Bishop McFadden: "...boycott businesses that open their doors on Thanksgiving...attend church or ... pray with family and friends"

As many people take to the highways and byways today to travel to be with family and friends for Thanksgiving, I add my voice to other people of good will who are disturbed by the continual expanding materialistic secular culture that is growing in our country. The tradition of setting aside a day to thank God and to acknowledge the many blessings we enjoy in this country as a result of His bounty is slowing disappearing without any genuine outcry from people of faith.

The consumerist society and the business community's insatiable appetite for profit is slowly eroding the dignity of this one national holiday that has traditionally been a time for family and friends to stop to reflect on their many blessings, to enjoy a meal and time together and to say a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord of life and the source of all blessings.

With retail stores rushing to open their businesses earlier and earlier on Thanksgiving Day they are violating their employees right to have this time with family and friends. Perhaps it is time to seek again legislative relief for the workers and their families since the appetite for profit seems to obscure the sensitivity employers should have for their workers allowing them to have at least one day with their families free from the pressure of work.

I encourage all my friends on Facebook to boycott the businesses that open their doors on Thanksgiving demonstrating little regard for their workers. I also ask that we take time on Thanksgiving Day to attend Church or if that is not possible to make sure that we take some time to pray with family and friends in gratitude to Almighty God for all His blessings throughout the year.