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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 2014/ JANUARY 2015

SERRA C LUB OF PORTLAND BULLET IN

FEBRUARY

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

Advent is always very special. It is the start of a new liturgical year and a time for penance, prayer, spiritual renewal, and expectation of our Lord’s second coming. It is the celebration of Christ’s birth as well as a time to focus on the Holy Family and the calling for all to live Christ-centered lives. For me, Advent could not come soon enough. It came just in the “nick of time”. For many of us it is time take the clutter out of our lives. It is time to kiss goodbye to Black Friday shopping madness, calm ourselves and immerse ourselves in prayer and the gifts of peace and good will. This Advent Season we have been blessed with the start of the Year of Consecrated Life. It is time to give special focus to the consecrated life, pray for increased vocations and give thanks for those who have been called to follow Jesus Christ in a more exacting way as recognized by the Church. As many know the “consecrated” lifestyle is characterized by public profession of evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience. They are totally dedicated to God, to the building of the Church, and to the perfection of service to the kingdom of God. Opportunities abound for Serrans to celebrate the Year of Consecrated Life throughout the year. Some religious have open house (often in February). Our Serra club has the Vocation Rally for fifth and sixth graders in the spring, and next September will be our annual luncheon for Sisters and Consecrated Virgins. Additional opportunities could be for your parish leaders to sponsor “Nun and Brother Runs”, for high school youth to visit religious institutions, or to host the religious at our respective parishes for a vocation night. Of utmost importance is that we include the Consecrated Life in our daily/weekly prayer intentions. The following is a prayer I recently found on the CCB web site: PRAYER FOR THE YEAR OF CONSECRATED LIFE O God, throughout the ages you have called women and men to pursue lives of

perfect charity through the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and

obedience. During this “Year of Consecrated Life” we give you thanks for these

courageous witnesses of Faith and models of inspiration. Their pursuit of holy

lives teaches us to make a more perfect offering of ourselves to you. Continue

to enrich your Church by calling for the sons and daughters who, having found

the pearl of great price, treasure the Kingdom of Heaven above all things

through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the

unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Blessed Junipero Serra, Pray for Us!

Paul Harris, President

PRESIDENT ’S MESSAGE

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

SURVIVORS WISDOM Strength and courage aren't always measured in medals and victories. They are measured in the struggles they overcome. The strongest people aren't always the people who win, but the people who don’t give up when they lose.

- Ashley Hodgeson

SERRA CLUB ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY

Archbishop Alexander Sample, Archbishop Emeritus John Vlazny, Auxiliary Bishop Peter Smith and several parish priests attended our annual Christmas party held Wednesday, December 3 at St. Patrick’s Parish. There were approximately 65 people in attendance and everyone seemed to have a wonderful time. The event started with a social hour then a wonderful buffet luncheon. Margret Harris and Lynn Jones were honored for their USAC award as best newsletter. They received a certificate from USAC and a wonderful box of chocolates from the Portland Club. Archbisop Sample shared a few thoughts about the importance of Serrans and emphasized that vocations start with the family. It was a delightful and inspirational gathering of great people!

Above L to R: Fr. Martin Grassel, Bishop Peter Smith, Fr. Lucas Laborde, Most Reverend Alexander Sample, Fr. Jeff Eirvin, Deacon Matt Fase,

Most Reverend John G. Vlazny, and Msgr Don Buxman

Above L to R: Dan and Lynn Jones; Margret & Ken Harris Margret and Lynn were awarded USAC best newsletter. They are a team working with their husbands who help edit, proofread and then they celebrate their finished product with a toast of wine (or beer in

Ken’s case) and go to dinner afterwards! It’s a winning combination!!

Above L to R: Peggy Brockamp, Mary Ann Perlot, John Brockamp, Fr. Max D’Costa and Larry Moyer

Above L to R: Fr. Lucas Laborde, Jackie Archer, John Archer, Peggy VanHoomissen, Sandy Diederich

L to R: We were delighted to see Margaret Mangan (who is recovering from a fall) enjoying the fellowship

with Maria Pimentel; and Fran Kelly

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ADVENT MEDITATION

The season of Advent is like springtime in nature, when everything is renewed and so is fresh and healthy. Advent is also meant to do this to us - to refresh us and make us healthy, to be able to receive Christ in whatever form he may come to us. At Christmas he comes as a little child, so small, so helpless, so much in need of his mother and all that a mother’s love can give. It was his mother’s humility that helped her to do the works of handmaid to Christ - God from God, true God from true God. Let us see and touch the greatness that fills the depths of their humility. We cannot do better than Jesus and Mary. If we really want God to fill us, we must empty ourselves through humility of all that is selfishness in us. Mother Teresa

The Archdiocese of Portland and Mount Angel Abbey co-sponsored an opening event on Friday, December 5th for the

YEAR OF CONSECRATED LIFE

“The Church must be attractive,” the Holy Father said. “Wake up the world! Be witnesses of a different way of doing things, acting, living! Show that it’s possible to live differently in this world.”

The monastery hosted a day-long conference, which set into motion local observation of the worldwide Year of Consecrated Life proclaimed by Pope Francis. The commemoration runs through Feb. 2, 2016. The day began with a Pontifical Mass at 8 a.m. in the Abbey Church (over 275 people attended), presided over by the Most Reverend Alexander Sample, Archbishop of Portland, followed by coffee and refreshments in the Damian Center. The conference began at 10 a.m. in the Damian Center, with a keynote address by Archbishop Sample, “The Place and Importance of the Consecrated Life in the Church.” Afterwards, the monks invited participants to join them for Midday Prayer in the Abbey Church at noon followed by lunch.

The afternoon session featured a Panel of Reflections, “Witnesses to the Consecrated Life,” (held in the auditorium of the Abbey Library). The Year of Consecrated life will focus on religious sisters, brothers, priests in religious communities, consecrated virgins and hermits.

The panel included (L to R): Father Michael Tyrell, SJ; Abbot Peter McCarthy, OCSO; Archbishop Sample (moderator); Reverend Jeremy Driscoll, OSB; Loretta Matulich, a Consecrated Virgin; and Sister Charlene Herinckx, SSMO

IN LOVING MEMORY OF ED VERBEKE

It is with heart-felt sorrow we share the sad news that Ed Verbeke lost his brief battle with cancer and passed away on December 4. Ed grew up in St. Louis and attended St. Louis University with a degree in accounting and economics. He served active duty in the Navy for 3 years then served in ready reserve, retiring as a commander. He worked for Ford from 1959 until 1990. Ed joined Serra in December 1991 and retired as Executive Director for USAC at the end of 2013, after 22 years of dedicated service. He was 80 years young and is survived by his wife, Anne, 5 children, 10 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild. Ed was devoted to Serra and made invaluable contributions. He made a difference! Our sympathy to his family and may he rest in peace. Ed Verbeke

1934—2014

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SPECIAL EVENTS

January 15-18, 2015 USAC Leadership Training / Serra Rally; Houston, Texas Feb 2, 2015 (Celebrated in parishes Feb 7-8) World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life

Sunday, February 8, 2015 Priest Appreciation Dinner Double Tree at Lloyd Center

March 7, 2015 Portland Archdiocese Seminarian & Families Dinner at St. Patrick’s

March 18, 2015 Vocations Rally - St. Anthony’s Tigard

March 19, 2015 Vocations Rally - Queen of Peace in Salem

MEETING RECAPS

SERRA MEETINGS December 17, 2014 Board Meeting 10:30 Mass Noon Lunch/Meeting PROGRAM: Sarah Kresse, St. Joseph’s Salem, Youth Ministry/Vocations

January 7, 2015 Board Meeting 10:30

Lunch/Meeting Noon PROGRAM: Kevin & Carol McMenamin, “Retrouvaille”

January 21, 2015 Mass Noon Lunch/Meeting PROGRAM: Dr. Maria Manzo, Madeleine Choir Director, “Ministry of Music”

February 4, 2015 Board Meeting 10:30 Lunch/Meeting Noon PROGRAM: Dr. Karen Eifler, “St. John’s Bible”

February 18, 2015 Mass Noon Lunch/Meeting PROGRAM: Jim & Ed O’Hanlon, “History of Blanchet House”

Serra Club of Portland 1500 NE Irving, Suite 440

Portland, OR Paul Harris, President

503-657-4614 paulnmonique@comcast.net

Serra Club Bulletin Margret Harris / Lynn Jones, Editors

503-645-5589 / 503-645-2172 ksmboston@gmail.com

lcayanusjones@frontier.com

CLUB INFORMATIONCLUB INFORMATIONCLUB INFORMATIONCLUB INFORMATION

PRAY

FOR

VOCATIONS

November 5, 2014 - Veronica Kennedy is an assistant to Sharon Hill, the CEO of Portland’s St. Vincent De Paul Society (SVDP). The Portland office is the center of the fifty SVDP conferences in the metropolitan area. SVDP provides a mobile kitchen (bus) for rural communities. It is a re-furbished 1952 bus that is capable of providing meals for those in need. The food sources for these meals are local restaurants and hospitals. SVDP receives the food, repacks the food for storage, and eventually distributes it to those in need. SVDP needs a more constant revenue stream, a stream that can be depended upon. The society is currently exploring the possibility of having “Bundle Sundays” at designated parishes to better display the work and services of our Society. This would also help to publicize the work and services of SVD and to open the door to a more efficient and effective supply of volunteers and goods and services for outreach to the poor. For example, SVDP needs to fund rents and utilities for thousands of families and this is currently taken care of in a limited way through donations. Some federal and county government agencies also provide a limited number of grants for emergencies and for shelters. SVDP wants to work closer with families solving their own problems, offering them choices. The goal of SVDP is to provide dignity, respect, and value to the lives of those in need.

SPECIAL NOTICES REGARDING BULLETIN PUBLICATIONS

Due to the holidays this is a two-month publication. Our next bulletin will not be published until late January/early Feb 2015.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

November 19, 2014 - Sister Dorothy Jean Beyer is the spiritual director and retreat leader at the Queen of Angels convent in Mt. Angel. Her topic for the Serra Club meeting was “Spiritual Direction”. Her first words to the Serrans were: “If you were going to climb Mt. Hood as a rookie, you would look for a mentor or guide. The same is true of your spiritual life”. The first mentor most of us have is Jesus Christ. He left for us beautiful words, the Eucharist, and he established His church. Jesus obviously was the spiritual director of the Apostles. It is traditional that founders of the various religious orders set rules for their members. In each of these sets of rules it was required that each member have a spiritual director. The Jesuits, the Benedictines, the Franciscans, etc. all have a set of rules for their members and in every one of these sets of rules the members are required to have a spiritual director. Sister Dorothy Jean indicated that she did not think “spiritual director” was a good term to use. It implies the “giving of advice”. Instead the spiritual director needs to be more of a generous listener to another person’s journey to God. Listening includes listening with the ear of your heart or seeing with the eye of your heart. Listening is an “ART”. It takes practice. The listener must let go of their ego. They need not always be right or have the last word. They must accept things as they are. In Pope Francis’ book, The Church of Mercy”, he relates that we need an understanding and a feeling of tenderness for what people are telling us. There are three chairs on each occasion when a person is seeking spiritual advice: one chair belongs to the spiritual director, one chair is for the person seeking direction, and one chair is for Jesus.

MAY EACH OF YOU HAVE A BLESSED CHRISTMAS

SAVE THE DATE PRIEST APPRECIATION DINNER

SUNDAY, FEB 8, 2015 Double Tree/Lloyd Center

The 2015 dinner event will be honoring PRIESTS. The Portland Serra Club will be hosting two separate events in 2015 - The Priest Appreciation Dinner in February and a separate event for the Deacons/wives in July. We will be honoring our priests’ dedication, commitment and service! We hope many of our priests will attend this special event. Mark your calendars - formal invitations will be sent out the first part of January 2015.

Sponsored by The Portland Serra Club

SAVE THE DATE

2015 NEW EVENT TO HONOR DEACONS AND WIVES

SUNDAY, JULY 26, 2015 At THE GROTTO

Noon Mass Luncheon following

This is an advance “heads up” that the event and venue for honoring Deacons

is changing in 2015. The Portland Serra Club will be hosting two separate

events in 2015 - one for the Priests and one for Deacons/wives. This

ADVANCE notice is to ask you to mark your calendars for the NEW EVENT.

We will be honoring Deacon’s commitment and service (this is in lieu of the

Priest Appreciation Dinner). More details to follow.

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