Serra Club works to promote, affirm vocations

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
January 6, 2004

There's no doubt that most dioceses in the country could use more vocations to the priesthood. One organization that is working to change this trend is Serra Club, an international club designed to promote and affirm vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

The Diocese of Sioux City has two such clubs - Serra Club of Siouxland and the Carroll Area Serra Club.

According to Jolene Billings, president of the Sioux City area club, it was chartered on Oct. 18, 1996 with 26 members. Today, the Siouxland club has 35 members.

"We chose Serra Club of Siouxland as our name because of membership from Sioux City, South Dakota and Nebraska," she said.

The Carroll club held its charter dinner on Nov. 21, 2000. Vern Henkenius, president, noted that it started with 43 members and has grown to 54 members.

He pointed out that the mission of Serra Club is to pray for, encourage and promote vocations to the priesthood and religious life as well as affirm present vocations.

"Our mission is to foster and promote vocations to the priesthood and of all religious vocations in the Catholic Church, and to further Catholicism by encouraging its members, in fellowship, through education, to fulfill their Christian vocation to service," said Billings.

Dave Prenger, past president of the Carroll Area Serra Club, mentioned that the club also supports the efforts of the seminarians as well as the priests.

"Serra Clubs are very important these days because almost every diocese is in great need of more priests. The Sioux City Diocese is no exception." Prenger stressed, "While Father Hughes (vocations director of the diocese) is doing an exceptional job of recruiting new seminarians, he needs help from the laity. Serra members must convince parents to encourage their children to consider a religious vocation because vocations are nurtured in families."

Prenger pointed out that very soon half of the current priests will be retired.

"We're also needed right now to encourage and support our priests in light of the scandals that have rocked the church," he said. "Some of our priests are hurting and discouraged because of what the media is saying about Catholic priests. They need our prayers and compliments."

Jack Berg, past president of the Siouxland club and charter member, added that it is time the laity begin to become concerned about the lack in numbers of priests.

"We need to pray and do some work - to the extent that it is possible. I understand that priests come from families and from a young man's commitment and calling, but I believe that we can help by supporting them and the priests we have," he said.

The clubs sponsor various activities that promote and affirm vocations. The Siouxland Club co-sponsors the Vocations Creativity Contest, holds a yearly luncheon to affirm women religious along with a yearly golf outing and steak dinner for priests, deacons and seminarians.

Many of the groups' projects involve many other people outside of the club. For instance, at the Carroll area parishes Serrans ask individual families to pray everyday for a week for an increase in religious vocations.

"We try to use families with young children because the prayers of young children are quite powerful and we want these little ones to start thinking about becoming a priest or sister at an early age," said Prenger. "Another project is providing local shut-ins with rosary tapes and asking them to pray for religious vocation for our diocese."

Keeping with the concept of planting the seeds of vocations at an early age, the Carroll area club sponsors high school students to attend a summer Steubenville Conference. They believe this helps students discern a religious vocation of their own or may help them live a holy life that could result in a future vocation their children.

Both clubs promote adoration for prayers of adoration and work with the Council of Catholic Women to offer a project called the 31 Club in parishes through the diocese. Parishioners sign up in their own parish to attend Mass or devote a portion of their time in some form of prayer on a particular day - such as the fifth or the 17th - each month.

"It is very easy: each month pray one day in some way. (With the 31 Club) There are no meetings, no dues, no rules. All that is required is that you commit to pray one day a month for vocations by attending Mass, praying the rosary, making a holy hour, saying the stations or doing other penance," stressed Billings. "As a member of the 31 Club, you simply commit to pray on a selected day for religious vocations - past, present and future."

Berg noted that the club's projects tie into the mission as some work to promote and pray for new vocations and others are meant to affirm the present ones.

"As a charter member and current president of the Carroll Area Serra Club I can attest to the fact that Serrans do many great things," said Henkenius. "I have never seen an unhappy Serran."

If someone is interested in joining Serra Club of Siouxland or would like information regarding the club, contact Billings at (712) 293-0618 or Don and Mary Stevens at (712) 276-0442. If someone is interested in joining the Carroll area club, they should contact the membership vice president, Ann Topf, at (712) 792-2521.

Prospective members are welcome to attend a meeting.