The Catholic Defender: Thanks Giving Weekend. Eucharist Rings out across The whole World
- Donald Hartley
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
ThanksGiving teaches the world that the Eucharist Rings out accross The World.
Remembering Squanto and that first Thanksgiving,
The term “Eucharist” originates from the Greek word eucharistia, meaning thanksgiving.
The first American Thanksgiving was actually celebrated on September 8, 1565 in St. Augustine, Florida. Mother Mary's Birthday, our Patron of the Americas!
A patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a form of spiritual protection attributed to Mary, mother of Jesus, Pray for America the Rosary The Native Americans and Spanish settlers held a feast and the Holy Mass was offered.
A second similar "Thanksgiving" celebration occurred on American soil on April 30, 1598 in Texas when Don Juan de Oñate declared a day of Thanksgiving to be commemorated by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
The Catholic origins of Thanksgiving don't stop there.
Squanto, the beloved hero of Thanksgiving, was the Native American man who mediated between the Puritan Pilgrims and the Native Americans.
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.
Is this truly "The First American Thanksgiving"? On April 30, 1598 in Texas when Don Juan de Oñate declared a day of Thanksgiving to be commemorated by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
The ringing of bells during the Eucharistic Consecration at Mass is a historic, worldwide Catholic tradition symbolizing the Real Presence of Christ. Originating in the Middle Ages to alert the faithful to the elevation of the host, these bells serve as an audible signal of "heaven on earth," focusing attention on the moment of sacrifice, promoting adoration, and acting as a call to prayer that extends beyond church walls.
Historically, bells were used during Latin Masses to signal to the congregation that the Consecration—the moment bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ—was occurring.
For believers, the ringing represents the harmony of heaven and the joy of Christ's presence. It is often described as a "wake-up call" for the soul to witness heaven touching earth.
"The Eucharist is my highway to heaven" is one of his best-known phrases from Our Beloved Blessed Carlo Acutis, but he also said that "by being in the presence of Jesus the Eucharist we become holy" and that "the more we receive the Eucharist, the more we become like Jesus, so that in on earth we will have an foretaste
St. Carlo Acutis's first miracle involved a Brazilian boy born with a malformed pancreas being healed after praying to Acutis. A second miracle was recognized in May 2024, after a young Costa Rican woman was healed from a serious head injury.
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