I wonder, though, just how many Americans -- especially Catholics -- know that the real FIRST Thanksgiving was not celebrated by the Protestant Pilgrims in Massachusetts in 1621?
Want to know the truth??
The first REAL Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1565 in what was to become St. Augustine, Florida by Catholic priests, and attended by Native Americans and Spanish settlers where the holy sacrifice of the Mass was offered!
That was 56 years BEFORE the Pilgrims had their Thanksgiving!!
Believe it!
The next Thanksgiving was celebrated -- again by Catholics -- in 1598 in what was to become Texas!!
This was 23 years BEFORE the Pilgrims set sail from England on the Mayflower!!
Did you know that the Pilgrims were violently anti-Catholic??
Squanto, the beloved hero of Thanksgiving at Plymouth Rock, was a baptized Catholic!!! Originally enslaved by the English, he was freed by the Franciscans and Baptized into the Catholic Church. It was he, who orchestrated the -- THIRD -- Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims!!
There are many more interesting facts surrounding the real FIRST & SECOND Thanksgivings, but one of the most important -- and truly Catholic -- facts is that Thanksgiving in Greek is the word: Eucharistia, meaning the Body and Blood of Christ; is the True Thanksgiving Meal!!
Perhaps we Catholics should all go to Mass on Thanksgiving to give thanks for the bounty that our country has been blessed with, and, more importantly, to acknowledge the One Who we receive at Mass: our Lord, Jesus Christ, Savior of the world. And, yes, He is still in control; don't despair!!
Pray for our country...
Gene DeLalla
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