Also visit: Music

Be it a birthday, anniversary or graduation, remember or honor your loved one or friend through a gift to our building fund. Envelopes available in the narthex and office or the parish website, go to Parish Info, Donate to Padre Serra. Contact pam@padreserra.org

I would like to share the Called to Renew parish vision with you directly, so you can understand our projects, ask questions, and share your thoughts. I’m holding a reception to share the architectural plans and our vision for the future here at Padre Serra. Kindly join us for this special reception.

​Blessings,​
​Fr. Patrick Mullen

Also visit Called to Renew

For the past thirty years, our family has been a part of the Padre Serra Community. We have worked, served and prayed alongside wonderful individuals who have been generous in their financial giving and their participation in parish ministries. While becoming involved in these ministries I have witnessed firsthand our parishioners’ generosity, goodwill and kindness.

Many of you may not be aware that there is a parish finance council. The finance council’s main focus is to review financial matters of the parish, to act in an advisory capacity, and to provide guidance to our parish leaders. The finance council members have diverse financial experiences, which is beneficial in providing sound financial advice that will help fulfill the vision and mission of the parish. The current members of the finance council are: Fr. Patrick, Jerry DeVillers, Chase Lichtenstein, Laura Meissner, Kathy Milner, Gene West, Kevin Hrabovsky and Joe Loll.

I remember as a young boy growing up in our family of six, that we always helped and supported our parish community. My parents looked upon our parish as part of our extended family so weekly giving was part of our commitment to the parish. Since then, it has become a tradition as part of our family too. Our financial contributions go to support Padre Serra parish in many ways, including to assist the neediest among us, to keep our church community informed in its current Catholicity, and to provide a welcoming environment where our community spirit will continue to grow.

We don’t want to be in a situation that Jesus warned about in today’s gospel, “This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.” Our focus needs to be not only on our current results but we also need to be sure that we have the financial resources to meet the needs of the parish community on a long-term basis. This is the finance challenge of our parish: to meet the short-term needs while preparing for the major expenditures that are inevitable with the aging of the physical structures of the parish. With your support we can accomplish these goals.

Thank you for your continued support of Padre Serra parish through your prayers, financial giving and ministry participation. “One individual cannot possibly make a difference alone. It is individual efforts, collectively, that make a noticeable difference — all the difference in the world.”Jane Goodall.

​Siempre adelante,

Joe Loll
Padre Serra Finance Council Chair

​When we think of Jamaica, the thoughts of Ocho Rios, beautiful beaches and wonderful scenery come to mind—all of which are part of the island. A year before becoming a priest of the Diocese of Mandeville, I spent 5 days with our founding bishop touring the diocese—and, I saw a very different side of Jamaica! 
 
Bishop Paul Boyle said to me: “We have dire poverty.  It’s something the tourists don’t see, nor do the television ads feature.  Our people are poor.  Jamaica is one of the poorest nations in the hemisphere after Haiti, and our diocese is the poorest part of Jamaica.” 
 
In the Diocese of Mandeville, there are about six hundred thousand people. Sixty eight percent have no running water; only, outside latrines. Families are using “primitive methods” of disposing human waste—they go into the bushes. People need  basic necessities of life:  food, clothing, shoes to wear, mattresses—many need a home. The average annual income in Jamaica is US$1,500.00—a little less than $29.00 per week. Many workers don’t receive even this wage.  Among people’ aged 15 to 19, 25% are “functionally illiterate.” Many of those who are functionally literate have severe reading problems.  Seventy-five percent of students who take standardized testing cannot pass even one subject. There is an alarming number of destitute elderly and abandoned/neglected/abused children and adolescents. People are dying every day from diseases, which no longer exist in the United States because we have adequate medical care. BOTTOM LINE:  the Diocese of Mandeville is very, very poor!

Each spring, St. John’s Seminary welcomes benefactors and friends to our campus. This year, see the restored Stained Glass Windows in our Prayer Hall. Visit one of our newly revitalized Stations of the Cross. Pray in our chapel. Spend time in our historic library. Meet our seminarians. Let us show you how your prayers help our mission to prepare priests for service to the people of God in our Catholic community.
​For information, contact (805) 482·2755, x1105 or openhouse@stjohnsem.edu
Also visit: stjohnsem.edu