Serran Steak Fry

Fostering vocations, of course, is an essential element in Church life at every level. Every baptized person has both the general vocation to holiness as well as a particular vocation to married life, consecrated life or priesthood - the question of the single life (lived differently than the single life of a consecrated virgin) is a question which I will not deal with here and now. Promoting this end of fostering vocations is the principle aim of a great organization of the faithful: the Serra International club.

Last week, we had our annual Serra Steak Fry here at the seminary. The evening began with Evening Prayer (Vespers) at 5:00pm, and was followed by a grand dinner out in our courtyard. As you can see from the collage below, highlighted and visible for all of our guest-hosts was our new Saint Paul Statue.

In the end, there were about 115 Serrans and their guests, as well as the 80 seminarians, faculty and staff. There were 11 different Serra Clubs from the Midway area were represented:

• St. Croix Valley
• Northwest Hennepin
• Airport
• North Minneapolis
• Midway
• South Suburban
• St. Cloud
• Downtown
• North Hennepin
• Wright County
• Minneapolis

As is usual, this event provides an opportunity for us seminarians to tangibly and directly experience the support that we know we are always receiving from all of you out there, especially all you Serra Club members. As well, those who came have the opportunity to see that God does answer prayers and that their efforts are rewarded, even if in minor ways.

For me, there was the usual chit-chat of who it is I was meeting, where they're from, what it is they do, how God has blessed them with family, work, etc... As well, I get to tell a bit about myself and God's working in my life. One topic which came up at my section of the table (which we also received a question about in one of the comment boxes recently) was the subject of Latin. Do we seminarians have to study Latin? How much?, etc...

As I had the opportunity to explain the other night, the requisite courses in Latin (usually a full year) should be covered by college seminaries. I know both IHM in Winona and SJV here in Saint Paul require it. As well, SPS offers basic and advanced courses in Latin throughout the cycle of elective courses. Is this one year sufficient? Well, if a man keeps at it, yes. Personally, I pray the Liturgy of the Hours in Latin every day, and by doing that I am able to keep it in use and at the fore of my mind. I know of another seminarian who prays from a Latin breviary, and if my perception was correct, in the distance I've seen another Latin breviary being regularly used by yet another seminarian in the chapel.

In retrospect, the evening was a great blessing. Good times, good chat and good food were had by all. To any of our readers who are members of Serra International: many thanks to you. God bless you, and keep the prayers coming! Know of ours for you.