Pray for Our Church and Our Country
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving, in spite of the many severe restrictions that have been placed on us. It is my hope that even though many of you may not be with your loved ones on this festive day, you will find comfort and solace in the Lord, to Whom we give all homage and thanks. On that note, I would like to remind you that our Mass on Thanksgiving will be at 9:00 a.m. (not 8:00 a.m.) Finally, I’d like to share an article with you that is quite enlightening. The title is: The First Thanksgiving in America was a Catholic Mass. It can be found on Aleteia.org.
“Did you know that the first “thanksgiving” meal in the United States was not celebrated by the Pilgrims in Plymouth, but by Spanish settlers, in what became Florida? And that first “Thanksgiving” was Eucharistic! Historian Dr. Michael Gannon narrates the events that took place on September 8, 1565.
When the first Spanish settlers landed in what is now St. Augustine on September 8, 1565, to build a settlement, their first act was to hold a religious service to thank God for the safe arrival of the Spanish fleet… After the Mass, Father Francisco Lopez, the Chaplain of the Spanish ships and the first pastor of St. Augustine, stipulated that the natives from the Timucua tribe be fed along with the Spanish settlers, including Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles, the leader of the expedition. It was the very first Thanksgiving and the first Thanksgiving meal in the United States.
The Spaniards, with food that they brought with them on the ship, prepared the communal meal. According to records, the meal would have consisted of salted pork, garbanzo beans, ship’s bread and red wine.This account of the first “thanksgiving” reflects what was found in Father Francisco’s memoirs. In it we read, “the feast day [was] observed . . . after Mass, ‘the Adelantado [Menendez] had the Indians fed and dined himself.’” The feast celebrated by the Spaniards was that of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s birthday, a day in the Church calendar that follows nine months after the feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary on December 8 (which just happens to be the patronal feast of the United States of America). The meal “may have also included Caribbean foods that were probably collected when Menéndez stopped to regroup and resupply at San Juan Puerto Rico before continuing to Florida… If the Timucua contributed, it would likely have been with corn, fresh fish, berries, or beans.” Additionally, before the Mass was celebrated, “Father Francisco López, the fleet chaplain…came ashore ahead of Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, the leader of the founding expedition, and then went forward to meet Menéndez holding a cross… Menéndez came on land, knelt and kissed the cross.” This historical event reminds us that the Eucharist (from the Greek that literally means “thanksgiving”) is the primary way to offer thanks on Thanksgiving Day, followed by a meal shared in a spirit of fraternity. Let God be a central part of your holiday! As Americans this is our heritage, one that we hope to pass on to the next generation.”
—Fr. Epperson
Announcements
Cathedral Gift Shop/Bookstore: Just a quick note that our Gift Shop/Bookstore will be open for business as usual on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Please stop by and see all that they have to offer!
THANK YOU: I would like to thank all of those who signed a very kind letter that was delivered to me expressing gratitude for all that St. Eugene’s and its Pastor are doing to keep the Sacraments available to parishioners. A special “thank you” to the person who wrote the letter and took the time to gather the signatures. It is my honor to be your pastor and to do all that I can to keep things as “normal” as possible during this highly abnormal time! God bless you all!
Parish Finances in the Age of Covid
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Year to Date:
Income $450,983.18
Short fall $-39,509.90
THANK YOU to all of those parishioners who gave a bit extra to help us decrease our shortfall.
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