Chalice’s Corpus Christi is booked and busy in June, which is when most of its child sponsorship appeals in parishes take place. Child sponsorship appeals are when a deacon or priest gives a talk about Chalice at Mass. The church holding the appeal is sent booklets of children available for sponsorship, which are displayed in a prominent place on the day of the appeal.
In 2024, we were blessed with an incredible number of individuals who made our weekends possible. Throughout the year, we visited 271 parishes across Canada, where 610 dedicated volunteers generously gave their time and energy. Thanks to the commitment of our volunteers and the generosity of our new sponsors, who opened their hearts to help those in need, more children received sponsorship and the gift of a hopeful future.
Corpus Christi, also known as the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, is something Chalice supporters have been hearing a lot about.
But why Corpus Christi?
In a way, says Father Patrick Cosgrove, Corpus Christi has always been part of Chalice’s making. It’s in the name: Chalice, the cup that holds the Blood of Christ.
But deeper than that, he says, receiving the physical body of Christ in the Eucharist invites us to be part of the mystical Body of Christ: the Church. Taking the Eucharist, Fr. Pat explains, is a way to “activate your faith.”
“Until you activate your faith, it’s just dormant. It’s like a battery that sits there,” he said.
When we accept the Eucharist, we’re also accepting a commission: to go out there and show what it means to be members of the Body of Christ. Or, in other words, to bring Christ to the poor, and the poor to Christ.
By bringing Christ to others, through activities like sponsoring a child or volunteering at parishes, we live out our faith in a visible way.
The goal, Fr. Pat says, is for people to point to the work of Chalice sponsors and see the love of Jesus in that work.
Chalice needs more Champions for sponsorship weekends, and not just in June. Parishes host us year-round, and we have upcoming events this fall.
We humbly invite you to volunteer to be a Chalice Champion if we are holding an event in your area. Our volunteer coordinator, Ligia, will contact you with details if/when we book an event with a parish near you.
If Chalice has not hosted a sponsorship weekend in your parish recently, and you would like us to reach out to your pastor, please do let us know by emailing Ligia at ligiaangulo@chalice.ca.