Parish Vocation Cross

By Sister Joanne Fedewa, SLW

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What is the Parish Vocation Cross? During 2005, the Department of Formation at the Diocese of Lansing focused on vocations in church ministry. The following, fairly simple, project was designed by the Diocese of Sacramento, created by the Diocese of Oakland and adapted for use by the National Religious Vocation Conference.

Here is how it works: Each Sunday a family, couple, or individual will be called forward at the end of Mass to receive the Vocation Cross and a special prayer written to accompany it.  In taking the cross, the family commits to pray during the week in the name of the parish the vocation prayer in thanksgiving for all those generously sharing in Church ministry: sisters, brothers, priests, deacons and all church ministers who serve in our diocese.  All are invited to participate in this program.  A sign-up sheet is made available in the back of the Church.

Realizing the need for Church vocations, the Parish Pastoral Council and Parish Vocation Representatives at Christ the King Parish, Flint, promoted this project throughout the parish.  A stand up cross and prayer sheets were placed in a gift bag.  The base of the cross had the inscription “Pray to the Master of the harvest to send laborers for the harvest.”  This gift bag was given out at the end of Mass each Sunday with a blessing for the family who volunteered to take it home.  The following Sunday, the gift bag was returned to the Church to be taken by another family.

This experience encouraged everyone to take seriously the vocation as a member of the Body of Christ and encourage ALL to pray for the gift of vocations.  This program has successfully involved groups (families, couples, singles) within the parish to become aware and focused on praying for vocations.

St. Mary Parish in Pinckney pursues the same objective in a similar program with a few variations.  In place of the cross, the Parish Vocations Team employs a chalice that was purchased in Rome specifically for this purpose.   According to a sign-up schedule, each family receives the chalice and a blessing at the end of Mass.  The recipients process out with the celebrant and take the chalice home.  There they position it in a special, sacred place where the family members are reminded each day to pray for vocations.  The sign-up sheet at St. Mary is filled until the beginning of 2007.

Another small variation is that there is a binder of prayers that goes home with the chalice.  The binder includes reflections written by the families who have had the chalice previously.  The Team’s hope is that the shared reflections will help subsequent participants to grow more deeply with the experience.

Resources Required:

gift bag
small wooden stand up cross, chalice or other symbolic reminder
Prayer sheets (Sample prayer sheets are available through the Office of Pastoral Planning at 517-342-2501.)

Outcomes:

Comments from some who participated in the project at the two parishes included:

“It gave me the desire to pray for those who are seeking, especially for a better relationship with Jesus.”

“I prayed that they would be guided and reach the destination that Jesus had in mind for them.”

“Following Jesus would make this world a brighter place for everyone.”

“There was a different presence in our household.”

For others it was a good experience – setting aside a special time to pray that the Lord of the harvest would send more laborers.

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Persons to contact:

Sister Joanne Fedewa, SLW, Pastoral Co-ordinator, Christ the King Parish
1811 Seymour Avenue, Flint, MI 48503
Phone: 810-233-0402
Fax: 810-233-5548

Patricia Stokes, Parish Secretary
Christ the King Parish,
1811 Seymour Avenue, Flint, MI 48503
Phone: 810-233-0402
Fax: 810-233-5548

Angela Patrice Garcia, Director, Religious Education, St. Mary Parish
10601 Dexter Pinckney Road, Pinckney, MI 48169
Phone: 734-878-3161
Fax: 734-878-2383