As our country observes our national day of prayer and Thanksgiving, American Catholics are reminded for all which we can be grateful. From its beginnings the Church in our country has flourished by being given the space to do her work in freedom. Unlike other parts of the world where the Church was a given a privileged place in society, in the United States the growth of the Church has resulted precisely from living in freedom.
In 2015 Catholics can be grateful that God continues to bless His Church with many generous and dedicated priests and religious. He continues to shower the Church with spiritual and material blessings so the good work of Catholics can continue throughout our land.
This Thanksgiving Catholics should pause to be thankful for all we have. We should be grateful not simply for the material abundance in which we live but the spiritual gifts God has given. We are especially grateful to live our faith in freedom worshipping God and receiving the Sacraments.
In this month of November, when Catholics commit to praying especially for the all the dead, might Thanksgiving be a time to remember in gratitude our family and friends who have gone before us. Catholics should pray especially for them at this time and arrange for Masses to be offered for them in order that they might come speedily to their eternal reward.
Thanksgiving is a feast of faith with gratitude to God for all He has given.
