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As we gather this Thursday to
celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends, perhaps this prayer
from the newly revised book; Catholic Household blessings and
prayers issued by the USCCB might be used as a grace before
meals:
Lord, we thank you for the
goodness of our people and for the spirit of justice that fills
this nation. We thank you for the beauty and fullness of the land
and the challenge of the cities. We thank you for our work and our
rest, for one another, and our homes. We thank you, Lord: accept our
thanksgiving on this day. We pray and give thanks through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
The collection taken up at the
Thanksgiving Day Mass (celebrated at 9 am—Thursday, November 22)
will be given to the Pastoral Solidarity Fund for the Church in
Africa. The Church in Africa is the fastest growing, and the
poorest, of all the churches in our family of faith. The Church in
Africa needs our support to strengthen pastoral outreach,
catechetical programs, Catholic schools, evangelization and the
education of seminarians and clergy. Please give as generously as
you are able and pray for all our sisters and brothers struggling to
live and grow in faith in Africa and throughout the world.
Please know that I am personally
grateful to one and all for your continued generosity and selfless
giving of your time and talent. Each and every one makes St. Kieran
Church and School the wonderful and faith-filled parish community
that shines here in the south suburbs. All of you will be in my
heart and prayers as I thank God for His many blessings to me this
Thanksgiving Day and I ask for your prayers for me as well.
A Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving
to All!
Fr. Joe
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