DECEMBER 2015/ JANUARY 2016 SERRA CLUB OF … · 2015-12-01 · PPPPRESIDENT ’’’’SSSS MMMMESSAGE JANUARY 01/01 Rev. Petrus Binh Hoang Rev. Paul Peri 01/02 Rev. Noel Hickie

JANUARY

1/10 Rev. Stephen Fister OSB

FEBRUARY

2/2 Rev. Kenneth Olsen

2/11 Rev. Patrick Hannon, CSC

2/17 Rev. Richard Berg, CSC

DECEMBER 2015/ JANUARY 2016

S ERRA C LUB OF PORTLAND BBBBULLET INULLET INULLET INULLET IN

FEBRUARY

02/02 Rev.John Patrick Riley, CSC 02/03 Rev. Peter O’Brien 02/08 Most Rev. Peter Smith 02/12 Rev. Sean Weeks 02/13 Rev. William Hayes, SJ Rev. James Rigert, CSC 02/14 Rev. Michael Biewend 02/19 Rev. David Janes 02/20 Rev. Joseph Hau Duc Nguyen Rev. Philip Waibel, OSB 02/21 Msgr. Donald Buxman 02/22 Most Rev John G. Vlazny (Emeritus) 02/24 Rev. Lawrence Robinson, SJ

What can we do to help make this a special Christmas season? Perhaps it might be a time of deep reflection and prayer and truly getting to know Christ better, love Him more, and do His will. Last week I attended a gathering of married Catholic couples. Our discussion centered on the gospel of St. Luke, Chapter 1, verses 26-37, the announcement of the birth of Jesus. We are all familiar with the last verse when Mary said: “I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Reading those words again and again caused me to pause and ask myself: “what could I do to be more like Mary in her faith and love of God?” Most obviously for me it is having a deep and personal relationship with God and having the courage and faith in God to follow Him openly in the world around us. It is obvious that Mary had a deep prayerful life. My sense is that every day for her (i.e. not just Sundays or cursory habitual attempts before meals) was filled with prayer and that she had the deepest and most personal relationship with God that one could ever envision. Now we could ask ourselves: “what can we do to deepen our prayer life and better emulate Mary during this Advent season?” Many probably already have activities, but for those who don’t, they can begin their day with Christ: welcome Him into your life; read the Gospel and meditate on it; and then pray on it and let it guide your day. Perhaps at night just light a candle after dinner and silently pray. Listen to what He has to say to you and thank Him for the blessings and hope He gives to all. Regardless, please don’t get complacent. Find how you can deepen your prayer life and strive to have a closer and more personal relationship with Christ. May the peace of Christ be with you. Saint Junipero Serra and Mother Mary of vocations: Pray for us! Paul Harris, President

PPPPRESIDENTRESIDENTRESIDENTRESIDENT ’’’’SSSS MMMMESSAGEESSAGEESSAGEESSAGE

JANUARY 01/01 Rev. Petrus Binh Hoang Rev. Paul Peri 01/02 Rev. Noel Hickie Rev. John Waldron Rev. David Zegar 01/05 Rev. Donald McHugh 01/08 Rev. Gary Jacobson 01/11 Rev. Brian Allbright 01/13 Rev. Steve Stobie 01/15 Rev. Steve Geer 01/16 Rev. Msgr. John Cihak 01/19 Rev. Thomas McCarthy, SJ 01/20 Rev. David Cullings Rev. Stephen Fister Rev. Robert Krueger 1/27 Rev. Jeffrey Allison, CSC

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IN HIS HANDS Take, Lord, receive all my liberty, My memory, my understanding, And my entire will, All that I have and possess. You have given all to me, To you, O Lord, I return it. All is yours; dispose of it wholly according to your will. Give me only your love and your grace, For this is enough for me.

SURVIVORS’ ONE-LINERS

When you get to your wit’s end, you’ll find God lives there!

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Dan Jones, VP of Communications for Serra International, attended the SI Annual Executive Committee meeting in Rome in November. While there, he and his wife, Lynn, visited the North American College. With the help of Father Jeff Eirvin, they were able to coordinate a tour of the campus and enjoyed the gracious hospitality of the Archdiocese of Portland’s seminarians and Father Tim Furlow studying at the NAC. The facility is very nice and the view of the Basilica from the rooftop is the best view in Rome! Dan and Lynn also attended Sunday Vespers in the NAC chapel, which was so spiritual and powerful with all the seminarians singing! We are blessed to have such talented and spiritual seminarians & priests studying at the NAC. They are remarkable men and Dan and Lynn said their visit with them was a joy.

During their visit, Dan and Lynn, were able to connect with Msgr John Cihak at his office in Saint Peter’s Square. They spent the evening enjoying an Italian dinner with Monsignor and Serra International President, Tim O’Neill and his wife, Sally. Photo left - L to R: Sally O’Neill, Msgr John Cihak, Lynn Jones, Dan Jones and Tim O’Neill Msgr John Cihak is a priest in the Archdiocese of Portland and a friend of the Joneses. He is currently a staff member at the Vatican's Congregation for Bishops; & one of the Pope’s Papal Master of Ceremonies. The evening was one of the delightful highlights of their trip.

SERRA INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING IN ROME

Chapel at North American College - Vespers held here on Sunday evening Portland Archdiocese Seminarians Peter Julia, Rick LeFaivre, John

Hesla, Father Tim Furlow and Stephen Cieslak

Portland Archdiocese Seminarians with the Joneses: Stephen Cieslak, Dan Jones, Rick LeFaivre, Lynn Jones, Peter Julia, & John Hesla

North American College rooftop view of Vatican City and St. Peter’s Basilica

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Serra International President, Tim O’Neill (above photo) presents the relic of Saint Junipero Serra for the Holy Mass in thanksgiving for the canonization of St. Junipero Serra. This was a special Mass the Serrans of Rome arranged and the Executive Committee was invited also. The relic was presented for placement on the altar during and blessing after

Program (written in Italian)

His Eminence Cardinal Beniamino Stella celebrates Mass in thanksgiving for Saint Junipero Serra. The relic is on the altar.

Photo above: The relic leaves the altar (to be returned after mass to Serra International).

Photo left: Celebratory luncheon for Serra International Executive Committee (and a few guests) after the Holy Mass for Saint Junipero

Serra.

SERRA INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING IN ROME

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M E E T I N G R E C A P S November 4, 2015 - Serran Mary Ann Perlot spoke to our club about her travel to Columbia with three recently ordained priests whose homes were in Columbia. On June 6, 2015 eight priests were ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Alexander Sample. Among those eight were Reverend Fredy Bonilla Moreno, Reverend Manuel Bacerra, and Reverend Edwin Sanchez Romero. All are from the country of Columbia. Mary was invited this summer to journey to Bogota, Columbia with these three priests to meet their families and share in the experience of their completing training for the priesthood. During the trip Mary Ann stayed in the homes of their families. Bogota has a population of thirteen million people of which eighty per cent are economically poor. The group visited the nearby Abbey on the Mountain which was founded by Benedictine Monks in 1656. The group also visited the Cathedral del Sal which is noted for its beautiful stations of the cross which lead to the cathedral. The cathedral was constructed over a salt mine that was used well over five hundred years before Christ. Father Bacerra was born in Cucuta, Columbia. He celebrated his Mass of Thanksgiving in Bogota and then took the group to the family farm. The farm was a family venture collectively purchased by his family and others in a village near his home town of Cucuta. Father Sanchez was born in Bogota. He attended school in Pitalito, Columbia which is about a one hour flight from Bogota. Father Sanchez said his Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Augustine Church. Father Sanchez’ family held a dinner at a local restaurant after the Mass. The next day the entire group took a horseback ride to an archeological park where they saw a great waterfall and many carvings of past civilizations. Father Fredy Bonilla was born on a farm in La Argentina, Columbia. When the group arrived at the farm Father Fredy and the group were greeted with fireworks and a parade to his nearby parish. The entire town turned out and Father Fredy received many blessings from his parents and the local priests. The local hotel had photographs of Father Fredy’s younger years hanging on its walls. The Bonilla’s are very proud of their farm They raise pigs and grow dragon fruit & peaches and make panilla which is a product with sugar and cheese. All the farming is conducted with hand tools on very steep slopes. Mary Ann also showed some slides of the oldest cathedral in Bogota, the Cathedral del Sal. It is located in the area where the homeless dwell. Eighty per cent of Bogota’s residents are extremely poor, ten per cent are middle class, and ten per cent are wealthy. Yet, the poor are very, very generous. One of these poor people went to the florist and bought a flower which she presented to Mary Ann. The Columbians have a great sense of humor. They are always pulling pranks on each other. For example, Father Fredy placed Mary Ann on top of a wheelbarrow which was filled with soil. He then wheeled her along a high and narrow pass to its placement on a steep slope. The good news was that Mary Ann was able to have a great view of a newly mulched area which had crosses drawn

November 18, 2015 - Brother Cyril Drnjevic became a Benedictine Monk at Mount Angel Abbey in 1985. He discovered his vocation while serving in the Peace Corps. As a monk he has earned three master’s degrees (theology, history, and divinity). His principal work , which he began in 1989, is to give retreats and spiritual talks. He is currently giving talks on Pope Francis’ encyclical, “Ladato Si”. Citing Serra’s mission statement “to foster and affirm vocations to the ministerial priesthood and vowed religious life in the USA”, Brother Cyril said that we are a community with a journey into holiness. We are destined to heal all relationships with God, with each other, and with our earth. It begins with each of us and grows from there. What are we currently doing with our relationship with God? Beginning with the first encyclicals written by Pope Leo the Great, the Catholic Church has produced many papers on serious topics and issues challenging mankind. “Laudato Si” is a very readable document meant to strengthen your relationships and promote your mission. We are part of the fabric of the world. Through our morality we are very much aware of what we do and how we form our conscience. As Serrans we are a community serving the Church in particular ways. Saint Francis of Assissi had a personal conversion in his relationship to God leading to a desire to change. “Laudato Si’ came out of an earlier draft by a community in Ghana. Pope Francis used it as a framework for his encyclical to restore personal and communal relationships and enhance stewardship. He is seeking a dialogue to look at the issues from a higher perspective. Brother Cyril emphasized that Serrans should continue to remember that we are all tied together, dependent upon one another. Thus, we should work to unite divisions, heal relationships, and develop vocations. The Archdiocese will offer a Lenten program entitled: “Heal Relationships in Lent with Pope Francis”. This is a faith-sharing guide for parishes and religious communities. Pope Francis writes that the relationships Jesus forms with the people who approach Him manifest something entirely unique. The signs He works are all meant to teach us that it is mercy that brings healing to our broken relationships. Look for an article in the Catholic Sentinel announcing this program.

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SPECIAL EVENTS

January 31, 2016 Mass for Consecrated Life 5:30 p.m St. Mary’s Cathedral

January 14-17, 2016 USAC Leadership Training / Serra Rally; Houston, Texas

Feb 7, 2016 World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life

Sunday, February 21,2016 Priest Appreciation Dinner Double Tree at Lloyd Center

Feb/March - TBD Portland Archdiocese Seminarian & Families Dinner at St. Patrick’s

March 16,2016 Vocations Rally - St. Anthony’s Tigard

March 17, 2016 Vocations Rally - Queen of Peace in Salem

SERRA MEETINGS December 2, 2015 11:30 CHRISTMAS PARTY!

December 16. 2015 Board Meeting 10:30 Moved due to Christmas Party on 12/2 Mass Noon Lunch/Meeting PROGRAM: Bill Zuelke, Soul Formation

January 6, 2015 Board Meeting 10:30

Lunch/Meeting Noon PROGRAM: Sr. Krista von Borstel, CYO/Camp Howard, Executive Director

January 20, 2016 Mass Noon Lunch/Meeting PROGRAM: Maria Manzo, 2016 Pilgrimage to Medjugorje

February 3, 2016 Board Meeting 10:30 Lunch/Meeting Noon PROGRAM: Sue Anker, Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women

February 17, 2016 Mass Noon Lunch/Meeting PROGRAM: Don Robison, Fr. Bernard Youth Center

Serra Club of Portland 1500 NE Irving, Suite 440

Portland, OR Paul Harris, President

503-657-4614 [email protected]

Serra Club Bulletin Margret Harris / Lynn Jones, Editors

503-645-5589 / 503-645-2172 [email protected]

[email protected]

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BULLETIN PUBLICATIONS

Due to the holidays, this is a two-month publication. Our next bulletin will not be until late January!