By Torrie Gregg
There is something about this time of year that makes me want to pause before the busyness of the holiday season begins. With November just around the corner, I find myself thinking about what I am thankful for.
When I stop to name those blessings, I usually end up thinking about people.
Family and friends who care about me. A parish where I belong. Faith to lean on when life feels uncertain. Behind each of those blessings are people who have helped shape my life.
The Church begins November by remembering, too. On All Saints’ Day, we honor the saints who show us what a life given to God can look like. Then comes All Souls’ Day, when we pray for the faithful departed. Throughout the month, we remember those who have died and bring them with us in prayer.
Some of the people we are most thankful for are no longer sitting across the table from us. We cannot call them or tell them about our day. But perhaps we still repeat a prayer they taught us, follow a tradition they started, or remember their advice when we need it.
That is true of our faith, too. Someone brought us to Mass. Someone answered our questions. Someone showed us what it meant to trust God or care for a neighbor.
Working at the Catholic Foundation has made me more aware of how much we also receive from people we may never meet. We worship in churches others helped build. Our students learn in schools others worked to sustain. Someone gave because they wanted the Church to be there for the people who came after them.
I am thankful they did. And I want to help do the same for someone else.
That is the spirit behind #iGiveCatholic.
Celebrated annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, #iGiveCatholic is an online giving day created to recognize and support the charitable, educational, and spiritual work of the Catholic Church. Across the Diocese of Salina, your generosity can help participating parishes, schools, and ministries share the faith, serve their neighbors, and nurture the next generation of Catholics.
This year’s giving period runs November 16 through December 1. You can give online or make a gift by cash or check directly to a participating organization.
As you think about the people and places you are thankful for, consider supporting a participant that matters to you. Your gift can help someone else experience the blessings you have received.
To learn more and find a participant to support, visit salina.igivecatholic.org.