Newsletter Archives -- Vocations:

Program of Prayer for Vocations Continues

by Sherry Hartz

Ask yourself these questions:

When was the last time I encouraged a religious vocation for my child?

When was the last time my family discussed how much the nuns, priests, and brothers of this diocese serve us?

Do I need to pray more for the priests, brothers, and nuns and the vocations they already have?

If you have been a part of the Traveling Vocation Prayer Chalice Program, you know the value of conversing with your children and extended family on these important issues. If you have not yet signed up for an opportunity to have the chalice in your home, now is a good time to plan to participate.

The Traveling Vocation Prayer Chalice Program is a concrete way for your family to enter into both prayer and discussion about religious, married, and single life. The chalice, serving as a symbol for all vocations, is placed in a prominent location within the home and is used as a spring -board for discussions about how one discerns a future vocation and how vocations differ. A booklet of prayers and materials for discussion accompany the chalice and can be used in whatever way is most appropriate for the individual family. One family who recently had the chalice in their home did not use any of the prayers in the program, but rather the mother placed the chalice in the center of the mantel and waited for each child to ask about it. She was able to spend individual time with each child discussing what vocation God may have for him or her. This mother benefited most from the program by forcing herself to take time to talk to each child about his or her future and to pray for our seminarians, nuns, and priests.

While there is limited material in the program on the vocations of single, consecrated, and married life, the program does acknowledge these important vocations. However, the main objective of the program is to introduce to your family the idea of a religious or priestly vocation and to encourage us to pray for all seminarians and those who are serving us in religious and priestly life. Because our culture does not often address the need for more religious vocations, the home is the ideal place to cover this subject with our children.

The Traveling Vocations Prayer Chalice Program, endorsed by Fr. Michael Butler of the Vocations Office, uses a chalice from Kenrick Seminary. Since the start of this program last spring, about 20 families have hosted the chalice in their homes. It has traveled throughout the city this summer and is now available to spend a week in your home. With the start of a new school year, the Traveling Vocations Prayer Chalice Program presents a perfect opportunity to converse with your children about their future vocation. This no-stress program is open to all who wish to be part of it. Please contact Sherry Hartz to be added to the list of families who will host the chalice this year.

Sherry Hartz, mother of four, formerly served on the steering committee of the St. Louis Catholic Homeschool Association.