa Clara, CA schedules a school awareness program with the 8th graders in 10 parochial schools in our area of operations. Each school has a club member as the Parish Contact Person and several months before the date of the program, they contact the pastor and principal requesting permission for the program. At this time we they give them the theme for the essay.

The programs are always conducted on the First Friday. Most of the schools are anticipating the event as we have done it regularly for many years. The students prepare the essays and the Serrans judge them.

On the day of the event we Celebrate Holy Mass, have continental breakfast, show the Serran Movie: “A Family Affair,” a short discussion usually by a priest, a nun, and a Serran about Serra and vocations and the awarding of prizes. Refer to Serra Booklet for complete details.

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