Spotlight on Des Moines Serran Susie Flood
When Susie Flood and her husband Scott visited their son Reed’s college orientation, they received some unexpected news. Reed, the high-school Prom King and state champion football player, told his parents he was changing his major from Business Communications to Philosophy—in other words, he was going to become a seminarian.
It was uncharted territory for the Floods, who are themselves Catholic converts, but fortunately, there was an organization that invited the seminarians and their parents to a Seminarian Appreciation Luncheon before the school year started.
“It was overwhelmingly beautiful,” Susie said. “There were all these wonderful priests, and the bishop, and so many seminarians and their families. And those Serrans.”
One Serran, Tim Hughes, introduced himself (and Serra) to Susie. “He came up to me and introduced himself,” Susie said. It was an eye-opening conversation. “He said, ‘I’ve been praying for your son to be a priest since he was in the eighth grade.’ I said, ‘Who does that?’ He just said, ‘We’re Serrans, and that’s what we do. We pray for priests.’”
“Sign me up,” she thought. “There are football moms and wrestling moms. Well, I’m a seminarian mom, so I’m a Serran.”
Ever since, Susie has been all in with the Serra Club of Des Moines, and has been actively praying for vocations ever since. During Adoration, there’s always a Serran praying Holy Hours for vocations.They also practice “The Seven Serrans.” Each day of the week, there is a Serran praying for the vocation directors of the Diocese of Des Moines and neighbouring dioceses.
At January’s Serra Rally in Miami, Susie was the Central Region recipient of the 2025 Face of Serra Award, given to Serrans who provided exemplary service in a leadership role. Susie has served as a District Governor and past president of her club.
