Tuesday, August 2 The Serra Club of Columbus hosted the Annual Priests Appreciation Banquet at Walter Commons on the campus of St Charles Preparatory School. Over 70 priests in the Diocese of Columbus and all 25 of the seminarians from the Josephinum attended along with Bishop James Griffin and Bishop Earl Fernandes.
The evening began with a social hour featuring hors d’oeuvres and beverages, followed by a wonderful dinner headlined with four entrees. The event was catered by Gary Alwine of Mustard Seed Catering and sponsored by Dee Printing.
The Serra Club of Columbus has been hosting this event for 40+ years. The mission of the Sierra Club is to foster and promote vocations to the ministerial priesthood of the Catholic Church as a particular vocation of service and to support priests in their sacred ministry. Saint Pope John Paul II said, “Serrans, you are the lay vocation arm of the Catholic Church”. In addition to the Banquet, this club has many other activities to support and pray for vocations. A few of these are First Friday Adoration, Annual Outstanding Altar Server Awards presided over by Bishop Fernandes, monthly luncheons with guest speakers, an Adopt a Seminarian program, and much more.
Serra International was founded in 1935. The Serra Club of Columbus was chartered on September 14, 1954.
Bishop Earl Fernandes met with the priests prior to the beginning of the Appreciation Banquet to celebrate a Holy Hour with the specific intention of praying for an increase in priestly vocations. He then talked to the priests about his vision and priorities for the diocese.
