Thank you for sharing this story.

God bless,
Esther

Loved the history lesson!! It is such a gift to be Catholic!!
Just leaving for 9 a.m. Holy Mass to give thanks for all blessings, especially thankful for you Father. You give me strength.

God Bless you Father,

Patricia
Intercessors of the Lamb, Mary Morning Star group

Thanks for telling us about the real thanksgiving story, I have not heard about this before esp the part about Squanto.

I have been a frequent reader but just wanted to say hi and hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving, know that you are in my prayers.

God bless!

What a wonderful post… Imagine, when I was growing up in primary school [when the Dead Sea was sick!] when we were doing social studies in English around Thanksgiving, well we celebrated the Mayflower and the Pilgrims arriving in Plymouth.

On the other hand when we studied History in French, well it was Cartier and his arrival in 1534 in Baie de Chaleurs, Quebec. With my little boy’s mind, I just couldn’t figure it out. The names of the boats were not the same, the places were different.

However, in each case “the Indians” were nice! Oh the challenges of growing in biligual Canada! It’s only once I got to grade 6 that I realised that the story of the Mayflower had nothing to do with Canada but with the U.S.

May this Thankgiving Day make us all more aware of the gifts God gives to the world. And you, Fr. Gordon, are a great gift to us all out here in the “free” world!

your brother priest

Michael

I enjoyed and found spiritual nourishment in your narration of the role that Squanto had to play in the survival of the Pilgrims, notwithstanding his own losses and suffering. There is a message here about spreading the blessings of God to others, especially those who are different and toward whom we might feel least willing to love.

I tuned 70 a few weeks ago, and appreciate what you said about the jokes we hear as another decade rolls by. Fr. Pete

As an aside, since you’re interested in history, I wonder if you’ve read “Blood Drenched Altars, A Catholic Commentary on the History of Mexico.” I am reading this to prepare to give a presentation to Middle Schoolers (in a Catholic School) challenging what they’ve gotten from their history books. I LIVED in Mexico and never received a history from the Catholic perspective, except for when it was beneficial (ie with regard to the Cathedrals, etc.)

I highly recommend this book. (I’m only to page 106, though…)

God bless you, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Squanto is yet another Joseph who acts for good to save life. As you undergo lock-down during these holiday seasons, be assured of our continued prayers for your speedy release.

Your brother in Christ,
Jim

Squanto really was a special person. He survived exposure to disease miraculously, and then slavery, via the Catholic Church’s teaching about the importance and the dignity of the human being. Would he have been so kind to the pilgrim invaders had he not experienced the saving grace of God and the kindness of the priests? Or was he just a kind and generous man who never took out his revenge on another’s injustice toward him?

This causes me to ponder once again that shoe being on my foot instead of someone elses. How would I react? Would I allow myself to be a bridge like Squanto?Sometimes in the heat of persecution, I bristle. No. More often than sometimes. Usually.
How can a person who bristles be of use to others or to God?

This is a lesson worth a little meditation. God bless you Fr. MacRae and have a blessed day of thanks.

Thank you for such an interesting and entertaining post Father .