Akron Serra Activities

Serra Club of Akron vocations activities and programs include:

• • • Seminarian scholarships--for Diocese of Cleveland seminarians whose home parishes are in he southern region of the diocese (Akron and other southern parts of Summit County and Medina, Wayne, and Ashland counties)

    • Altar server certificates--for 8th and/or 12th grade altar servers at participating parishes    

    • Monthly Masses at Akron area parishes with Mass intention for vocations to the priesthood  and consecrated religious life

    • Member participation in two diocesan events supporting vocations:

(1) annual Bishop's brunch to support seminarians (about 1,000 attend annually)

    (2) annual Ordinati Mass & Dinner to recognize newly ordained priests 

The seminarian scholarship program was established following the deaths of two longtime members of the Akron Serra Club who did so much to promote and support vocations.  A fund was established from memorial gifts and two reverse raffles.  Donations and another type of raffle, in the planning stage, will be used to continue the fund.  Scholarships awarded in the first 5 years include: $2,750 in 2019-20 to 3 Borromeo seminarians; $5,000 in 2020-21 to 5 Borromeo seminarians; $4,500 in both 2021-22 and 2022-23 to 4 Borromeo seminarians and 1 Saint Mary seminarian; and $5,000 in 2023-24 to 3 Borromeo seminarians and 4 Saint Mary seminarians.  Seminarians who have received these scholarships have home parishes of St. Francis de Sales in Akron, Our Lady of Victory in Tallmadge, Holy Family in Stow, St. Mary in Hudson, Sts. Peter and Paul in Doylestown, and St. Mary in Akron.

Altar server certificates are distributed to graduating 8th and 12th grade altar servers at parishes who provide names to recognize their altar servers.  Most of these servers have served for two or more years.  Not all parishes use student altar servers or have 8th or 12th grade servers each year.  Also, some altar servers may be recognized instead by their parish or another group.  Thus, the number of parishes varies each year.  Certificates issued for 2017 through 2023 include:  2023--114 (14 parishes); 2022--44 (8 parishes); 2021--65 (8 parishes);  2020--116 (15 parishes); 2019--188 (200 parishes); 2018--148 (14 parishes); and, 2017--125 (15 parishes).  During parts of 2020 through 2022 most parishes did not use (or limited the use of) student altar servers due to Covid-19 concerns.