Dear Parishioners and Friends,

Though I was raised in a suburb of Chicago and have always known city life, for
ten years I served as the pastor of what some aptly called a semi-rural parish in
Indiana. We were close enough to benefit from the amenities of city life, but we
were far enough away to enjoy the peace, beauty, and quiet of farm life. Before
our eyes each year was the cycle of the four seasons: there was the planting,
growing, and finally the harvest -- hopefully, in time for winter to set in. Driving
around my parish I often praised God for the beauty of creation. I enjoyed the
good people and the talk about their families, farms, and faith. It was often said
that the three things that mattered most were Faith, Family, and Farm.

One goal of some farmers was to make sure that the bulk of the crops were in by
Thanksgiving. That was not always possible, and, of course, some farms
followed a different agenda, but for those who grew corn that was a reasonable
expectation. Thanksgiving Day took on a great sense of satisfaction when a farm
family could look at the benefits of another growing season, and then gather with
their families to celebrate the Lord’s blessings. Though some years were not as
good as others, I remember well the humble sense of gratitude as we would
gather for Holy Mass on Thanksgiving Day. In spite of trials, there was the
general consensus that God had blessed us as in ways far too numerous to
count. His greatest blessing we knew was the gift of His Son, Our Lord Jesus
Christ and our Holy Mother, the Church.

Thanksgiving was established as a day to give thanks to almighty God for His
many blessings. Without this profound sense of thanksgiving to God we are
greatly impoverished and adrift. Our forefathers intended Thanksgiving Day to
be a special day for all Americans to turn to God in prayerful gratitude. This
religious sense along with the freedom of religion should always be treasured in
America. We fervently pray that our freedom to fully practice our Catholic faith,
as it has been handed down to us, will always be respected by our government
and fellow citizens. Actually, our country is best served by patriots who continue
to have a Biblical fear of the Lord and serve Him and neighbor in love. An
authentic renewal of our country depends on a significant and thorough revival of
our religious heritage. There is no other way. May God continue to bless you
and your loved ones!

Yours in the Lord,
Fr. Mark G. Mazza, Pastor