Besides Ash Wednesday and the holy days of the Sacred Triduum just before Easter, perhaps the best weekday of the year to attend church is Thanksgiving Day. It’s one of those days when we don’t have an obligation to attend, and yet attendance seems to be so important that many would never miss Mass that day. It makes perfect sense. If we plan on spending at least part of the day gathering with family and friends to give thanks for our blessings, it stands to reason that we ought to start the day giving thanks to God as the source of all our blessings.
There is something wonderful about coming to church when we don’t have to. Our worship is simpler and purer than when we work under an obligation. In any act of love, we’re always better when we act freely, and the same applies to our prayer and worship as any of the other ways we love. I’ve always been very happy that the church did not act to make Thanksgiving Day Mass a precept. As a free act, it becomes more of a blessing for us.
We will have a single Mass at 10 am on Thursday. I hope to see you there.
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Since the Thanksgiving holiday is so associated with food, it is good for us to consider the needs of those who are hungry, poor, and unemployed. Please bring canned or pacjaged food items on Thursday. We will gather them and deliver to the food pantry at St. Stanislaus. Our gifts of food for the needy will become part of our procession of the gifts to the altar. Please hold your food donation until I call everyone to come forward when the gifts are brought up. We seldom see the generosity of our community at work in such a way, and it is an inspiring and beautiful sight.
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Thank you to the team that has prepared and run the Bazaar this weekend. Your generosity of spirit and willingness to give your time and effort is an inspiration for us. I hope that everyone will stop by to play some chances, eat some good food, and spend an enjoyable afternoon or evening with your fellow parishioners.
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The work of rekeying the doors on parish buildings will be complete early this week. If you have need of a key to any door in the parish for the purpose of caring for the buildings, running organization meetings, or acting in any ministerial capacity, please see me as soon as possible.
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Tomorrow, my father, John Cyscon, celebrates his 91st birthday. Happy Birthday, Dad. Sto lat!
God bless you!
Fr. Phil Cyscon
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