What it Is
The Traveling Chalice and Walking with Mary program is a tool to encourage families to come together to pray for vocations and to encourage young people to be open to the priesthood or religious life. This program provides physical objects on which to focus during prayer.
The program is a tool to encourage families to come together to pray for vocations and to encourage young women to be open to religious life. This program provides a physical object on which to focus during prayer.
How it Works
Families host the chalice and the Mary statue for one week, gathering around them daily and praying the vocation prayer along with any other prayers of their choosing. They then pass them along to another family within the diocese, usually at the weekend Mass. Those possessing the chalice and statue contact the Office of Vocations to keep track of the chalice and the statue. Anyone may also look online to see where the chalice has traveled at www.stcdio.org/vocations.
Needs it Fulfills
The program aims to help diocesan families become more aware of the need for vocations and of the possibility that God may be calling a member of their family to serve the Church in this way. Vocations become a normal conversation topic in the household, and individuals are able to learn more about the beauty of vocations.
Where it Started
A group of priests from the Diocese of Saint Cloud developed the Traveling Chalice Program years ago; and in 2016 the Walking with Mary Program was started. If you are interested in learning more about the program, please contact the Office of Vocations.