Chalice roadshow aims to raise interest in vocations

MARKHAM, Ont. - The Serra Club of Markham and Scarborough has kicked off a travelling vocations chalice program aiming to shine the light on vocations.

“The one and only mandate is for families to pray for the vocation to the priesthood and religious life,” said Fran Pulumbarit, chairperson of the travelling vocations chalice program and vice-president of vocations of the Serra Club of Markham and Scarborough.

There will be two chalices involved in the program, which will serve as a reminder for families to pray for vocations. The first has been passed among families at St. Patrick’s parish in Markham since April 3.

The second chalice begins circulating at St. Barnabas parish in Scarborough next month.

The idea is to leave each chalice at a family’s house for a week, said Pulumbarit.

“We give them all the prayers that they pray as a family as a whole hoping that they will raise awareness on the family level and through friends in the community,” he said.

The family returns the chalice to the parish after one week and another family picks it up and starts the process all over again.

“When we were promoting it at Sunday Masses we were praying to the Lord there would be about 52 families for the 52 weeks in the year,” Pulumbarit said. “Well, low and behold, 100 families signed up.”

The Serra Club is hoping to purchase six or seven chalices in hopes of running the program out of different parishes.

But chalices are not cheap. They cost between $300 and $400. To offset the cost of the chalices, the program will be one of the recipients from funds raised at the annual Filipino Fiesta, a dinner and dance at St. Patrick’s Church on June 4.

“We’ll see what happens and hopefully, only God knows, time will tell on whoever will be touched by this and say ‘I want to become a priest, I want to become a nun, I want to become a deacon,’ ” said Pulumbarit.

The program is the brainchild of Pulumbarit’s wife, Felisa Baby Pulumbarit, president of the Serra Club of Markham and Scarborough.

“We are very blessed to have the blessing and full support of our dear pastor, Fr. Ed Murphy,” said Pulumbarit. “Fr. Ed is really working for vocations.”

For more information on the chalice program, contact the Pulumbarits at [email protected].

Call to Service: A Catholic Register Special Section

April 13, 2011

- Couple’s married life has been one of service - Elena Orrico’s efforts helped make St. Rita celebrations possible - Evangelical counsels today are more relevant than ever - Seminarians must exercise Christ’s authority in priesthood - Chalice roadshow aims to raise interest in vocations - RCIA program reminds co-ordinator of the power of faith - Sisters of Providence mark 150 years of service to the poor - Building a culture of peace after 500 years of colonization - Sr. Ongo survives the seas to make dream come true - Polish Oblate becomes one with people of the north St. Augustine's Seminary graduate series - Passion was for the Lord, not an engineering career - A decade of ignoring his call was wiped out in one Confession - Parents ground him in faith - Pain leads to path to formation - Misery came in accounting, leading to his joyful call - Kusyk’s call to serve was first heard at age 13 - With patience, Asch finds his calling - A return to Poland ‘saved’ seminarian’s vocation