Serra: doing God’s work

By Jeff Graham

“You are doing God’s work in ensuring that our churches remain places where the Eucharist is offered and the sacraments celebrated,” said Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, to members of the Serra Club of Vancouver during his address for their 50th anniversary celebration. “Without priests to serve us, we cannot be church.”

Special to The B.C. Catholic Terry and Mary Keenan with Archbishop Michael Miller at the celebration of Serra’s 50th.

The Nov. 10 celebration included Mass at Holy Rosary Cathedral with Archbishops Raymond Roussin, SM, and Miller, followed by a dinner at the Italian Cultural Centre. The mission of the Serra Club of Vancouver is to foster and pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

Dignitaries from eastern Canada and the United States attended, including Lloyd Crockett, President of Serra International; Jim King, President of the Canada Council; George Damiani, President of the Serra Foundation of Canada; and Mike Strong, President Elect of the United States Council; along with members of Canada Council Executive Board. The chief guest and speaker was Archbishop Miller.

In his address to the gathering, he expressed his gratitude to the Serra Club of Vancouver for the half century of work in fostering vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, and stressed the importance of priests. “The Church,” he said, “as the Body of Christ, gathers at the Eucharist and is fed by the Lord’s Body and Blood. It is our lifeline, keeping us connected to God and to one another.

“We are obliged, in obedience to the Lord’s command, to `do this in memory of Me.’ From the moment of the Last Supper until the Lord’s coming again, this doing requires a priest in our midst. He is the only one who, acting in the very person of Christ, can ensure that the Eucharist will be celebrated at all time and places.”

Quoting Pope John Paul II, Archbishop Miller went on to say, “`Priests are there to serve the faith, hope, and charity of the laity. They recognize and uphold, as brothers and friends, the dignity of the laity as children of God and help them to exercise fully their specific role in the overall context of the Church’s mission.’”

“The whole people of God share in the mission of caring for the birth, discernment, and fostering of vocations, particularly those to the priesthood,” he continued. “This concern to provide priests for the ministry is an essential dimension of the Church’s pastoral work, of her life and mission. The ecclesial community of our archdiocese has the duty of fostering vocations.”

The Serra community in Vancouver began with 28 members, with Archbishop Martin Johnson as its first chaplain. The organization is named after Blessed Junipero Serra, who did missionary work in southern California, and the worldwide membership at present stands at around 22,000 members in 732 clubs in 35 countries.

In conclusion the archbishop thanked the Serrans for their prayers and encouraged them to redouble their efforts in promoting vocations.