New chalice program encourages vocations

Intermountain Catholic

+ Enlarge

Saint Francis Xavier parishioner Lorena Gutierrez (left) took the vocations chalice to her house for one week to pray for the vocations. IC photo/Laura Vallejo

KEARNS — Each weekend Mass, an assigned family at Saint Francis Xavier Parish in Kearns is invited to carry the gifts up to the altar at the Offertory Procession. In return, at the end of Mass, the family takes a chalice home and puts it in a place of honor, using it as a focus of prayer for vocations.

The parish, which started the program a month ago, sends two Vocation Chalices every week to different homes.

The chalice for the Hispanic community is received at the 6:30 p.m. Saturday Spanish Mass; the chalice for the Anglo community is received every Sunday at the 11:30 a.m. Mass.

Lorena Gutierrez’s family is among those who have welcomed the chalice into their home.

"It was a great blessing for us," said Gutierrez. "Everyone in our household and our friends who visited us were very happy; we prayed for everyone who may have the call to the vocations find the light to follow our Lord. I have always had a special relationship with God, and now that we have been praying with the Chalice at our home I hope that many new things will unfold."

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 for another family to take home.

Martha Virgen, who coordinates the St. Francis Xavier chalice program, said that the response of the community has been great.

"Thirty Hispanic families have expressed their interest," and English-speaking families are being added regularly, said Virgen, who every Monday calls one of these families to tell them they are next on the list. "It is important that our families participate; nowadays we have fewer and fewer priests, and in our Hispanic community now more than ever we need Hispanic priests because not everyone speaks English."

If a member of one of the families decides to follow the priesthood life or to become a vowed religious, the chalice will remain in that family, Virgen said.

"Everyone who has expressed interest is very excited. They like to pray and they feel that the prayers have helped them," said Virgen. "I have a son who is an acolyte and I am very proud of him."

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," according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ web page.

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, says the USCCB.

"We hope that those who bring the cup to their homes will continue to pray daily for vocations," said Virgen.

For information about the chalice program call 801-968-5228 for Spanish and 801-718-0628 for English.