Serra Club of Pittsburgh

January/March 2017 2017 Serra Programs

Please add these dates to your calendar. Jack Kunz, VP-Programs, has scheduled interesting speakers for all events. Watch for them in your invitations. March 15 April 12 May 17 June 14 July 12 August Ordinati Dinner September 13 October 11 November Memorial Mass December Christmas Party Unless otherwise noted, dinner meetings will be held at St. Paul Seminary with a reception at 6:30 PM followed by dinner at 7 PM.

MEETING RECAPS The Serrans were pleased to have Most Reverend William John Waltersheid as our speaker at the October Dinner/ Meeting. He is the Auxilary Bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh and Titular Bishop of California and resides at the Church of The Epiphany in Pittsburgh. Bishop Waltersheid, Joan Head, Jack Kunz Bishop Waltersheid spoke about “The Priest of the Third Millennium” in that every age the Church responds to the needs of the times so that the Gospel can be preached so people will know about God’s love and mercy; and instrumental in the life of our Church are our priests that preach the Gospel and bring Christ to us in us in Christ. He talked about the three dimensions of the priesthood: sanctifying, preaching and teaching and governance-also called stewardship. He said the sanctifying role of priests is to celebrate the sacraments to make present the Sacrifice of Christ by which the gates of heaven are open and by which we are promised eternal life. The priest preaches in the homily to draw everyone back to the altar, back to the Mystery of what really happens at the altar that Christ does offer Himself to the Father making His Sacrifice present and then offers Him to us in the Holy Eucharist. They are called to be prophetic witnesses, to be good stewards taking care of things that lead people to heaven, they are to be a humble person _ to be a part of the people who they are in their lives _ to smell like your sheep as called by Pope Francis. Bishop Waltersheid said, “We have to have priests who are heaven bound, what happens at the altar every day the great deed of mercy is made present again _ but God is never bound by time and space _ Calvary is there again for us, the great love of God poured out for us by the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus! What happens at the altar is the greatest testimony of God’s love for us that we can never imagine!” =

September Dinner Meeting At the Serrans September Dinner/Meeting we were pleased to have Very Reverend Ron Lengwin speak to us on “An Appeal to Faith and Imagination. Father Lengwin has been on the radio in different aspects for 43 years and is known from the popular KDKA radio show “Amplify with Father Ron Lengwin” Continued on next page.

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Continued from front page. which has aired since 1975. He is now retired.

September, 23 2016 1st Anniversary of St. Junipero Serra

Member News

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YEARBOOK 2016-2018 Serra Club of Pittsburgh It is often asked “what is the gender of all members” The member names listed in the YEARBOOK as of July 1, 2016 has the following: 38 Males 37 Females 28 14 Married couples 103 Total membership YEARBOOKS are always available at our monthly dinner meetings. =

In Our Prayers

If you know a member in need of our prayers, please call Ray Golebie 412-531-3670 to have them added toour prayer list. Marie Deasy Audia Otto Gary Gayda Ray Golebie

Father Lengwin, Jack Kunz

Father Ron shared stories of his life past and present and some of the important decisions he made through prayer and how he came into the priesthood. He loves mystery about life, Mystery about God and the world and things that have happened in the world from the beginning to the present. He said we see Divine Providence that works within our life, that there is a plan and somehow it all fits in. You come to understand that God loves each one of us as though there were only one of us to love. Love is the most powerful source in the world. It is the mystery of it all and how God is working in our lives as faith and imagination underlies Mystery and Divine Providence.

Father Ron said the story is the way now to teach people in giving their witness, it is everywhere. You have faith and you have the great gift of imagination, of love, of prayer and we really have to work together on how we can serve our people best. There are so many stories of Jesus and what He did and you become a part of it. Imagination is a creative energy that God gives to people. We need to exercise every gift that God has given us. In the gift of love, God will make every little thing we do in our lives miraculous. You have a responsibility to promote peace in the area you are in, in our simple little area of influence_ a very profound thing it is! We have to work together on terms of vocations in the future. The Church has to be renewed and remade. How can we serve our people best? You have the gift of faith and imagination! =

MEMORIAL MASS Nov. 13, 2016 The annual Mass for deceased Serrans was celebrated in O’Connor Hall at St. Paul Seminary by our Chaplain, Father Joe Freedy who delivered a beautiful homily. Serran Carin Ignacio provided the organ music. After Mass a luncheon was served in the Cardinal Great Hall. An “Induction of New Members” was conducted by Father Freedy. The new members were Gary Guyda, Carin Ignacio and Bob Schneider. Jack Warwick gave the following talk about Purgatory. We celebrate this day in November because it’s the Month of the Holy Souls. Where are the souls? Purgatory? Do you remember Father Benedict Groschel on EWTN? He would say “ I hope to make it to Purgatory”. The Catechism of the Catholic Church calls it the FINAL PURIFICATION, if you get to Purgatory, you are assured to eternal salvation. If we didn’t have Purgatory there would only be 2 places after death. Jesus in a Holy Gospel parable speaks of a “Narrow Gate to Heaven”. Jesus also tells us only the perfect soul enters heaven. Continued on next page.

Continued from page 2. There are 161 deceased Serans names in this folder. The first name you see is Harry Knake who died in 1945. I don’t know if Harry is in Heaven but do know that Harry was remembered in over 300 Masses celebrated by our Chaplains over the years. You may have forgotten but the Serra Club arranges to have our Chaplain celebrate a Mass every month of the year for deceased Serrans. I hope to make it to Purgatory. My children may forget, in time, to have Masses celebrated for my soul but I do know as long as Serra exists a Mass will be said for me. =

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Serra Club Officers Co-Presidents: Greg Falvo Cyndi Brusco Falvo VP-Programs: Jack Kunz VP-Communications: Ray Golebie VP-Vocations and Parish Relations: Joan Turner Co-VP Membership: Dolores Warwick Jack Warwick Secretary: Joan Head Treasurer: Paul Wilt Trustees: Dr. Alice Hirsch Dan Maida Rose Vega Delia Eagan

Miraculous Medal The Trilogy of the Life of Saint Junipero Serra authored by Albert Giordano Ph.D who hails from Monaca, Pa. It was updated after Junipero Serra’s sainthood. The new publication that has Pope St. John Paul II and Pope Francis pictured on the cover added 18 additional pages. The book will be available in limited quantities at our regular monthly meetings. =

Pittsburgh Serra Club Website We welcome your comments and hope that you will see this new site for your spiritual enlightenment. Use the following address to access the new website. Serra Club of Pittsburgh: https://sites.google.com/site/serrapitt/

THE SERRA SCHOLARSHIP TRUST FUND. The annual appeal for donations was sent to Serrans in a letter by Delia Egan, Serra Scholarship Chairperson in December. It is for your generous contributions that offers one of the best and most lasting means of fulfilling the first objective of our club, the promotion of vocations to the priesthood. The income generated annually by this fund is used by the Diocese for tuition, room and board and vocation programs related to the education of men to the priesthood. Peter Mills,one of the Pittsburgh Serra Club early members established the Scholarship Trust Fund said that our efforts will continue long after we are gone.We thank all the Serrans who have donated to the Serra Scholarship Fund. =

The three most powerful indulgenced medals of the Catholic Church are:The scapular, because of the indulgence attached to it; The Miraculous Medal; and The St. Benedict Jubilee Medal At our monthly dinner/meetings we offer a door prize, a Miraculous Medal which we gift, is embossed on a 1 oz pure silver round blessed by our Chaplain, Father Joseph Freedy with Holy Water that came from the font in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Jerusalem. =

Memorial Donations Remember the Serra Club of Pittsburgh in your will and in your donations in remembrance of deceased relatives and friends.

Serra Club of Pittsburgh 2900 Noblestown Road Pittsburgh, PA 15205-4227

The Serra Club of Pittsburgh NEWS is published bimonthly for all active members. Newsletters are mailed or emailed to members and are available at the Club meetings. Articles for submission should be sent via email to: [email protected] or [email protected]. Ideas for future articles are welcome. Editor: Joan Head Co-Editor: Ray Golebie

CHRISTMAS PARTY The Serra Christmas Party was held on December 11th at St. Paul Seminary where over 70 Serrans and guests enjoyed the company of Bishop Zubik, Bishop Winter and the seminarians. Catherine Calfo, Dolores Warwick and the seminarians entertained us with a selection of beautiful Christmas carols. It was a wonderful evening of fellowship and celebration!

Seminarians

Dolores Warwick & Catherine Calfo

Thought for the Month Loving only friends to the exclusion of enemies goes unrewarded by God”

-St. Thomas Aquina

Joanne Sommers & Cyndi Falvo