Catholic Thanksgiving in Florida of 1565 predates Plymouth Rock: Another Catholic First!

By Taylor Marshall

When you’re sitting down for that wonderful feast on Thursday, here are 6 interesting Catholic Thanksgiving Facts you can share with your family. Print them out and read them aloud over some pumpkin (or pecan) pie!

The history books will tell you that the first Thanksgiving was celebrated by the Protestant pilgrims of Massachusetts in 1621. Not so. There was the Catholic Thanksgiving of 1565 in Florida and another Catholic Thanksgiving of 1589 in Texas.

1. The first American Thanksgiving was actually celebrated on September 8 (feast of the birth of the Blessed Virgin) in 1565 in St. Augustine, Florida. The Native Americans and Spanish settlers held a feast and the Holy Mass was offered. This was 56 years before the Puritan pilgrims of Massachusetts.Don Pedro Menendez came ashore amid the sounding of trumpets, artillery salutes and the firing of cannons to claim the land for King Philip II and Spain. The ship chaplain Fr. Francisco Lopez de Mendoza Grajales chanted the Te Deum and presented a crucifix that Menendez ceremoniously kissed. Then the 500 soldiers, 200 sailors and 100 families and artisans, along with the Timucuan Indians celebrated the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in gratitude to God.
2. The second American Thanksgiving happened on April 30, 1598, when Spanish explorer Don Juan de Oñate requested the friars to say a Mass of Thanksgiving, after which he formally proclaimed “La Toma”, claiming the land north of the Rio Grande for the King of Spain. The men feasted on duck, goose, and fish from the river. The actors among them dressed and presented a play. All this took place twenty-three years before the Pilgrims set sail from England on the Mayflower.
3. The Puritan pilgrims were violently anti-Catholic. They left England because they thought that the Church of England was too Catholic. These Puritans were strict Calvinists. The pilgrims also opposed celebrating Christmas, dancing, musical instruments in church, and even hymns as papistical.
   
4. Squanto, the beloved hero of Thanksgiving at Plymouth Rock, was Catholic! (Here’s my full article on the Catholicism of Squanto.) Squanto had been enslaved by the English but he was freed by Spanish Franciscans. Squanto thus received baptism and became a Catholic. So it was a baptized Catholic Native American who orchestrated what became known as Thanksgiving.

5. So while Thanksgiving may celebrate the Calvinist Separatists who fled England, Catholics might remember the same unjust laws that granted the crown of martyrdom to Thomas More, John Fisher, Edmund Campion, et al. are the same injustices that led the Pilgrims to Plymouth.
6. And let everyone remember that “Thanksgiving” in Greek is Eucharistia. Thus, the Body and Blood of Christ is the true “Thanksgiving Meal”.

And don’t forget to raise your wine glass and recite the wonderful limerick of Hilaire Belloc:

“Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine,
There’s always laughter and good red wine.
At least I’ve always found it so.
Benedicamus Domino!”

― Hilaire Belloc

-from an article by Taylor Marshall

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The Term “Extraordinary” in Reference to the Mass Does Not Prescribe Restricted Access

A priest on the staff of a U. S. seminary went on record recently tell­ing young seminarians that the adjective “extraordinary” in reference to the Latin Mass should be taken to imply that it should be offered only “occasionally” or “ rarely” or “ only every so often"; or at least less regularly than the ordinary form Mass, which, as we all know, means that the Mass it describes is well, the more "ordinary" of the two, right?

One could surmise easily that this was delivered in reaction to what for some is an unwanted spike of interest in the classic liturgy — as well as various other aspects of the Church’s life before the rupture predicated falsely upon the docu­ments of Vatican II — among young men seeking the priesthood.

That those who are dismissive of Catholic life before the 1960s are in a retreat and reaction mode bodes well for the life and health of the Church, because it means that even those with their heads habitually thrust deep in the sand of denial are beginning to wake up to the deep influence of the John Paul II- Benedict XVI papal orthodoxy juggernaut. That orthodoxy has been planting deep roots in the faith and life of Catholics for over two generations.

As an example of the irrationality of the prejudice that denies any value to classic Catholic life, validated by the saints from the beginning of the Church’s organic life of faith which grew into the Gregorian liturgy, this irrational speech will fall on deaf ears. The responsible, sensible, and wise voice of Benedict XVI still reverberates clear and strong in the Church for the men who understand his efforts to promote peace in the Body of Christ through promulgation of Summorum Pontificum. Those who, contrary to the responsibility and trust the Church plac­es in them and their roles of leadership, continue a tendentious invec­tive against either liturgy of the Church, ordinary or extraordinary, are violating both the spirit and letter of Summorum Pontificum which Pope Francis has already stated was a prudent measure for the benefit of the Church. Pretending that eradicating the Extraordinary Form Mass plays any part in the agenda of Pope Francis is deeply dishonest.

Let’s apply the rationale of the priest who spoke out against an en­thusiastic promotion and celebration of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite by applying his “ logic” to another area of Catholic life.

Many of us know that the Church has sought to rein in a tendency to “ clericalize” the laity by calling for the use of the term “ extraordinary” in reference to the use of lay people in administering Holy Commun­ion, particularly at Mass and in other ordinary instances of Catholic sacramental life. As many of us also know, this measure was taken in response to abuses of the role of the laity in the distribution of the Eu­charist, which in many places continues apace. This abuse has been abet­ted by the obvious error of priests sitting in the sanctuary or in the rec­tory while lay people supplant their proper role as ordinary ministers of Holy Communion, along with deacons and instituted seminarians.

The hypocrisy is obvious: When it comes to abusing the term “ ex­traordinary” if it promotes an alien agenda or because clerics are lack­ing the constitutional fortitude to risk disappointing uneducated laity by making a needed correction, then it goes unremarked. If, however, it is the less favored Latin Mass that is involved, then the default mode can fall anywhere between inaction and continued advancement of the deeply destructive rupture agenda. Neither choice is acceptable.

Catholics can find the Ordinary Form Mass easily as it remains abun­dantly available. Promotion of the antique liturgy is a matter of pasto­ral care for every priest whether or not he chooses to celebrate it him­self. The point of Summorum Pontificum is that both forms of the Mass should be as freely available as resources and effort allow. Common sense dictates that any priest who offers either Mass should know how to do so. Stating this truth only in regard to the Extraordinary Form is petty and can be interpreted as prejudicial.

Benedict XVI’s papacy is a triumphant seal upon his lifetime of work in aiding the Church at large in advancing the arduous cause of a sane and reasonable application of the pastoral documents of Vatican II. Benedict knows young people well, given his long work as a professor. He knows well that you get no traction by insisting that the Church began with Vatican II because young people are too intelligent to fall for such a ruse. Those with a rigid agenda which insists that the light of day fall only upon their personally preferred sliver of 2,000 years of organic Catholic faith and life make themselves only more ridiculous through their ossified denial and repetitive prevarications.

(Follow Fr. Cusick on Twitter @MCITL or on Facebook at Reveren­do Padre Kevin-Michael Cusick.)

Mlitary Catholics Face Second Weekend without Mass

Catholic Priests Remain on Furlough Due to Government Shutdown

Catholic military personnel facing 2nd Sunday without Mass

WASHINGTON, D.C.—With no end in sight to the federal government shutdown, dozens of Catholic priests under contract with the United States military remain on furlough, denied access to the bases and military populations they serve. Mr. John Schlageter, General Counsel of the Archdiocese for the Military Services (AMS), said that if the shutdown continues through the weekend, as now seems likely, those furloughed priests will not be able to celebrate Sunday Mass.  Additionally, unless the issue is resolved, Confessions, Baptisms and any other sacraments celebrated by furloughed priests will be denied for the second week in a row.  As many as 50 U.S. military installations around the world are affected.

Mr. Schlageter said:

“This means those Catholics in uniform served by a furloughed contract priest will again be unable to attend Mass in the base chapel this coming Sunday and every Sunday for as long as the government is shut down or until another resolution is found. This sad state of affairs is contrary to our nation’s most basic principles. Military personnel enjoy, like all Americans, the First Amendment guarantee of the ‘Free Exercise’ of their particular religious faith. That right continues to be denied for Catholics.”

Active-duty Catholic Chaplains, who were never affected by the Oct. 1 shutdown, are still providing their pastoral services as usual. Other priests who serve the military in a civilian capacity as “General Schedule” (GS) employees of the Department of Defense were brought back to work this week after Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel ordered a recall of all DoD personnel. Furloughed contract priests, however, remain in limbo. Under an 1870 law, the Anti-Deficiency Act, they are prohibited from providing contractual services in the event of a government shutdown.

Legislation meant to address this legal stumbling block and restore those contract priests to pastoral service is now winding its way through Congress. Last night, the U.S. Senate passed by unanimous consent an amended version of House Concurrent Resolution 58. The resolution, introduced by Congressman Doug Collins (R-Ga.) and passed 400-1 by the House on Saturday, calls for continued performance of religious services on military installations during the shutdown. The amended resolution has been sent back to the House for further consideration and possible final passage. The congressional action follows publication of an op-ed by Mr. Schlageter bringing public attention to the shutdown’s impact on the Catholic military population. Pending final action, the contract priests remain on furlough.

His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop for the Military Services, called on the nation’s leaders for immediate action to resolve the impasse.

Archbishop Broglio said:  

"It seems beyond the pale of belief that elected officials are taking so long to resolve this denial of constitutional rights to the men and women in uniform.  It is not a controversial issue, but merely a lacuna in an old law that could be fixed to respond to current situations.  I continue to hope for the good will of those in Congress and the Administration."

In key event for Year of Faith, original Fatima statue to visit Vatican October 12 and 13, Pope Francis to offer Marian conscration

THE ORIGINAL STATUE OF FATIMA TO VISIT ROME

Vatican City, 11 October 2013 (VIS) – This morning, a press conference was held in the Holy See Press Office to present the key event of the Year of Faith, the Marian Day, which is scheduled to take place in Rome on 12 and 13 October. The speakers at the conference were Archbishop Rino Fisichella, Bishop Jose Octavio Ruiz Arena, and Msgr. Graham Bell, respectively president, secretary and under-secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelisation.

In his address, Archbishop Fisichella, stated that at the beginning of the Year of Faith it was decided that it would be fundamental to retrace the history of our faith, and for this reason Benedict XVI placed in the foreground the figure of Mary, who represents for believers the first response of complete and total faith, in which we fully abandon ourselves to God. Therefore, on Saturday 12 October the original statue of Our Lady of Fatima will arrive in Rome, and will return to Fatima on Sunday evening. The archbishop emphasised the importance of this event, recalling that “the statue never leaves the shrine, except in the case of entirely exceptional and extraordinary events. The last time was during the Great Jubilee of the year 2000 when, on 13 May, Blessed John Paul II carried out the act of consecration to the Virgin. … The date of 13 October has been chosen as it recalls the final appearance of the Virgin to the three shepherd children in 1917”.

As is traditional in these events, on Saturday morning there will be a pilgrimage to the Tomb of Peter and in the afternoon, Pope Francis' catechesis. In the afternoon St. Peter's Square will open to pilgrims at 2.30 p.m. At 3 p.m. there will be a moment of reflection, and at 4 p.m. the procession of the Virgin around the square will begin. In accordance with tradition, pilgrims are asked to wave with white handkerchiefs as the statue of the Virgin of Fatima passes. At 5 p.m. the Holy Father will greet the statue of the Virgin in front of the Basilica. Following a moment of prayer in St. Peter's Square, the statue will be transported to the Santuario del Divino Amore, where an all-night prayer vigil will take place. On Sunday morning, the Virgin will return to the Vatican where the procession across St. Peter's Square will be repeated at 9.30 a.m., followed by Holy Mass celebrated by Pope Francis. Finally, the Pope will carry out the act of consecration to the Virgin and will pray the Angelus with the pilgrims present.

It is expected that over 150,000 pilgrims from all over the world will participate, with international representations from 48 countries.

U.S. House of Reps Passes Resolution Allowing Mass on Military Bases

U.S. House of Representatives Passes Resolution to Allow Mass on Military Installations During Government Shutdown

Vote follows op-ed by AMS General Counsel John Schlageter on non-active duty priests banned from bases

WASHINGTON, D.C.— The United States House of Representatives today voted 400-1 to pass House Concurrent Resolution 58 calling on Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to allow the continued performance of religious services on military installations during the government shutdown. The resolution was introduced by Congressman Doug Collins (R-Ga.) in response to an Oct. 3 op-ed by Mr. John Schlageter, General Counsel of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS) in which he disclosed that non-active duty Catholic priests have been ordered not to work—or even volunteer—on military installations for the duration of the shutdown, making it impossible for servicemen and women at some locations to attend Mass this weekend.

Quantico Marine Base will have Masses Provided by Contract Priest During Government Shutdownt

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10/04/2013



Attention Editors:

               It has come to the attention of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA that contrary to earlier reports, Masses will in fact be held as scheduled this weekend at Marine Corps Base Quantico. In spite of the government shutdown, the terms of his contract allow the priest there to perform his pastoral duties because of the way the contract is funded. Nonetheless, many Masses at other installations remain cancelled due to the shutdown. The op-ed issued by the archdiocese on Oct. 3 is thus revised as follows:


Shutdown Impacts Chapel Services
By John Schlageter

                If the government shutdown continues through the weekend, there will be no Catholic priest to celebrate Mass this Sunday in the chapels at some U.S. military installations where non-active-duty priests serve as government contractors.  

                Military personnel enjoy, like all Americans, the First Amendment guarantee of the “Free Exercise” of their particular religious faith.  But because military personnel are considered a “captive audience,” the laws of our country require the government to provide access to that faith.  This is why we have a military chaplaincy.  This all becomes very clear when one thinks of a military family stationed in Bahrain or Japan.  They cannot walk down the street to the local synagogue, church, mosque, etc.

                There is a chronic shortage of active duty Catholic chaplains. While roughly 25% of the military is Catholic, Catholic priests make up only about 8% of the chaplain corps. That means approximately 275,000 men and women in uniform, and their families, are served by only 234 active-duty priests.  The temporary solution to this shortage is to provide GS and contract priests.   These men are employed by the government to ensure that a priest is available when an active duty Catholic Chaplain is not present.  With the government shutdown, GS and contract priests who minister to Catholics on military bases worldwide are not permitted to work – not even to volunteer.  During the shutdown, it is illegal for them to minister on base and they risk being arrested if they attempt to do so.

                As an example, if a Catholic family has a Baptism scheduled this weekend at an Air Force base that is staffed by a GS or contract priest, unless they can locate a priest who is not a GS or contract priest, the Baptism is most likely cancelled.    If you are a Catholic stationed in Japan or Korea and are served by a Contract or GS priest, unless you speak Korean or Japanese and can find a church nearby, then you have no choice but to go without Mass this weekend.  Until the Federal Government resumes normal operations, or an exemption is granted to contract or GS priests, Catholic services are indefinitely suspended at many of those worldwide installations served by contract and GS priests.

                 At a time when the military is considering alternative sources of funding for sporting events at the service academies, no one seems to be looking for funding to ensure the Free Exercise rights of Catholics in uniform. Why not?

*John Schlageter is General Counsel for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA.

October 13: Fatima, Pope Francis and Medjugorge?

The leaks about what the Pope will say on October 13 are already making the rounds in the blogosphere. On that date, the Holy Father will stand before the image of Our Lady of Fatima and will consecrate the whole world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. He will most likely speak about the place of private revelation and how the focus of salvation is upon Christ. He may also share the results of the commission on the Medjugorje apparitions and inner locutions. Sources are saying that the verdict will be negative. I hope that enthusiasts will have sufficient faith to accept what it said with holy obedience and religious assent.
- Father Joe Jenkins on Facebook