Thanksgiving - Why do Catholics go so light (per worship) on this American holiday?

[greenrangerx]

We had mass on Thanksgiving just like any other day of the week. It was very well attended (I’d say around 300-350 people). Both of our priests were there, as were two of our three deacons. The priests expected it to be mostly English-speaking people, but instead it was a healthy mix of all three communities at our parish (English-Speaking, Latino, and Vietnamese). It was a wonderful opportunity to come together as one family and celebrate the most important feast of all

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I’d say we had twice as many people as is usual for a weekday morning Mass. It was also the titular feast day of the saint the church was named after, so the priest got out the incense and in addition to incensing around the sanctuary as usual, went down to the far end of the church where the name saint’s statue is hung and incensed that. Good organ music, a pleasant way to start the day.

 

[7_Sorrows]

Why would attending Mass on the day our nation sets aside to be thankful (a day of Thanksgiving)
and attending with other parishioners who understand how important it is to recognize what we have to be thankful for not be special?
Being present at the celebration of the Mass on Thanksgiving Day is special for me. I have no family, but I get to be with my church family to receive the Eucharist and be with others on
Thanksgiving Day.

 

[phil19034]

Why would attending Mass on the day our nation sets aside to be thankful (a day of Thanksgiving)
and attending with other parishioners who understand how important it is to recognize what we have to be thankful for not be special?
Being present at the celebration of the Mass on Thanksgiving Day is special for me. I have no family, but I get to be with my church family to receive the Eucharist and be with others on
Thanksgiving Day.

That’s a beautiful answer. Thank you and God Bless.

 

[SMHW]

I’m surprised that some of you see such light Mass attendance on Thanksgiving.

At my parish Thanksgiving Day always means a good turnout at Mass. We don’t have the usual 8:00am Mass, just a special one at 9:00am. This year we only had one priest but we did have five our our deacons. The choir sings. People bring baskets with their bread and wine, which are blessed after Communion.

We always use Thanksgiving readings suggested by the USCCB

While it wasn’t that way when I was a child, having a special Mass for Thanksgiving Day seemed to become a big deal in my neck of the woods in the early 1980s.