msJanuary 2012

The Metro

 The Newsletter of the Serra Club of Metropolitan Dallas 

In This Issue
January 2012 Calendar
SI and USAC Presidents to Visit Dallas
70th International Convention
National Migration Week

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Movable Feasts in 2012
Feb 22 - Ash Wednesday
Apr 8 - Easter
May 17 - Ascension Thursday
May 27 - Pentecost
Dec 2 - First Sunday of Advent 
The Priests In Concert
The Priests will perform on Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at SMU's McFarlin Auditorium. 

Click HERE to order tickets.

This is the concert that has been rescheduled from December.
Bishop Farrell's Blog
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Areas of Effort for 2011-2012

- Presence at Serran            functions;

- Promote Serran awareness;

- Promotion of Serran membership.

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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. 
  
  

President's Letter by Roland Pedevilla

Dear Serrans:
 

The joyful days of Christmas are now fading into history. It is my hope that all of you enjoyed the wonderful graces of our Father through family and friends. Now in these last days of the year we anxiously look forward to what 2012 will be about. In year passing we enjoyed the good news of the significant increase of seminarians at Holy Trinity Seminary. With our continued prayers and actions as Serrans to promote vocations, maybe 2012 will as rewarding.

 

Let's all be wishful for each other that 2012 will be a year of happiness, good health and joyful events. Thanks to all of you for your contributions toward our mission and helping to make our club successful and an interesting and pleasant experience.

 

God's blessings,

 

 

 

Roland Pedevilla

January 2012 Calendar

Friday, January 6 - 6:45 am - First Friday Mass & Breakfast - Saint Monica. Program: A DVD review of the documentary "Catholicism" produced by Word on Fire Catholic Ministries.  

 

January 9 - 13 - National Vocations Awareness Week - Contact USA Council of Serra International webpage for resource information for promoting the national activity in your parish, parish school or other youth/young adult ministry. 

 

Monday, January 16 - 7:00 am - Mass & Breakfast hosted by the University Club.

 

Monday, January 16 - 6:00 pm - Reception & Dinner hosted by the North Central Club. 

 

Friday, January 20 - No Monthly Luncheon - due to the events scheduled on January 16.

 

To view the complete Metro Serra calendar, click HERE.

SI and USAC Presidents to Visit Dallas

On Monday, January 16, 2012, Dr. Thomas Wong, President of Serra International, and Kurt Metyko, President of USAC, will be visiting the Dallas area. To maximize their contact with local Serrans, two special events have been scheduled for that day. WongWith limited space at both venues, reservations are required and must be made by Monday, January 9. Since these events will take the place of our January luncheon, the club will assume the cost of one of the events per member. If you wish to bring a guest to either event, the cost per guest ($10 for breakfast and $18 for dinner) will be billed to you by our treasurer. For each reservation please provide your name, our club name plus the name(s) of any guest(s). Specific details:

 

The University of Dallas Club will be hosting a Mass and breakfast on the UD Campus. Mass will be at 7:00 a.m., at The Church of the Incarnation, with breakfast following in the Haggar Center. For reservations, please contact Sue Cicherski either by telephone at 214-871-2425 or email at gv1713@aol.com.

 

The North Central Serra Club will be hosting a dinner (their regularly scheduled monthly meeting) at Canyon Creek Country Club, 625 West Lookout Drive, Richardson. The evening will begin with cocktails and fellowship at 6:00 p.m. followed by a seated dinner at 6:30 p.m. Due to limited space only eighty (80) reservations are available - on a first come first served basis. All reservations must be made to Mary LaFave either by email at mcl1804@yahoo.com (please note that the third character in Mary's email is a lower case "L") or by telephone at 972-754-7899. If more than 80 reservations are made, Mary will keep a waiting list in the event of cancellations.

 

For more information on Dr. Wong, please see page 6 of the January 2011 edition of SERRA in Asia. To read Dr. Wong's inaugural address delivered at the July SI convention in Ottawa, click HERE. Mr. Metyko is a member of the Serra Club of Houston.

 

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Save the Dates: June 21 - 23, 2012

Serra's 70th international convention will be held in Providence, Rhode Island, commencing with the Opening Mass celebrated by the Most Reverend Thomas J. Tobin, Bishop of Providence,providence at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 21, 2012.

The theme of the 2012 convention is: The Good Work begun in you will be perfected unto the day of Christ Jesus. (Phil 1:6)

 

Convention sessions and workshops will be held on Friday and Saturday. The convention will conclude with the Annual Banquet on Saturday, June 23, 2012.

 

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National Migration Week - January 8 - 14
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (UCCSB) has designated January 8 through 14 as National Migration Week. This year's theme, "Welcoming Christ in the National Migration WeekMigrant," and the artistic renderings in the week's materials depict the disciples welcoming a stranger on the road to Emmaus.

 

"Just as on the road to Emmaus, Christ's disciples met him in the guise of a stranger, this year's theme helps remind us that Christ makes himself present to each of us in the lonesome traveler, the newcomer, and the migrant," said Archbishop Jos� Gomez of Los Angeles. "We are called to open our hearts and provide hospitality to those in need, especially for migrants who find themselves far away from home and in vulnerable situations." Archbishop Gomez is the chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration.

 

The observance of National Migration Week was begun over a quarter century ago by the U.S. bishops to provide Catholics an opportunity to take stock of the wide diversity of peoples in the Church and the ministries serving them. More information on National Migration Week can be found on the USCCB website.

  

In 1975, Catholic Charities of Dallas established its Immigration and Legal Services department in response to the growing number of immigrants moving to the North Texas area. For more information click here. 

 

Earlier this year, Pope Benedict XVI also unveiled the theme for the 98th World Day of Migrants and Refugees to be celebrated January 15, 2012: "Migration and the New Evangelization." In his message the pope says that the present time calls upon the Church to intensify its missionary activity both in the regions where the Gospel is proclaimed for the first time and in countries with a Christian tradition. World Day of Migrants and Refugees was instituted by Pope Pius X in 1914. Pope Benedict's message for World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2012 can be found by clicking here.

 

Saint of the Month - St. Angela Merici - January 27

Angela has the double distinction of founding the first teaching congregation of women in the Church and what is now called a "secular institute" of religious women.

 

As a young woman she became a member of the Third Order of St. Francis (now known as the Secular Franciscan Order), and lived a life of great austerity, wishing, like St. Francis, to own nothing, not even a bed. Early in life she was appalled at the ignorance among poorer children, whose parents could not or would not teach them the elements of religion. Angela's charming manner and good looks complemented her natural qualities of leadership. Others joined her in giving regular instruction to the little girls of their neighborhood.

 Angela Merici

She was invited to live with a family in Brescia (where, she had been told in a vision, she would one day found a religious community). Her work continued and became well known. She became the center of a group of people with similar ideals.

 

She eagerly took the opportunity for a trip to the Holy Land. When they had gotten as far as Crete, she was struck with blindness. Her friends wanted to return home, but she insisted on going through with the pilgrimage, and visited the sacred shrines with as much devotion and enthusiasm as if she had her sight. On the way back, while praying before a crucifix, her sight was restored at the same place where it had been lost.

 

At 57, she organized a group of 12 girls to help her in catechetical work. Four years later the group had increased to 28. She formed them into the Company of St. Ursula (patroness of medieval universities and venerated as a leader of women) for the purpose of re-Christianizing family life through solid Christian education of future wives and mothers. The members continued to live at home, had no special habit and took no formal vows, though the early Rule prescribed the practice of virginity, poverty and obedience. The idea of a teaching congregation of women was new and took time to develop. The community thus existed as a "secular institute" until some years after Angela's death.

 

As with so many saints, history is mostly concerned with their activities. But we must always presume deep Christian faith and love in one whose courage lasts a lifetime, and who can take bold new steps when human need demands.

 

In a time when change is problematic to many, it may be helpful to recall a statement this great leader made to her sisters: "If according to times and needs you should be obliged to make fresh rules and change certain things, do it with prudence and good advice." 

 

Source:  www.americancatholic.org. To receive "Saint of the Day" as an email from St. Anthony Messenger Press click here.


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