The Lincoln Serra Club
The Club has been active in the Diocese of Lincoln since its beginning in 1955. The club is associated with Serra International, an international Catholic lay organization dedicated to supporting and encouraging vocations to the priesthood and the religious life.
CLUB HISTORYPAST PRESIDENTS
Club Officers
There are 100 members of the Lincoln Serra Club and members come from all over the city of Lincoln and work in a variety of occupations.
The First Serra Club
Four men and their wives met to discuss the idea of starting a Catholic Service Club and thus Serra was born. Then, as now, the two great needs for the church were for informed Catholic lay leaders who understand and live their own Christian vocations to service, and for dedicated priests and religious. The first Serra club was chartered in Seattle with 35 members in 1935. Serra officially became Serra International in 1938, at the first convention.
SERRA INTERNATIONALSaint Junipero Serra
The founding Serrans chose as the organization’s patron Father Junipero Serra. Now named, Saint Junipero Serra by the Church, Father Serra was an 18th-century Franciscan missionary to Mexico who was so influential in creating missions there.
History of Our Club
The charter banquet at which the Serra Club of Lincoln was formally affiliated with Serra International was held on September 11, 1955. With 47 charter members, this the largest group to join Serra International in the two decades of its existence. Among these charter members there were attorneys, businessmen, contractors, doctors, insurance men, newsmen, office workers, plumbers, public officials, teachers, and salesmen.
The meetings of the members of the club were held at 12 noon on the first and third Fridays of each month in the Cornhusker Hotel.
For years, the Serra Club met on the first Friday for Holy Mass and followed by a luncheon. The third Friday began with a luncheon and followed by a program. This is the tradition carried on today.
Past Presidents of Serra Club of Lincoln
Clark McCabe 1955-57
John Pavich 1957-58
Dr. John Clyne 1958-59
Thomas Sweeney 1959-60
Kenneth Witt 1960-61
Albert Hamersky 1961-62
Walter Henrion 1962-63
Dr. Robert York 1963-64
James McLaughlin 1964-1965
Dr. John Hanigan 1965-66
John Flaherty 1966-67
William Dobler 1967-68
James Scatena 1968-69
Cletus Sullivan 1969-70
John O’Neil 1970-71
Thomas Morin 1971-72
R.F. Prentiss 1972-73
D. James Costin 1973-74
Keith O’Brien 1974-75
Joe Hanigan 1975-76
Mike Lawlor 1976-77
Robert Duden 1977-78
Philip Brusnahan 1978-79
Ed Perry 1979-80
Don DeMars 1980-81
Paul Reinsch 1981-82
James Cunningham 1982-83
Keith Berlage 1983-84
Jim Love 1984-85
Marvin Souchek 1985-86
Keith May 1986-87
Val Zitek 1987-88
Al Zach 1988-89
Bernie Rempe 1989-90
Ed Cantwell 1990-91
Alan Slattery 1991-92
John Hyland 1992-93
Chris Raun 1993-94
Chris Raun 1994-95
John Sinclair 1995-96
Fredrick Novak 1996-97
John Hanigan Jr. 1997-98
Jerry Dawson 1998-99
John Berrick 1999-00
Dr. Herbert Reese 2000-01
Jim Essay 2001-02
Steve Jaros 2002-03
Dan Mulligan 2003-04
Jim Overcash 2004-05
Greg Benes 2005-06
Doug Vandervort 2006-07
Kevin Clark 2007-08
Mike Henkrnius 2008-09
Rob Bryant 2009-10
Chris Bedient 2010-11
Taylor Ashburn 2011-12
Jerry Buettner 2012-13
Bill Stull 2013-14
Rick Haden 2014-15
John Kenkel 2015-16
Walt Zink 2016-17
Mike Riordan 2017-18
Corey Russman 2018-19
Kelly Heftie 2019-20
(Shared Duties: Kelly Heftie-Corey Russman-Walt Zink-Taylor Ashburn) 2020-21
Dick Veik 2021-22
Jim Wathen 2022-23
Bede Bolen 2023-24