By REY FLORES
Before you get the idea that you will be reading a historical account of Catholics and the Thanksgiving holiday, forget it. This is simply one man’s way of being grateful for having been baptized a Catholic.
It kind of reminds me of those funny bumper stickers I see once in a while when I’m in the South that read: “American by birth, Southern by the grace of God.” Except in our case as practicing Catholics, it’s more like: “Catholic by birth, practicing by the grace of God.”
It’s one thing to be born into a Catholic family and baptized Catholic, but it really is by the grace of God that some of us out here can fully take advantage of all of the graces and blessings, because not every Catholic will do that. Just take a look at your Cousin Jimmy or your Aunt Mabel. In my case, it’s my sisters.
We all have those relatives whom we will be sitting next to at the Thanksgiving dinner who were baptized as Catholics, but have somehow lost their way away from the Church and are now full-fledged participants in secular society.
Don’t blame them entirely. It isn’t necessarily their fault. Sure, once we get past the age of reason, we are accountable for our actions and decisions, but formation, or the lack thereof, has much to do with why we have so many lapsed and entirely fallen-away Catholics today.
As recently as in the 1950s, the majority of schoolteachers in America’s Catholic schools were nuns. As popular culture sank its fangs and claws deeper into Catholic lives as the decades passed by, we found ourselves barely able to tell the difference between a Catholic school and the local tavern. Heck, with modernism affecting so many religious orders, we often can’t even tell the difference between a nun and a random tow-truck driver — no offense to tow-truck drivers.
It really is a different world for Catholics today, especially if you are 65 years old or any age under that. Any Catholic older than 65 more than likely still had good Catholic formation based on the Baltimore Catechism and not in the statist government Common Core curriculum nonsense of today.
This Thanksgiving, let’s reflect on all the things we Catholics need to be grateful for. It’s like I always tell my children, “Remember to pray to God in thanksgiving — not just when you’re asking Him for something.”
Of course, I’m grateful for my wife, and children, family, and friends, but I am also grateful for great Catholic things like the Institute of Christ the King and for all of the hard work this holy order does to bring the beauty and magnificence of the Traditional Latin Mass to so many people around the world.
I am also grateful for the priests of the Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) for their part in helping bring glory to God in their efforts to bring the Latin Mass to so many, including to my own family at our parish.
Let’s not forget to be grateful for all of the sacraments themselves as they are our guiding light and our stepping stones toward Heaven.
What we should all be grateful for is all of the priests and bishops who remain faithful to the Magisterium, despite all of the worldly temptations and snares the devils put in front of them.
If you were a devil, wouldn’t priests be one of your most desired targets to lead into sin? Satan’s minions know this and do this, so that is why we all need to go out of our way this Thanksgiving Day to thank our priests.
I am especially grateful for the Sacrament of Penance. Yes, receiving the Holy Eucharist is the ultimate sacrament we could receive during our lives on a regular basis, but not before we go to Confession. Remember that we know neither the day nor the hour, so, by all means, go to Confession as often as possible.
I am also grateful for prayer. Prayer can get us through just about anything. Remember all the martyred saints who prayed while they were being burnt at the stake or mauled by lions. Prayer is the greatest gift we have — don’t forget to pray for the poor souls in Purgatory.
Pray for the family and friends who have fallen away from the Church. Pray for them even though they may have snatched that turkey drumstick you had been eyeing during grace. Pray for them this Thanksgiving Day as you spend time with them in your home, in your heart, or in your memories.
I wish all of our loyal Wanderer readers a very blessed and happy Thanksgiving Day.
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(Rey Flores is a Catholic writer and speaker. Contact Rey at reyfloresusa@gmail.com.)
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