Carroll Serra Club adds new members

By Kenny Keane, Globe staff reporter
Posted November 21, 2002

CARROLL - More members equals more prayers for vocations when it comes to the Serra Club. On Nov. 2, the Carroll area Serra Club inducted five new members during the 4:30 p.m. Mass at Holy Spirit Church in Carroll with Bishop Daniel N. DiNardo officiating.

"It was a wonderful experience," said Judy Feld, president of the Serra Club in Carroll. "I know for my inductees, they've all told us how special they felt. This bishop made it so important and informed all the other people just what Serra Club is all about. It was a beautiful ceremony, and they were very touched by it - that the bishop would make them feel so important."

The five new inductees were: Verne and Becky Behrens, John and Mari Hall and John Mitchell. They were inducted following the homily, and then after Mass everyone gathered in the Bishop Greteman Center for a social hour followed by a catered dinner.

Bishop DiNardo was joined by Father Brian Hughes, vocations director for the Sioux City Diocese, and Feld said she asked each of them to share with those present how their vocation came about.

"The bishop said, 'Well mine's very simple. I've known since I was 6 years old that I wanted to be a priest. So my story isn't very interesting. It's very short.' He's so eloquent when he speaks," Feld said. "Father Brian Hughes was impressive, too. He also got up and spoke about his whole life as a priest.

"It was so wonderful to hear how much he loved his priesthood. In all the different roles that he's played, he said each has made him a better person if he was open enough to it."

The Serra Club is always open to inviting new members to join in the mission of promoting vocations to the religious life and the priesthood. The Carroll group is only in its second year of existence, but according to its first president, David Prenger, they've accomplished a lot in a couple years.

"We have a program where, along with Sioux City, we hand out video and audio tapes to shut-ins to pray the rosary for vocations for our diocese," he said. "We have another program that we started this year where we have a designated family praying for vocations in each of our parishes in the area. On Sunday they come forward at Mass and receive a statue of Father Serra and a booklet of some suggested prayers, and then during the week, each day they'll pray for vocations with their family."

By being a member of the Serra Club, Dennis Schleisman, a parishioner at St. Lawrence Church in Carroll, said he is more aware of the need for new vocations and it has gotten him more involved in the church.

"The last couple of years, I've gone into the grade school and tried to promote vocations by speaking to the younger students," he said. "I tell them it's not all glory, but a lot of priests that I know well are joyful people. There's a lot of pressure on them, but still, by the grace of God, they show that great reverence for the Lord. I think if the young boys and girls pick up on that joyful spirit, they'll be more inclined to look into it as a vocation."

Dr. Frank McCabe has done his part to spread the word acting as a communication officer for the Carroll group. He said that while their club is young, they've received a lot of support and he believes they'll grow.

"The bishop is a strong supporter and leader for vocations, and I'm sure he sees the need as a bishop," McCabe said. "He's always been very accessible in matters pertaining to Serra. He's supported it and been to our meetings, and we have appreciated that. It's a goal that all members of the church in the Sioux City Diocese should be aware of - that Serra is praying for vocations and backing the priesthood and religious life."

Home