Elijah Cup

[mbrathens]

Our parish is allowing parishoners to take home holy chlices to remind them to pray for vocations. My questions is - is this an approved practice? Should the house where the holy chalice is going be at least blessed first to receive this chalice? Where & when & why did this practice start? I was under the impression chalices were only meant for the holy sacrifice of the Mass & not as a traveling show to peoples’ houses. Please help, I really think this is a disgraceful & disrespectable use of our holy blessed chalices. I need some answers fast. Thank you
Thanks
mbrathens@bellsouth.net

 

[LilyM]

Our parish is allowing parishoners to take home holy chlices to remind them to pray for vocations. My questions is - is this an approved practice? Should the house where the holy chalice is going be at least blessed first to receive this chalice? Where & when & why did this practice start? I was under the impression chalices were only meant for the holy sacrifice of the Mass & not as a traveling show to peoples’ houses. Please help, I really think this is a disgraceful & disrespectable use of our holy blessed chalices. I need some answers fast. Thank you
Thanks
mbrathens@bellsouth.net

When you say ‘holy chalices’ do you mean they have specifically been consecrated FOR USE IN COMMUNION? Have you seen them being used in Communion?

I mean houses and apartments can be blessed, but not every blessed building becomes a church, even though churches are also blessed buildings. The difference is the Church is blessed AND set apart for a special purpose - the celebration of Mass.

So not every blessed chalice would become a communion vessel.

 

[chotock]

Seems the Elijah Cup is a program developed through Serra and has been well received by a nmber of parishes and Diocese (do a Google search).

 

[PhilipCal]

My parish uses the Elijah Cup, and my Wife and I have been privileged to bring it home to pray for vocations. The requirement is that the cup be kept in a place of honor, and used for no other purpose than as a reminder to pray for vocations to the Holy Priesthood and the Religious Life.It is a consecrated vessel, of precious metal, and it is used at Mass. That to me, makes the honor of having the cup for a week all the more precious.

 

[LilyM]

My parish uses the Elijah Cup, and my Wife and I have been privileged to bring it home to pray for vocations. The requirement is that the cup be kept in a place of honor, and used for no other purpose than as a reminder to pray for vocations to the Holy Priesthood and the Religious Life.It is a consecrated vessel, of precious metal, and it is used at Mass. That to me, makes the honor of having the cup for a week all the more precious.

I’m not sure that you’re supposed to have priestly or church vessels in a home - your home isn’t a church, neither, ordinarily, would it be permitted to celebrate Mass there.

Have you checked that this is OK (and I don’t mean with the priest/diocese that’s following this practice either)

 

[Marian_Carroll]

For further information see:

serraatlanta.org/elijahcup.htm

 

[PhilipCal]

Lily, in direct answer to your question, I have not checked with the Archdiocese regarding the Elijah Cup. The Archbishop has approved of the practice as I descirbed it. At the risk of sounding sarcastic, and that’s not my intention, my next question would be to the appropriate dicastery in Rome. Don’t think I need to go there.

 

[LilyM]

Lily, in direct answer to your question, I have not checked with the Archdiocese regarding the Elijah Cup. The Archbishop has approved of the practice as I descirbed it. At the risk of sounding sarcastic, and that’s not my intention, my next question would be to the appropriate dicastery in Rome. Don’t think I need to go there.

Not necessarily - you could get second opinions, for example at the Ask an Apologist thread here, or from another diocese.

This is a serious matter - we’re talking about sacred vessels being stored in private homes here. Better to ask than risk disrespect and sacrilege.

Edit: There is actually another thread on the topic on these forums which mentions the Elijah Cup as going back to the '40s and '50s, as well as the fact that JP2 actually blessed several monstrances for use for the same purpose.

I think in the face of such weighty evidence in favour of the practice, it would appear to be absolutely fine.