On Thanksgiving Day, Americans across the nation pause to gather with family and friends in a spirit of gratitude. While Thanksgiving is typically thought of as a national holiday, the idea of giving thanks is a central part of daily Catholic life. As Catholics, Thanksgiving provides the opportunity to reflect on God’s goodness and generosity in our lives. As a Church family, we celebrate a thanksgiving meal each Sunday within the context of the Mass which is first and foremost a prayer of thanksgiving. In fact, the word Eucharist comes from the Greek for “thanksgiving.”
Related:
- Here’s a Thanksgiving Prayer (USCCB) to read aloud or say together.
- Read “In the Spirit”: Give yourself the gift of daily gratitude (by Brian C. Plachta, November FAITH Grand Rapids magazine, p. 12)
- Join us for #GivingTuesday, Dec. 2-3, and #GiveCatholicWM! (Learn more)
- Thanksgiving is celebrated this year on the latest possible date this month, bringing us ever closer to the start of Advent. (Advent resources)
Several of the reasons we go to Mass may be the same reasons we look forward to gathering on Thanksgiving Day: as a response of gratitude to God’s love and generosity in our lives; to strengthen bonds with our family or community, and to provide a legacy to younger generations.
Mass times
Contact your parish, or find one near you, for Thanksgiving Day Mass times.
Writing for American Catholic, Jeanne Hunt offers some additional ways to “share the bounty” at Thanksgiving:
- Provide a complete Thanksgiving meal for a needy family. If you are aware of a family that is unable to prepare the meal, cook and deliver a meal for them before your own feast.
- Collect canned goods and nonperishable items and take them to a local food pantry or shelter for the homeless (or to your church).
- Spend Thanksgiving Day working in a soup kitchen but also consider volunteering at an alternate time of year. (Check with non-profits ahead of time to determine their approach to volunteering during COVID). Thanksgiving and Christmas seem to draw an overabundance of volunteers to soup kitchens in our diocese like God’s Kitchen, so also consider giving your time during the summer or at other times throughout the year, when volunteers may not be as plentiful.
We wish you and your loved ones a blessed and safe Thanksgiving holiday!
Please note: The offices of the Diocese of Grand Rapids will be closed Thursday and Friday, Nov. 28-29, 2024 for the Thanksgiving holiday.
