Serra International, an organization of Catholic laypeople devoted to promoting vocations to the ministerial priesthood and consecrated life, has marked its 80th global meeting in Thailand.
The Diocese of Chiang Mai, Thailand, hosted the 80th Serra International Convention with more than 450 Catholic vocation animators, priests, religious men and women, and lay people from different countries.
“The Northern part of the Thai Kingdom has been blessed by the presence of past and present missionaries with their zeal and untiring determination to announce the Good News,” said Bishop Francis Xavier Vira Arpondratana of Shiang Mai during the welcome ceremony on June 22.
Serra International is the only lay organization aggregated to a primary pontifical work – the Pontifical Work for Priestly Vocations – to encourage and coordinate efforts to promote vocations to the sacred priesthood of the Catholic Church.
Since its founding in 1935 in Seattle, over 1,100 Serra clubs have been chartered in 46 countries around the world. Today, Serra’s global lay vocations apostolate is made strong by over 20,000 members.
The international meeting is held in the northern Thailand city of Shiang Mai from Jun 22 to 25. (All photos by Anupat Maturongpituck/Thailand)
