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 October 2011
The Metro
The Newsletter of the Serra Club of Metropolitan Dallas |
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| Areas of Effort for 2011-2012 | |
- Presence at Serran functions;
- Promote Serran awareness;
- Promotion of Serran membership. |
| Cisterciation Ordinations |
On August 14, Bishop Farrell
ordained four men at Cistercian Abbey of Our Lady of Dallas - two priests and two deacons. Included in that group was Deacon Lawrence Brophy. Deacon Brophy is the son of former Metro Serran Charles and Karen Brophy. Charles and Karen will be our First Friday speakers in December when they tell us what it was like to raise a seminarian. |
| News You Can Use from CNS | |
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| SPREAD THE WORD | |
If you have a friend that is interested in the work of Serra, consider forwarding our email newsletter or invite him or her to visit our website. Better yet extend an invitation to join you as a guest at a First Friday Mass or one of our monthly luncheons.
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President's Letter by Roland Pedevilla | |
Dear Serrans:
Once again it was a wonderful experience to attend Seminarian Sunday at Holy Trinity Seminary. The seminarians made quite a welcome line for us as visitors for their Sunday Mass. Well groomed in their dark suits, great smiles and gracious hosting. The Mass was beautiful as usual but enhanced greatly by the many male voices during the music. Wonderful witness to the large number of  seminarians now present and in discernment. I had some family guests and friends with me and at the end of Mass the friend asked if she could join the parish. Had to disappoint her that it wasn't a parish to join. The socializing with the young men over coffee and doughnuts was most interesting as they were eager to talk about how they got there and why. Metropolitan Serra Club had a large representation of members, spouses and friends that I'm sure was encouraging to the seminarians as they realize the large number of people praying for their good decisions and their success. As a Serra club we have many opportunities to see our prayers in action and these special Sundays are at the top of the list. Our next opportunity will be Sunday, November 6 at 9:15 a.m. Your presence will be encouraging to these men and I'm confident you will go home being glad you were there.
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October 2011 Calendar | |
Saturday, October 1 - 6:00 pm - 2011 Seminarian Welcome Dinner - The Fairmont Hotel, 1717 N. Akard Street, Dallas.
Sunday, October 2 - Respect Life Sunday. October is Respect Life Month.
Friday, October 7 - 6:45 am - First Friday Mass & Breakfast - Saint Monica. Speaker: Bette Hoag, Natural Family Planning Center, Dallas
Friday, October 21 - 11:45 am - Monthly Luncheon Meeting - Park City Club. Speaker: Msgr. Robert M. Coerver, Pastor, Saint Rita Catholic Community. Msgr. Coerver will share his vocation story and brief us on what St. Rita's is doing to foster vocations.
Friday and Saturday, October 28 and 29 - The University of Dallas Ministry Conference - Dallas Convention Center - See article below.
Sunday, October 31 - Priesthood Sunday
To view the complete Metro Serra calendar, click HERE. |
| University of Dallas Ministry Conference, October 28 - 29, 2011, Dallas Convention Center |
 The University of Dallas Ministry Conference, featuring Francis Cardinal George, Archbishop of Chicago, will be held at the Dallas Convention Center October 28 - 29, 2011. Pre-registration, which is $80 per person, ends on October 14. You may also register at the Conference at a rate of $100 per person. To register online click HERE. Please note that registration rate does not include parking or meals. Full details of the conference are available at the conference website (click HERE). Also the conference video: |
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| Countdown to the Roman Missal, Third Edition | |
The Roman Missal will be implemented in the United States on the First Sunday of Advent, November 27, 2011. The ritual editions should start arriving in parishes in early October. For additional information on the upcoming changes to the Liturgy of the Mass, click on the below link to the USCCB Roman Missal website or watch the video which follows.
 | | How Did We Get Here? |
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| The Priests to Perform at McFarlin Auditorium on December 4 |
Tickets for the December 4 performance of The Priests are now on sale through Ticketmaster. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. at McFarlin Auditorium on the SMU Campus. To order your tickets online, click HERE. You may also visit the McFarlin Auditorium website by clicking HERE.
The Priests are a classical musical group made up of three Catholic priests all from Northern Ireland. Father Eugene and his brother Father Martin O'Hagan are originally from County Londonderry while Father David Delargy is from County Antrim. The trio has been singing together since they boarded as students at St. MacNissi's College in County Antrim. After signing a record deal in April 2008 the men recorded their debut album in Northern Ireland and Rome, with the unusual honor of having been allowed to record in St. Peter's Basilica. To view a sample of their work click on the below video. You may also visit The Priests official You Tube page by clicking on the icon below the video.
 | | The Priests in concert at Armagh Castle |
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The 300th Anniversary of Blessed Junipero Serra's Birth | |
Bless ed Serra was born on November 24, 1713 in Petra, Majorca. Father Serra died on August 24, 1784 in Carmel, California. Blessed Serra's Feast Day is July 1 in the United States. Blessed Serra is buried in the altar area at the Carmel Mission. Blessed Serra has been beatified but not canonized.
The celebration of Blessed Serra's birth gives the Serra organization an opportunity to honor our namesake and spiritual mentor and to increase the awareness of Serra to non-Serrans.
On June 5, 2011, the USAC Board of Directors approved a resolution to plan and develop events to do this. At the SI Ottawa Convention in July, 2011 President Thomas Wong formed the Majorca 2013 committee to plan the celebration.
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| The 31 Club |
The 31 Club, an integral part of Serra and required of Metro Serrans, was initiated in the 1970's by Father Clive A. Litton in his parish in New Zealand. Seeing a need for support of current religious vocations as well as an increase in vocations, Father Litton encouraged his parishioners to select a particular date each month to attend Mass and offer it with prayer for those currently serving the Church as priests and religious and for an increase in vocations.
While we have at least one Metro Serran assigned to each date, we still have a number of members that have not selected a date. To view the current Metro 31 Club Calendar, please click HERE. To add your name to the calendar, please email serrametrodallas@gmail.com.
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Saint of the Month - Saint Anthony Claret - October 24 | |
The "spiritual father of Cuba" was a missionary, religious founder, social reformer, queen's chaplain, writer and publisher, archbishop and refugee. He was a Spaniard whose work took him to the Canary Islands, Cuba, Madrid, Paris and to the First Vatican Council.
 In his spare time as weaver and designer in the textile mills of Barcelona, he learned Latin and printing: the future priest and publisher was preparing. Ordained at 28, he was prevented by ill health from entering religious life as a Carthusian or as a Jesuit, but went on to become one of Spain's most popular preachers.
He spent 10 years giving popular missions and retreats, always placing great emphasis on the Eucharist and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Her rosary, it was said, was never out of his hand. At 42, beginning with five young priests, he founded a religious institute of missionaries, known today as the Claretians.
He was appointed to head the much-neglected archdiocese of Santiago in Cuba. He began its reform by almost ceaseless preaching and hearing of confessions, and suffered bitter opposition mainly for stamping out concubines and giving instruction to black slaves. A hired assassin (whose release from prison Anthony had obtained) slashed open his face and wrist. Anthony succeeded in getting the would-be assassin's death sentence commuted to a prison term. His solution for the misery of Cubans was family-owned farms producing a variety of foods for the family's own needs and for the market. This invited the enmity of the vested interests who wanted everyone to work on a single cash crop - sugar. Besides all his religious writings are two books he wrote in Cuba: Reflections on Agriculture and Country Delights.
He was recalled to Spain for a job he did not relish, chaplain for the queen. He went on three conditions: He would reside away from the palace, he would come only to hear the queen's confession and instruct the children and he would be exempt from court functions. In the revolution of 1868, he fled with the queen's party to Paris, where he preached to the Spanish colony.
All his life Anthony was interested in the Catholic press. He founded the Religious Publishing House, a major Catholic publishing venture in Spain, and wrote or published 200 books and pamphlets.
At Vatican I, where he was a staunch defender of the doctrine of infallibility, he won the admiration of his fellow bishops. Cardinal Gibbons of Baltimore remarked of him, "There goes a true saint." At the age of 63, he died in exile near the border of Spain.
Jesus foretold that those who are truly his representatives would suffer the same persecution as he did. Besides 14 attempts on his life, Anthony had to undergo such a barrage of the ugliest slander that the very name Claret became a byword for humiliation and misfortune. The powers of evil do not easily give up their prey. No one needs to go looking for persecution. All we need to do is be sure we suffer because of our genuine faith in Christ, not for our own whims and imprudences.
Queen Isabella II once said to Anthony, "No one tells me things as clearly and frankly as you do." Later she told her chaplain, "Everybody is always asking me for favors, but you never do. Isn't there something you would like for yourself?" He replied, "Yes that you let me resign." The queen made no more offers.
Source: www.americancatholic.org. To receive "Saint of the Day" as an email from St. Anthony Messenger Press click here.
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