Our children are growing up in a different world than we did.  Our families are bombarded by challenges that we have never known.  At St. Catherine’s we firmly believe that the attendance of the ENTIRE family at Holy Mass every Sunday is absolutely, positively, imperative in this third millennium world in which we all reside.

We also ask that you consider the Elijah Cup program as another way to bring your family together for the sake of our Church.  CLICK HERE for the current schedule.

You have heard it each week toward the end of Mass, the purpose of the Elijah Cup, a consecrated chalice, is to provide a focal point for family prayer.

The concept of the Elijah Cup is taken from the biblical story of The Prophet Elijah as he interacts with the Widow of Zarephath.   In Kings 1:17, during a drought, Elijah tells the poor widow of Zarapeth that if she makes him a small loaf of bread with the last of her flour and oil, her "jar of flour will not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the Lord sends rain upon the earth." In faith, the widow baked the bread and fed Elijah. For the next year, the widow, her son, and Elijah ate bread made from the bowl of flour and jug of oil.     

Elijah encourages the Widow to trust in God and rely on His promises, and their physical needs were met abundantly. The Church reminds us that it is the responsibility and privilege of the laity to pray for increased vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life; we do so in confidence and trust.

We are all aware of the need for vocations to the priesthood, the diaconate and to the religious life. But sometimes we forget just how powerful praying for an increase in vocations can be. If we pray with the faith of the widow of Zarapeth, our cup will never run dry! We will always have priests to bring us Jesus in the Eucharist.

Each week at Sunday Mass the celebrant will use the Elijah Cup as the chalice or a precious blood cup. After purifying the Elijah Cup at the end of Communion, he calls a family, individual, or couple forward to receive the Elijah Cup. They receive a blessing and take the cup home, putting it in a place of honor.

Each day for a week, during prayer time (morning, bedtime or at meals), they pray for an increase and perseverance of vocations. The following Sunday they return the Elijah Cup with the gifts of bread and wine at the Offertory.

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 who he is calling in a very special way. We hope that those who bring the cup home will continue to pray for vocations daily.