November Feasts: 

Christ the King:

This is the last Sunday in Ordinary Time and the last Sunday of the Church year. This feast celebrates the fact that Jesus is king of all creation and came to establish God’s kingdom. It is appropriate that this feast comes at the end of the year since it emphasizes Jesus as the climax of all that has taken place during the liturgical year.

Thanksgiving Day (USA):

Thanksgiving is not a feast of the Church, but the Church does provide a “Mass in Thanksgiving to God” to be celebrated on this day. The first Thanksgiving probably took place in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1621. After their first harvest in their new country, the Puritan settlers held an autumn celebration to praise and thank God. The celebration involved food from the harvest, but contrary to popular legend, there is no evidence that Native Americans were present.

The first official Thanksgiving proclamation was made by the Continental Congress in 1777, but it was not until 1863 that Thanksgiving became a national holiday. President Abraham Lincoln called for the nation to observe a day of thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November.

First Sunday of Advent:

Happy New Year! This is the first Sunday of the new Church year. It’s also the first Sunday of the Church season of Advent. The color of the season is violet to show we’re in a time of quiet preparation for the coming of the Messiah. During Advent we hear John the Baptist telling us to repent, to change our lives for the better, and to make straight the way of the Lord.