Traveling Crucifix for an Increase in Vocations

St. Thomas the Apostle Parish provides a free-standing crucifix and candles for this program. One parish family per week hosts the Vocation Crucifix in their home. In accepting the crucifix, each family agrees to pray during that week for an increase in vocations to holy marriages, the single life, priesthood, permanent diaconate, religious and consecrated life especially from our own St. Thomas the Apostle Parish family. A packet of suggested prayers will be included with the Crucifix.  

Each week, the Vocation Crucifix is transferred to another parish family during one of its weekend Masses. In so doing, the importance of praying for vocations is kept alive in the minds and hearts of all parishioners and prominent in the Parish community. Further, it encourages individual families to discuss and hopefully promote ALL vocations.  

Vocations are the result of the Christian community actively engaged in prayer that "the owner of the harvest...will send out workers to gather in harvest." Placing faith and hope in this command of the Lord, the intention Vocation Crucifix initiative is to promote family devotional prayer for vocations. In the family, “the domestic church,” for the family — a community of faith, life and love — is the normal place for the human, Christian and vocational growth of children.

It is hoped that all will benefit by the graces that come from the prayerful support realized through the Vocation Crucifix initiative.

Testimonial

It was such an honor and blessing to have the traveling crucifix in our home. We had the traveling crucifix during Fall 2025. Every morning it was comforting to see that it was part of our sacred space.

We would pray the prayers every evening and reflect on them. It was a special time for our family. 

Praying for vocations is so important especially in this day and age and so it was truly special to be part of this beautiful ministry. 

Thank you so much!
 
Pax Christi,
Mario and Cathy Rodriguez

Testimonial

We felt truly blessed. My husband and I felt a strong presence in our home. We made a commitment to pray together as a couple every morning before he goes to work at 6:00 AM, so our day starts very early but in the best way possible.

We hosted the Traveling Crucifix during Thanksgiving week, and it was perfect. We prayed with a lot of friends in His presence, and we loved seeing everybody’s sons and daughters, most of them young adults, praying together. It was a beautiful night, and we truly felt God’s presence.

Thank you for this wonderful opportunity to host the Traveling Crucifix. We will gladly do it again.

Tatiana Roiz

Testimonial

It is my husband and I at home and we both love our faith in God. Having the crucifix here at home was so inspiring to both of us. We kept it in our family room so it had a a prominent place and it ended up being a constant reminder of what Jesus did for us.

Before dinner each night we knelt down in front of the crucifix and said the prayers, which was so wonderful to have.

We will do this again, if offered, because we loved praying together for an increase in vocations and help for those in need.

Jayne Henninger

- Yes, my family is interested...how do we sign up?
  
  Complete the online request below!
- This form is not accepting responses at this time.
  
  Select up to THREE preferred week choices such that the office can accommodate your request as available. You will be contacted shortly by Minnis in our Religious Education Department confirming your week and detailing how your family might best prepare. This includes accepting the Crucifix at weekend Mass (and its subsequent return the following Saturday by Noon) as well as at home and family readiness. She will also review with you the daily prayer guide and answer any specific questions that remain.
  
  May God bless you richly for accepting this spiritual challenge and as your family embarks on this holy week in your home.
  
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  Submit
- Prayer for All Vocations
  
  Holy Spirit, stir within us the passion to promote vocations to the single
  and married life, consecrated life, societies of apostolic life,
  diocesan priesthood, and permanent diaconate.
  
  Inspire us daily to respond to your call with boundless compassion, abundant
  generosity, and radical availability.
  
  Help us to remember our own baptismal call to rouse us to invite the next
  generation to hear and respond to your call.
  
  Inspire parents, families, and lay ecclesial ministers to begin a conversation
  with young Catholics to consider how they will live lives of holiness and
  sacred service.
  
  Touch the hearts of inquirers and motivate discerners to learn more about
  vowed and associate commitment in apostolic life, cloistered life,
  evangelical life, lay ecclesial ministers, missionary life, monastic life,
  and societies of apostolic life.
  
  Ignite the Church with conﬁdent humility there is an urgent need for
  all the baptized to live their vocation in solidarity with those
  who are poor, neglected, and marginalized.
  
  Disrupt our comfortable lives and complacent atitude with new ideas
  to respond courageously and creatively with a daily ‘yes!’
  
  Amen.