Chalice Program

The purpose of the Chalice Program is to encourage families to pray and promote vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life. The consecrated Chalice is a tangible reminder of this special intention for the Church. The Second Vatican Council highlights the responsibility of the laity to pray for and support vocations. This urgent call has been strongly affirmed in the writings and addresses of both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.

Praying for vocations is the most powerful way to support vocations. A vocation is a call from the Holy Spirit, a gift from God that is nurtured in prayer. When we pray for vocations, we lift up to our Father those men and women whom He is calling to follow Him in a very special way. We hope that those who bring the cup home will continue to pray daily for vocations.

How the Program Works

Each week at Mass, an assigned family is invited to take the gifts up at the Offertory Procession. At the end of Mass, the family is called by the priest to come forward to receive the chalice bag and a blessing. (This bag contains a consecrated chalice in a wooden chest, a poster of the seminarians to hang up, the prayer card, and stationery to send notes of encouragement to the Seminarians, Priests and Religious). The family takes the chalice home and puts it in a place of honor.

Each day for a week, during prayer time (morning, bedtime or at meals), the family prays for an increase and perseverance of vocations. They can also send a note of support to a Seminarian, Priest or Sister. The following Sunday the family returns the chalice bag for another family to take home.

Note: This Chalice Program is easily adaptable for classroom use. Instead of using the consecrated Chalice, a very special cup, picture, statue, icon, or candle could be designated for the purpose of praying for vocations. The Diocesan Prayer for Priests could be prayed each day along with a decade of the rosary.

The idea for the Chalice Program is from the Diocese of Atlanta. They called their program, "The Elijah Cup." For more details go to: https://www.serraatlanta.org/.

Compliments of the Diocese of Raleigh