11/22/2020 First Thanksgiving and the Latin Mass...Thanking God, Fr. Padilla, and First Thanksgiving and a little bit about Latin Mass! By Julie Larsen I think the Mass is the highest form of Thanksgiving for Catholics. So, I decided to research about – Where was the First Mass in America? There is a lot of debate on where this first Mass was or could have been. One claim is to St. Brendan the Navigator who discovered North Canada area back in the 6th century! However, since no one stayed in Americas back in the 6th century – let’s forward several centuries to around 1500’s. Coronado was an explorer from Mexico and wanted to go north into America territory (who knows what it was called back then) to the land of the Quivera Indians as they supposedly had “gold”. Guess who accompanied this explorer? Well, come to find out Father Padilla was a priest who accompanied him. When Coronado crossed over the Arkansas River (near today’s Dodge City, KS), Fr. Padilla offered a Mass of Thanksgiving in the year 1541 (some say it was June 29 – a feast of St. Peter and Paul). Fr. Padilla ministered to the Indians there for awhile. He later wanted to bring the Faith to a neighboring tribe (Kaw Indians) in the year 1542. However, the Quivera Indians were jealous and Fr. Padilla was martyred by those Indians around Christmas Day, 1542. There is a Padilla Cross erected near Lyons, Ks, which some say is near to where he was martyred! I just find this interesting fact – The first “Mass” offered in United States was in the 1541 way before Pilgrims had their “first Thanksgiving”, before Protestants came to U.S., etc. (Source of information so far is from: https://aleteia.org/2019/11/21/was-americas-first-mass-in-kansas/ andhttps://www.dcdiocese.org/images/necrology/DePadillaJuan11-30-1544.pdf and https://aleteia.org/2020/06/19/first-englishman-to-offer-mass-in-america-had-colorful-history/ ) The next first Mass is claimed to been in Florida where missionaries arrived from Spain and this Mass was offered in the year 1565 on September 8th (Mary’s birthday). The priest that offered the Mass was Father Francisco Lopez de Mendoza Grajales. Source: https://www.visitstaugustine.com/gallery-image/first-mass This is near today’s St. Augustine, Florida. This is the same day where they had a feast of food (so a type of Thanksgiving meal) – but nothing like pilgrims. It was simple food that the Indians and Americans ate. (I am one to prefer fish over turkey!) Read more here if you like: https://www.history.com/news/did-florida-host-the-first-thanksgiving In this other article it gives more details of what the Indians and Americans ate at this first thanksgiving meal: “What was the meal that followed? From our knowledge of what the Spaniards had on board their five ships, we can surmise that it was cocido, a stew made from salted pork and garbanzo beans, laced with garlic seasoning, and accompanied by hard sea biscuits and red wine. If the Seloy contributed to the meal from their own food stores, then the menu could have included turkey, venison, gopher tortoise, mullet, drum, sea catfish, maize (corn), beans, and squash.” Article from: https://www.nps.gov/casa/learn/historyculture/the-first-thanksgiving.htm So, have some beans and sea biscuits and that’s your Thanksgiving meal! Perhaps some fish too. I am really a lover of fish – so I bet them being near the ocean – someone probably caught a fish to eat as well. So, now I wanted to talk more about the Mass being the ultimate Thanksgiving to God and why going to Mass on Sunday and daily (if one can make it) is the best way to give God our thanks! Jesus came to earth to offer Himself on the Cross – so we should pray and attend Mass as our thanksgiving to God. We should consider every Sunday a day of Thanksgiving! So, why is the Latin Mass considered “the best side of heaven?” I think the best way to explain this is just to invite you to attend a Latin Tridentine Mass or Extraordinary Form. I also invite you to find one that offers a High Mass. The incense raises your nose and mind up to God. The smell just fills your soul with love of God. The music from the choir or Gregorian chant fills your soul with love of God. Everyone kneeling throughout most of the Mass giving God his due in the Blessed Sacrament. No clapping of hands or hand shaking here. No “peace sign” except the priest. If you ever attend a Solemn High Mass – this means more than one priest or a priest, deacon, subdeacon; you will see how the “kiss of peace” is meant to be – it is very solemn and beautiful – not meant for the laity at all. However, we all do receive the incense at the offertory. Everything about the Latin Mass raises your mind, heart, and soul to God. And no, you don’t have to understand a word of it. Many a time I have been without a missal at all. The readings are in Latin and English. The priest will most likely chant the readings during a High Mass and then read them in English. By the way the priest or deacon does everything in a Latin Mass – laity are not allowed to do any of the readings, or giving out of Communion. The priest reads the Gospel in English and then he gives a sermon about the readings or things that pertain to this. Sometimes we hear readings of saint lives as well. During the offertory and such – it is mentioned that this is a sacrifice. You can go here to this link to read the differences of the Latin Mass and Novus Ordo: https://lms.org.uk/missals The Consecration prayers are done in a low tone in Latin and it is very silent in the chapel until you hear the bells ring 3 times as the priest raises the host up and the chalice (3 times again for bells). If you are lucky enough to have a chapel with real bells – those also chime at the exact time of consecration (I do not know how they time that one!) It is very beautiful. The Our Father at the end is prayed again in Latin. The Agnus Dei if High Mass is sung by the choir. The priest also does the Confietor again before Communion time. By the way all the women are modestly dressed and wear veils in the Latin Mass (or usually wear a veil) to show respect to Jesus. At Communion time, the faithful go to the altar rail and receive Jesus on the tongue only. It is very solemnly done. There is usually an altar boy (no girls) who has the patent under the faithful just in case the host is dropped. The faithful usually do not leave Mass “early” either. We remain till the end and during low Mass the prayers at the foot of the altar (3 Hail Mary’s, Hail Holy Queen, St. Michael prayer are also prayed). If a High Mass, then the priest will process out solemnly with usually the choir singing a song at the end of Mass as well. I think also just reading more about the Latin Mass is a good way to learn more about this Mass: https://unam-ecclesiam.blogspot.com/2010/11/traditional-latin-mass-of-thanksgiving.html This article goes over what to expect at the Latin Mass: http://www.traditio.com/stjohn/mass.htm Why the Latin Mass is the best thing this side of heaven? Read this article: https://catholicismpure.wordpress.com/2016/01/16/the-most-beautiful-thing-this-side-of-heaven-a-look-at-the-old-mass-and-the-new/ Want to find a Latin Mass? There are different locater sites – so I am going to post a few that way you have more than one place to look at: 1. https://www.latinmassdir.org/ 2. http://www.latinmasstimes.com/ 3. http://www.ecclesiadei.org/masses.cfm 4. http://www.papastronsay.com/resources/FindLatinMass/index.php 5. https://sspx.org/en/mass-locator My final thoughts – I am thankful for my family, my home, my continued work in helping pregnant and postpartum mothers, and thankful for being able to write here on Little Way of Mary. Anyway, so, my question for you: Will you consider attending an Extraordinary form (Latin Mass) near you? What do you think of the first Thanksgiving? What are you thankful for this year? Let me know – I would love to hear from you! |
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September 2021
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