BLESSINGS and PRAYERS of THANKSGIVING for the family & parish observance of Thanksgiving Day THE NATIONAL CATHOLIC RURAL LIFE CONFERENCE 3801 Grand Avenue Des Moines 12, Iowa Introduction The custom of proclaiming one day in the year as a National Day of Thanksgiving has taken deep root in America. Rural and urban families should acknowledge their dependency on God, their Creator. God has richly blessed our nation. We have an abundance of food, sufficient clothing and fine homes. However, many young and old in other countries go hungry daily, have the poorest of clothing and hardly any shelter. Thanks- giving Day offers us an opportunity to give thanks to God for His beneficial blessings. The prayers in this booklet are traditional, scriptural, and rich in content. They are prayers of thanksgiving. May they be said in many homes and parishes throughout this land. The National Catholic Rural Life Conference suggests this program for Thanksgiving Day: Families join one another in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and receive Holy Communion together. During Mass the people recite the three prayers from the Mass of Thanksgiving. Page 3. After Mass, the Prayer for the Church and State by Archbishop Carroll. Page 4. The people recite the Canticle of the Three Young Men, in procession (if desired), and present se- lected grains and fruits of the harvest. Page 5. Liturgical Harvest Blessing. Page 6. Private or public recitation (at home or in the church) of Psalm 64 and A Farmer's Prayer of Thanksgiving. Page 7. Closing of Solemn Novena to St. Isidore. Page 8. Printed with Ecclesiastical Permission—Edward C. Daly, O.P., S.T.M. CJopyrfirht, 1966, National Catholic Rural Life Conference PRAYERS FROM THE VOTIVE MASS OF Thanksgiving Prayer. 0 God, Whose mercies are beyond number, and of Whose goodness there is an infinite treasure, we give thanks to Your Soverign Majesty for the gifts You have bestowed on us, and beg for Your continued clemency, that, as You grant the petitions of those who ask You, You will never forsake them, but will prepare them for the reward to come. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. Secret. Accept, 0 Lord, this fragrant sacrifice, together with the thanks which we render to You; evermore keep from harm those whom You have deigned graciously to hear and to preserve; and grant that they may serve You and love You more and more. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. Postcommunion. 0 God, Who allows that none who hope in You should be afflicted beyond endurance, but listens kindly to our prayers ; we thank You for having heard our requests and granted our desires, and devoutly entreat You that what we have received may make us worthy to be delivered from all adversities. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. PSALM 64:10-14 You have visited the land and watered it; * greatly have you enriched it. God*s watercourses are filled; * You have prepared the grain. Thus have You prepared the land * drenching its furrows breaking up its clods. Softening it with showers, * blessing its yield. You have crowned the year with Your bounty, * and Your paths overflow with a rich harvest; The untiUed meadows overflow with it, * and rejoicing clothes the hills. The fields are garmented with flocks * and the valleys blanketed with grain. * They shout and sing for joy. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost, As it was in the beginning, is now amd ever shall be world without end. Amen. PRAYER FOR CHURCH AND STATE by ARCHBISHOP CARROIX 0 ALMIGHTY and eternal God, ^ You have, through Jesus Christ, revealed Your glory to all nations. • We pray you to pre- serve the works of Your mercy, • that our Church, being spread through the whole world, * may continue with un<^anging faith in the confession of Your name. Wb pray You, who alone are good and holy, to endow with heavenly knowledge, sincere zeal, and sanctity of life • our Chief Bishop, the vicar of Our Lord Jesus Christ, • in the government of His Church; * our own Archbishop and Bishop; • all other Bishops, prelates, and pastors of the Church; * and especially those who are appoint^ to exercise among us the functions of the holy ministry * and conduct Your people into the ways of salvation. Wb pray You, O God of might, wisdom, and justice, * through whom authority is rightly administered, laws are enacted, and judgment decreed, * to assist with Your holy spirit of counsel and fortitude * the President of the United States, * that his administration may be conducted in righteousness, and be emi- nently useful to Your people over whom he presides; • by encour- aging due respect for virtue and religrion, * by a faithful execution of the laws in justice and mercy, • and by restraining vice and immorality. * Let the light of Your divine wisdom direct the deliberations of Congress, * and shine forth in all the proceedings and laws framed for our rule and government, • so that they may tend to the preservation of peace, • the promotion of national happiness, * the increase of industry, sobriety and useful knowl- edge; * and may perpetuate to us the blessings of equal liberty. Wb pray for His excellency, the Governor of this state, * for the members of the Assembly, • for all judges, magistrates, and other officers who are appointed to guard our political welfare, • that they may be enabled, by Your powerful protection, * to dis- charge the duties of their respective stations with honesty and ability. We recommend likewise to Your unbounded mercy * all our brethren and fellow citizens throughout the United States, • that they may be blessed in the knowledge and sanctified in the observance of Your most holy law; that they may be preserved in union, • and in that peace which the world cannot give; and after enjoying the blessing^s of this life, • be admitted to those which are eternal. Amen. In some parishea after the MaaSt the people preaent aelected aamplea of the harveated grain, fruit amd other producta of the fielda and aarden, for the liturgical bleaaing of the harveat, (Roman Ritual No. S9.) This preaentation might be made in proceaaion while reciting the Canticle of the Three Young Men. If the proceaaion doea not take place, the articlea can be held while the Canticle ia recited and the bleaaing given. CANTICLE OF THE THREE YOUNG MEN Daniel 3^7-88.56 (Priest and people alternate) V. Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lorf: R. PRAISE AND EXALT HIM ABOVE ALL FOR- EVER. V. Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord; R. YOU HEAVENS, BLESS THE LORD. V. All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord; R. ALL YOU HOSTS OF THE LORD, BLESS THE LORD. V. Sun and moon, bless the Lord; R. STARS OF HEAVEN, BLESS THE LORD. V. Every shower and dew, bless the Lord; R. ALLYOU WINDS, BLESS THE LORD. V. Fire and heat, bless the Lord; R. COLD AND CHILL, BLESS THE LORD. V. Dew and rain, bless the Lord; R. FROST AND COLD, BLESS THE LORD. V. Ice and snow, bless the Lord; R. NIGHTS AND DAYS, BLESS THE LORD. V. Light and darkness, bless the Lord; R. LIGHTNING AND CLOUDS, BLESS THE LORD. V. Let the earth bless the Lord; R. PRAISE AND EXALT HIM ABOVE ALL FOR- EVER. V. Mountains and hills bless the Lord; R. EVERYTHING GROW- ING FROM THE EARTH, BLESS THE LORD. V. You springs, bless the Lord; R. SEAS AND RIVERS, BLESS THE LORD. Continued Next Page V. You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord; R. ALL YOU BIRDS OF THE AIR, BLESS THE LORD. V. All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord; R. PRAISE AND EXALT HIM ABOVE ALL FOR- EVER. V. You sons of men, bless the Lord; R. 0 ISRAEL, BLESS THE LORD. V. Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord; R. SERVANTS OF THE LORD, BLESS THE LORD. V. Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord; R. HOLY MEN OF HUM- BLE HEART, BLESS THE LORD. V. Ananias, Azarias, Misael, bless the Lord; R. PRAISE AND EXALT HIM ABOVE ALL FOR- EVER. V. Let us bless the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost; R. LET US PRAISE AND EXALT GOD ABOVE ALL FOREVER. V. Blessed are You in the firmament of Heaven; R. PRAISEWORTHY AND GLORIOUS FOREVER. BLESSING OF THE HARVEST (Ritual, No. 39) V. Our help is in the name of the Lord. R. Who has made heaven and earth. V. The Lord be with you. R. And with your spirit. LET US ntAY Almighty Lord God, Who keeps on giving wealth to men in the dew of heaven, and food out of the richness of the soil, we give thanks to Your most gracious Majesty for the fruits of the field which we have gathered. We beg of You, in Your mercy, to bless our harvest, which we have received from Your generosity. Preserve it, and keep it from all harm. Grant, too, that all those whose desires You have filled with these good things may be happy in Your protection. May they praise Your mercies forever, and make use of the good things that do not last, in such a way that they may not lose those goods that are everlasting, through Christ our Lord. R. Amen. {Then the fruits and, grams are sprinkled with holy water.) A FARMER'S PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING Lord, I am grateful that I am a farmer. I am glad to live close to the earth that You have made. I am happy to spend so much of my time in the open air, under the bright sun, the symbol of Your own light and justice. I am grateful for the rain and for the freshness that it brings—the rain, a symbol of Your rich and undying blessings. I AM happy to cooperate with You in Your work of con- tinuous creation, by growing the food that men need to sustain life. By your almightly power You make grow the seeds I plant. You fill the earth with minerals. You send the rain and the sun, the wind and the snow—and the dry, hard seeds I plant are raised to soft, green life. You have given men great wisdom and cleverness to build machines that make the labor of the farmer much less burdensome. Dear Lord, I am in Your almighty hands. I depend upon You for everything. If I sow the seed and cultivate the young plants, and You do not see fit to give me a good harvest, I will be satisfied. You are the Lord and Master and Creator of all things. You know what is good for me and what would do me harm. I trust You, absolutely and without question. I THANK You again for choosing me to be a farmer. I beg of You never to let me forget my great advantages of closeness to You, absolute trust and confidence in You, and the fullness and richness of my life, close to the earth that You have made and have so marvelously blessed. Lord, I am grateful that I am a farmer. Amen. This prayer is taken from the RURAL LIFE PRAYERBOOK, published by the National Catholic Rural Life Conference THANKSGIVING DAY NOVENA St. Isidore is the patron of all fanners and rural people. The Solemn Novena in honor of St. Isidore closes on Thanks- giving Day. It is held annually at this time in the Chapel of St. Isidore. People in parishes and in homes should join in the novena which may be solemnly closed in the parish church. The best way to follow the novena is to obtain a Novena Booklet. This booklet is 41 pages long and is arranged for parish, group or family use. It contains hymns (which can be recited in verse form or sung), psalms, scripture reading, a prayer and meditation, especially selected for each of the nine days. Each day is devoted to a particular subject — Partnership with God Family Life with Christ Love of Neighbor Dignity of Work Walking in the Presence of God Stewardship of the Soil Rural Works of Mercy Trust in Prayer Sacrifice of Praise 1st day 2nd day 3rd day 4th day Sth day 6th day 7th day Sth day 9th day This booklet is much more' than a series of prayers. It is a manual of spiritual direction for rural people. It offers se- lected passages from scripture which will renew the spirit and bring peace and joy to the rural family, home and farm. Single copy, 50c 100 or more copies, 25c each. Special Acknowledgment to The Dlooese of Spring- field in Illinois for Cere- mony Leaflet National Catbolie Rural Life Conferenn 3801 Grand Avenue Des Moines 12, Iowa 6—56—5M