Our Founding

Serra Club of Fort Worth was organized in 1950. As the story has been told by Franklin Moore, the first recipient of the Club’s Frank E. Crumley Outstanding Serran Award, Rev. Msgr. Ernest Gregory Langenhort took Frank Crumley, a prominent Fort Worth attorney and Catholic layman, aside one day and told Frank that since Dallas had a Serra Club, Fort Worth needed a Serra Club. From that simple request, Crumley, along with Joe Guminski, Joseph M. Breen, Dr. James Murphy, Victor Simon and John Sprekelmyer, met in Hotel Texas with the intent of forming Serra Club of Fort Worth. The group had Rev. Lawrence De Falco (later Bishop of Amarillo) as their founding chaplain.

These gentlemen worked rapidly to become a charter organization of Serra International, opening a bank account at the Fort Worth National Bank, bonding their agents, commencing programs on May 31, 1950, and formally applying for a charter on June 8, 1950. They paid a $10 initiation fee and $20 semi-annually to Serra International.

The charter was granted on June 16, 1950 and The Serra Club of Fort Worth was formally installed at a dinner on June 28 at the Worth Hotel. His Excellency Most Reverend Joseph Patrick Lynch, Bishop of Dallas, was present, as well as Right Rev. Msgr. John Gulczynski, chaplain of the Serra Club of Dallas and Rev. Msgr. Thomas A. Zachry of Fort Worth. Visiting guests from other Serra Clubs included R.J. St. Germain, president of the Serra Club of Houston, E.J. Solen, president of the Serra Club of Dallas, E.D. Furlow, District Governor, J.R. Jordon, secretary of Serra International and Thomas J. Reilly, past president of Serra International.

Furlow presented the charter to club president Frank E. Crumley, citing the high spiritual ideals of the Serra movement. On behalf of the members, Crumley promised to uphold the aims of Serra. Prior to the charter presentation, toastmaster R.F. Snakard read telegrams and messages of congratulations and goodwill from other Serra Clubs and from officers of Serra International. 

During the dinner, Father De Falco shared the difficulties encountered by young seminarians, chiefly in finances, as in most cases the clerical students did not come from wealthy families and the burden of paying for 12 years of education was an insupportable one. The need for priests, native to this area, was an urgent one.

J.R. Jordon, secretary of Serra International, shared the origins of Serra. It began in 1935 when a few Catholic laymen in Seattle conceived the idea of forming a club with a high spiritual purpose - fostering vocations -and with a patron worthy of that purpose - St. Junipero Serra, the lowly follower of St. Francis, who was an apostle of California that founded and built 21 missions there.

The growth of Serra Clubs in the early years was slow and almost completely interrupted by World War II. After the war, an International Center for Serra was founded and the addition of new clubs was rapid. At the time of the Fort Worth Club's founding, it was the 56th chartered Serra Club.

The founding officers of Serra Club of Fort Worth were Frank E. Crumley, president; R.F. Snakard, first vice president; Victor E. Simon, second vice president; D.T. Costello, treasurer; W.J. Fesperman, secretary; Dr. J.W. Colvin, Joe J. Guminski and Wylie F. Stewart, trustees. Rev. Lawrence De Falco was the club's first chaplain.  There were 32 charter members of the club in 1950.

Later Activities

The Serra Club of Fort Worth meets on the third Wednesday for lunch and a program. Serrans believe that when members gather for prayer, a meal and conversation, they grow in faith and are inspired and challenged by each other. Each meeting provides an opportunity to hear a speaker or discuss a topic such as prayer, social justice, Scripture, business ethics, ministry in the Church, vocations, and so on. The Serra meeting is a place for spiritual growth and fellowship.

In addition to the monthly luncheon, the club also sponsors and encourages a second monthly meeting which involves a Holy Hour of adoration and prayers for vocations. Furthering our goal of spiritual growth and fellowship, club members attending the Holy Hour meet for dinner before or after the Holy Hour.

Our current Holy Hour service evolved from what was originally a monthly vigil of overnight adoration culminating with Mass on the first Friday morning. The monthly nocturnal adorations were held at local churches. The club invited members of the churches to join us in the nocturnal adorations. In recent years, the club has been able to secure for some of its Holy Hours, one of the six monstrances blessed by the late Pope John Paul II on November 24, 2004. These monstrances were consecrated for use during the Year of the Eucharist for people to pray for an increase of vocations to ordained ministry and consecrated life. The monstrances were designated for Eucharistic adoration for vocations for each major continent or geographical area around the world as a symbol of the connection between the Eucharist and priestly vocations. 

Each year during Lent, members participate in a Saturday retreat led by a priest from the diocese. In addition to breakfast, talks from the retreat master and reflection time, members may also avail themselves of the opportunity for the sacrament of reconciliation.

In addition to the monthly lunch meetings, Holy Hours, and Lenten retreats, the club sponsors two dinners a year. In the spring, the club hosts a “Clergy and Religious Appreciation Dinner” as a way for Serra Club members to say, “Thank you for hearing God’s call.” This evolved from an annual dinner originally designated by the club as “Bishop’s Burse” or “Bishop’s Banquet.” During these dinners, the club donated funds to the Bishop to assist in the education of seminarians. The first “Bishop’s Banquet” took place in January 1951.

Each summer, Fort Worth Serra Club also sponsors a “Seminarian Dinner” to honor the seminarians from the diocese. One of the more popular events of each year, this gathering has been held in some form since 1953. On September 2, 1953, the club hosted seven seminarians studying for the priesthood from the Fort Worth area. It is interesting to note that among the seven were Rev. Msgr. Joseph Scantlin, then age 20, and Rev. Msgr. James Pemberton, then age 19, the late brother of Rev. Msgr. Joseph Pemberton.

Vocations Programs

Over the years, the Fort Worth Serra Club has been involved in many programs designed to further the aims and purposes of Serra, which are fostering vocations and spiritual growth. Among these are the Vocation Awareness Program, the Annual Serra Poster Contest (inaugurated in 1954), the Annual Vocation Essay Contest, the Altar Servers Program (inaugurated in 1954), the 31 Club (a club member is assigned a day to go to Mass and pray for vocations) and 5th Grade Vocation Day (co-sponsored by the Club).

The primary vocations effort of the club is the Vocation Awareness Program, sponsored annually by all Dallas-Fort Worth Serra Clubs since 1990. It is an annual discernment weekend for men and women ages 18-40 to discern if they are being called to a priestly or religious vocation. While the Discernment Weekend is organized and sponsored by the Serra Clubs of Fort Worth and Dallas, the Discernment Weekend is staffed by priests and religious. Through liturgy, prayers, organized meetings in groups and one-on-one meetings with staff members, and discussions, individually and in groups, participants are allowed to discern a vocational calling.

Students from all Catholic schools in the diocese plus religious education classes, grades 1-8, were invited to compete in the Diocesan Wide Poster Contest. The posters were judged by members of Fort Worth Serra Club, and winners were chosen based on how well the participant depicted the annual Vocation Theme, such as “Come Follow Me.” At one time and for several years, the winning posters in the Annual Poster Contest were used in a calendar sponsored by the Serra Club of Fort Worth. Harveson and Cole Funeral Home, owned by long-time club member Guy Thompson, funded the calendar.

The 5th Grade Vocation Day, co-sponsored by the Club and the Diocese of Fort Worth, was inspired by the belief that there are three critical decision-making periods in a young person’s life, known as the 11-3-3 model. The first period is the age of 11, hence the 5th Grade Vocation Day. The day is designed to encourage young people to start thinking about the future – particularly service to God and his Church. The day-long program begins with Mass, followed by brief presentations by priests, sisters, or seminarians. The presentations are followed by the opportunity for students to ask questions.

The Altar Servers Awards Program encourages young people to start thinking about the future, particularly some kind of service to God and his church. Working with local parishes, members of the Fort Worth Serra Club help organize a special day, with medals and certificates, to honor the Altar Servers in a parish.

Our Club Today

In 2024, Serra Club of Fort Worth is one of the fastest-growing Serra Clubs in the USA Council.  Today the club counts both women and men in its membership and Board of Trustees. High-quality monthly programs have served to attract new members, increase each member's spirituality, and create opportunities for fellowship and inspiration. The pandemic caused the club to be more creative - including the use of Zoom for program meetings. Tools like social media, email, and a dedicated website improve our membership and participation and make prospective new members aware of our work.