Thanksgiving and Advent
by John Feister

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Q U I C K S C A N

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With Thanksgiving upon us, can Advent be far behind? It’s the time of year when we all become a little more reflective about the gifts we’ve been given. Thanksgiving remains a very popular day for families to go to Mass, even though it’s not a holy day of obligation. Doesn’t that say something about the sincerity with which we give thanks? Not to say anything against the turkey feast, but what better way is there for us to show and share our gratitude than by celebrating the Eucharist—the very word means “thanksgiving”—together?

We’ve got a nice Thanksgiving feature on our Web site for you to link to, to help people understand the religious meaning of the day. And, of course, we have Catholic e-cards to help far-flung families and friends share messages of faith.

Then comes Advent, one of our favorite times of the year. This year we have a few new things to offer, including a link to an exclusive story about the new movie The Nativity, from St. Anthony Messenger. Our Advent calendar is a favorite, as well as our e-cards at Catholic Greetings. You can link to our main Advent page, or link to some specific feature that catches your eye. Either way, we’re grateful to be in partnership with you as we all try to spread the Good News. Happy Thanksgiving!

John Feister
Editor, AmericanCatholic.org

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St. John’s-St. Ann’s (Diocese of Albany)
After reading daily readings, Mass schedules and a warm welcome message presented on the homepage, browse this site’s simple navigational system for information beyond Mass times and weekly bulletins. Learn about the various outreach programs and education ministries at St. John’s-St. Ann’s, and check out the online library with articles on the church’s history, archived homilies and news articles. Visitors also have the opportunity to register with the parish, read the parish blog and learn about upcoming events.

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