December 2007

NOVEMBER 2007

Prayer Intention: For an increase in vocations to the Priesthood and Religious life.

For an end to abortion and a respect for all life from birth to natural death

For our military personnel and their families.

Fr. Szybka: November pray for deceased members especially Serra members, priests and sisters. This is part of our spiritual journey. Fr. Will have a Latin Mass on Sunday November 18 at 2:00 P.M. All are welcomed.

Presidents message: Dennis Behm welcomed guests Pauline Reinhart, George Freeman, Deacon Lewis and Eloise Reinhart. He read a letter from Brad Bursa requesting help with his ministry in New Mexico.

Please pray for Bob Clouse who has been ill and will be going to the Cleveland Clinic.

Committee reports: Program: Pat Everhart that the November 20 meeting will be used to review the duties of all the committee using some suggestions from the Serra Convention. Chairpersons will meet with their committees and then give a summation at the end of the meeting. Sr. Edna Michaels will speak at the December meeting. Vocations: Tom Welter reminded the members of the care packages. He will not be sending any out in December but will resume again in January.

Speaker: Serran Dave Mileski spoke on “Benedictine Way”. The Benedictine way is a very helpful path to spirituality. It focuses on values and humility. Qualities of ordinariness, commitment, self-denial, simplicity and silence are seen in the Benedictine way. The Rule of Saint Benedict and the Benedictine tradition through the centuries has modeled a way of doing life, doing spirituality, that actually values the ordinary. The Rule makes it possible for ordinary folk to live lives of quite extraordinary value. Benedictine life is expressed through such mundane activities as systematic prayer with scripture, study, work, community and in these we meet God. Prayer: Do we listen to what we pray? We don’t take time to listen. We ask “ what am I supposed to hear” “ prayer can be short”. Work: Work is prayer and we should make it as good as we can - a holy endeavor. Service: In the monastery each brother serves one another. Each take turns serving at meals etc. . One way to serve is just to listen. Conversion” Live every day knowing that we are going to die. We need to shut the door of yesterday and move on, do our best tomorrow. Conflict: make sure we apologize for mistakes. Remember part of the “Lords prayer” Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”. Hospitality: Reach out to the elderly, ill and travelers. When we experience the fruit of these practices we will have the joy of being fully alive.

November 20^th meeting featured Joann Kirian, Sheila Jefferies and Pat Englehart. They spoke on the Serra Convention in Michigan. The main speaker was Fr. Jay Scott Newman and he said that ibeing Evangelical Catholic requires that we know the Gospel, believe the Gospel, live the Gospel, and share the Gospel with others. It is not enough to know who Jesus is; we must know Jesus. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is divine revelation, not human wisdom, and the Gospel is given to us in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. She talked about receiving the Sacraments regularly, learn to live as faithful disciples. Being a follower of Christ requires moving from being a Church member by convention to a Christian disciple by conviction. All the baptized are sent in the Great Commission to be witness of Christ to others and must be equipped by the Church to teach the Gospel in word and deed.

Meetings: December 4. Sr. Edna Michels - Vocation ministry for the Sisters of St. Francis and Community Councilor. “Where religious life is going”.

December 18- Dawn Snyder - Advent

January 88

Men and women in formation:

Christopher M. Mileski David & Lynne Mileski

200 Hill Dr. 1275 E. Cr. 16

St. Meinrad, In. 47577 Tiffin, Ohio 44883

Saint Meinard School of Theology & Archabbey

I Philosophy EDO: 2013

Interests: “Being outdoors and reading, socializing. A group of us like to go to Louisville and catch a movie and just relax every once in a while. The Monastary is nice and great but sometimes you just need to get away.”

“ I think that hearing from an early age that there was a need for priests opened me to the idea of priesthood. It was Fr. Michael Dandurand that really inspired my vocation though. He was chaplain at Calvert, and I just saw a happy, holy man, living his vocation well, and I thought that that was something that I could do and would make me happy.“ “I really appreciate everything that the Serra Club does for us seminarians. Thank You!”.