My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
That great tradition that we have in our country, Thanksgiving Day, will soon be upon us. And I want to take this opportunity to wish all of you a most blessed day - a day of remembrance and thanks for all the gifts that God has given us.
Even with all the struggles and difficulties that we have in our country right now, we have so much to be grateful for in this blessed land. And as we give thanks to God for our blessings, we should also be moved to reach out to those who do not have the blessings that we have. This is an opportunity for us to exercise that beautiful gift of Christian charity toward those in need.
I have personal experience in Portland with some of those ministries to the homeless at our parish of St. André Bessette, Blanchet House, the dining hall at St. Francis. But there are many opportunities all throughout the archdiocese for you to get involved with in reaching out to those in need.
So, as we give thanks to God this year, let us do so by demonstrating our gratitude and our love and care for those in need.
May God bless you and your families and all your loved ones. And I give thanks to God for all of you.
Archbishop Alexander K. Sample
Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon