January 20, 2010

Faithful support vocations with traveling chalices

 By Julie Filby

Several parishes and schools in the Denver Archdiocese have traveling chalice programs to encourage the faithful to pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Parishioners and students host a chalice in a place of honor in their home or classroom to serve as a visible reminder of the importance of praying for vocations.

In the last 35 years, while the number of Catholics in the United States increased an estimated 34 percent, the number of priests decreased 31 percent. Studies show that parishes are closing because of a drastic decline in the number of priests (source: Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University).

A chalice program was introduced last spring at Guardian Angels Church in Mead. Each weekend at alternating Masses, parish administrator Father Greg Ames or pastoral associate Father Alan Hartway, C.P.P.S., present the chalice to volunteers who host it for two weeks. It is enclosed in a case handmade by parishioner Vitus Pfeifer, and includes a prayer card prepared by Father Hartway.

“Guardian Angels is a small country parish where ‘community’ is of great importance—it’s clear that priests are vital in keeping our community active and well,” according to parishioner Joan Blossom whose family hosted the chalice last spring. “It’s good to have this Year for Priests celebrated by the universal Church, and to have this wonderful activity among our parishioners.”

The Blossom family placed the chalice on the mantel above their fireplace, near statues of Our Lady of Fatima and the Infant of Prague.

“The chalice was an icon to focus our prayer on one of the most important needs of Holy Mother Church—an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life,” Blossom said. “We felt honored to pray for those dear souls who will accept God’s invitation to the priesthood.”

Norman and Susie Finke and their three children hosted the chalice last fall and said it enhanced their family prayer life.

“Family prayer has always been an important part of our lives,” explained Susie Finke. “Bringing the chalice into our home gave us a different focus—vocations in general.”
Their prayer intentions included family members in religious orders, priests they had known who are now deceased, living priests who have touched their lives, and priests who face difficulties in their vocation.
“Will we have any vocations from our own home?” she asked. “Only time will tell.”

A program was started at St. Mary Parish in Littleton in September 2008. Since its inception, more than 130 families have hosted the chalice, and it is scheduled through July 4, 2010.
“We pray this program will continue for many, many years,” said Mary Jo Rakowski who heads the parish vocations committee. “We encourage families to invite friends and neighbors over for a coffee or a rosary, to pray with them. Many families have little parties—it’s just fun!”

The blessing bestowed by priests at St. Mary’s on parishioners receiving the chalice entrusts them to pray for “vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, marriage, religious life and lay ministry.”
All Souls Church in Englewood started a chalice program in the parish that expanded to the school. A chalice and case, provided by Father Bob Fisher, pastor at All Souls, through a family donation, is presented to a class each week at the school Mass.

“Right now the chalice is traveling in the school,” according to Rian Ross, director of stewardship and family life ministries. “Once it’s made its rounds there it will go back out to families in the parish.”
When the program moved to the school, the accompanying prayers were modified to speak to the students.

“We found the prayers were about opening the heart of ‘someone else’ to the possibility,” Ross said. “We wanted it to be about opening ‘my’ heart to the potential calling.”

Deacon Philip Criste of St. Bernadette Parish in Lakewood introduced the chalice program to St. Bernadette School. It started with eighth graders and the chalice is being passed down alphabetically. Each family receives a letter explaining the purpose of the chalice, how it should be handled, a list of prayers and information about the Serra Club, whose mission is to foster vocations to ministry.

“The children are supportive,” according to school principal Debra Roberts. “We’re half-way through sixth grade and students without siblings in older grades have asked ‘When do we get to bring the chalice home?’”
Contact your parish or school office to inquire about a chalice program for vocations.