Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving 22^nd Nov 2007

 

I had my first Thanksgiving Dinner, American style last Thursday, the 22^nd of November.

 

The American college where I have been doing my Sabbatical celebrated their annual American Thanksgiving with a grand banquet where Priests, Students and any expatriot Americans in Rome would come and celebrate their Thanksgiving Day holiday. This is a very special time for Americans to recall when the first Pilgrims had finally established themselves in their new land.

 

It was one of last events to be hosted for us as our Sabbatical time was ending. Most of the priests doing my course had headed home to celebrate Thanksgiving back in the States with their family and friends. This is traditionally a time to be with family and friends on this four-day weekend for them.

 

It was a wonderful way of finishing up my course in Rome.  They had the traditional Turkey dinner with cranberry sauce and the desert was also a traditional favourite of Pumpkin Pie. The guests all sat in tables according to which State of the USA they belonged to and I sat with a table of about six Australian students and priests who are studying at the NAC. This was a nice way to catch up with other Australians. There was a nice mass of Thanksgiving before the dinner.

 

Although this is a traditional American feast, I felt it was a nice festival to stop and give thanks for all the many gifts I have been given in my life and in my family, friends, parishioners and so much more. I spent the day thinking and praying in thanks for so many graces and blessings I have received in my life and thankfully looking back at so many blessings in this time of sabbatical. It was a wonderful opportunity to stop and give thanks for everything, since all life is one great gift and grace.

 

The highlight of the night was when one of the Australian priests there did an Elvis impersonation singing "My Pumpkin Pie" to the tune of "Suspicious Minds" _ it brought the house down, trust the Aussies to upstage an event like Thanksgiving, but it did add a nice flavour to the desert as they brought out the pumpkin pies.

 

The last thing that happened that night was we turned to sing the Salve Regina facing a picture of Mary, but amazingly just as we sung the last note, the table right under the picture buckled and threw a bottle of wine on the Vice Rector for administration. This party really did bring the house down. But anyway, everyone including me had a memorable time and had much to be thankful for.

 

I will remember this night as a nice way to finish up at the College.

 

Cheers

 

Paul