Serra of Beaumont

The first Serra Club was formed by four Catholic laypersons in 1935 in Seattle, Washington.

The founding Serrans chose Father Junipero Serra as their organization’s patron. He was born in 1713 in Petra on the island of Mallorca, Spain. When he died in 1784, he was laid to rest in the San Carlos Borromeo mission, in Carmel, California. The 18th-century Franciscan missionaries founded many missions in Mexico and California. He established nine missions himself, and baptized thousands of Native Americans.

Father Serra was chosen as patron because of his commitment to his vocation, as exemplified by his notable quote: “Always go forward, never turn back.” He was canonized a Saint on September 23, 2015.

The Serra Club of Beaumont was chartered on October 5, 1949, with 41 members. .  In recognition of its mission and ministry, the organization identifies itself as Serra of Beaumont, the Papal Lay Ministry.

Currently, it has a membership of ~30.

In October 2019, the Club will celebrate its 70th Anniversary.

The Serra Club of Beaumont meets one evening each month. Meetings are held at St. Anne Church, Holub Hall, located at 2715 Calder Street in Beaumont, TX.

During the school year, members of the Club are encouraged to gather at the ACTS breakfast immediately after the 6:27am mass on the first Friday of each month, to be a visible presence to the Catholic community that attends mass, as well as to conduct any immediate business or communication of issues to members present.

The one evening meeting is a dinner meeting held at 6:00pm on the third Thursday of each month, preceded by a mass at 5:15pm.

Dinner meetings usually have a speaker, from an educational, religious community, or a club-organized presentation. Talks cover a spectrum of interests, and each meeting is opened and closed with a Serran prayer.

Serra International conventions are held annually, attended by representatives from all Serra Clubs worldwide.

Any person who is a practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church may join the Serra Club. Currently, membership is “by-law” restricted to the territory of the Diocese of Beaumont.

The one time initiation fee is $11.75

Membership dues $132/year for the primary member and $66/year for spousal members, members under 35 years of age pay the 1/2 rate. In addition, meals are paid at each meeting by the member attendees.

Dues provide support for Serra USA Council and Serra International functions, Club correspondence, gifts and cards to the religious community, vocation projects, and ancillary Club expenses. In addition any budget surplus fund, including monies raised by annual Fund Raisers are contributed to the Mnsr. John DiStefano Memorial Seminarians Burse at the Diocese. This burse is used to provide supplies and funds to active seminarians at the discretion of the Bishop.

Please direct financial inquiries to our President, at (409) 656-1071.

Serra of Beaumont sponsors numerous projects each year:

• Third and Fourth-Grade Poster Contest for Catholic School students.
• Fifth-Grade Essay Contest for Catholic School students.
• CCD Third and Fourth Grade Poster Contest and Fifth-Grade Essay Contest
• Lenten Adoration
• Parish Vocation Committees in participating parishes
• Altar Servers Awards
• Periodic Masses for Vocations
• Family Travelling Chalice and “31” Club programs at participating Parishes
• Annual Party for Diocesan Priests, Deacons, and religious, etc.
• Fundraisers – Both an annual Lunch as well as one held jointly with the KC 951 council. Proceeds are targeted mainly for the Seminarian’s Burse at the Diocese and support of vocation’s programs.
• Birthday and Ordination / Religious Profession Day Anniversary cards respectively for Clergy and Religious
• Vocations activities at the Lamar Catholic Student Center and support of the DOB Vocation Directors plans and programs for vocations.

The Club assigns every member to a committee, to foster full participation as well as to maintain the interest of its members.

Prayer for the Preservation of Vocations

O God, You have constituted Your only-begotten Son supreme and eternal Priest for the glory of Your majesty and the salvation of mankind: grant that those whom He has chosen ministers and dispensers of His mysteries may be found faithful in fulfilling the ministry they have received.

Serran Prayer for Vocations

O God, Who wills not the death of a sinner, but rather that he be converted and live, grant we beseech you through the intercession of the Blessed Mary ever Virgin, Saint Joseph her spouse, Saint Junipero Serra, and all the saints: an increase of laborers for Your Church, fellow laborers with Christ to spend and consume themselves for souls, through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever, Amen.

We would be pleased to have you join Serra in our primary effort to encourage new and sustain existing Catholic religious vocations.

For further information and a membership application, please contact:

Richard James, VP Membership
Email: [email protected]

John Begnaud, President
Email: [email protected]

• JUNE 2019 NEWSLETTER
• OCTOBER 2019 NEWSLETTER