Serra Clubs. (Lay Associations XV).

Serra began in 1935 and now numbers 22,000 Serran men and women in 732 Clubs in 35 countries. The first Canadian Club was established in 1952 and now there are 12 Clubs in Canada. The members are in business or the professions, education or farming, or retirement. Many of them are involved also in their parish or other Catholic organizations such as the Knights of Columbus or the Catholic Women's League. Their work as Serrans is to respond to Our Lord's invitation to "send forth labourers into the harvest," that is, to assist in awakening and fostering vocations to the priesthood, the permanent diaconate, religious life, and lay ministry; to affirm those who already serve the Church; to strengthen bonds between laity, clergy, and religious; and, in so doing, to contribute to their own education and spiritual growth and carry out their own Christian vocation to service. They themselves pray daily for vocations, invite others to do so, help to develop a parish awareness of the need for vocations, and collaborat e with bishops and vocation directors in various ways,

The patron of their work is Blessed Junipero Serra, O.F.M., who, in the eighteenth century, established missions in Mexico and California.

Some of the means by which Serra encourages vocations are a video, websites, vocation essays, a prayer program, a dinner honouring local seminary graduates, awards for altar servers, literature, and informal dinner gatherings or outings for priests. The Serra Club meetings are twice a month after Mass and a meal, usually with a guest speaker. Serra is not a fund-raising organization. Expenses are moderate, and corporate or personal sponsors assist.

For further information consult the web at www.serracanada.com or e-mail the Canadian president, John Plunkett at [e-mail].