1950

Thanksgiving, celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday of November, is a public holiday that started out as a harvest festival. It is a celebration of the blessings of the year, when people come together to share a festive family meal, attend Church services and view special sporting events.

In Unit North America, Medical Mission Sisters had their own traditions to mark the day, including plays and an annual ‘Novices vs. Professed’ basketball game that was held from the 1930s onwards.  These festivities included some very involved and creative mascots and themes, which can be seen in these photos from Thanksgivings in 1948, 1950 and 1964.  Postulants shown in the photo from 1950 include Catherine Mary Harmer, Josie Shimek, Kathryn Gates, Velma Rose Pomes, Juanita Ortega, Anne Cauzillo, Shirley Wing, and Camille Garceau, and postulant mistress Madeleine Sophie DuVally. All these photos come from the UNA archive collections.

The whole month of November is now recognised as ‘National Gratitude Month’. The month was initiated in Canada and is becoming a global concept. In 2019, an edition of Fire and Flame (the MMS Associates’ newsletter) focused on the month. 

The editorial reads, as follows: 

“Let us be grateful for all our blessings. Gratitude is more than simply saying ‘thank you’. Gratitude's amazing powers have the ability to shift us from focusing on the negative to appreciating what is positive in our lives, and to be present in this very moment - it can transform us!  ... Fall is a season of change. Let’s find joy by walking in gratitude and appreciating the many changes that happen all around us: the days get shorter, the weather gets colder, trees display beautiful warm Autumn colours, an exuberant tapestry of gold, yellow, orange, fiery red, purple, brown, and in-between colours; and like the trees, we start preparing for Winter. It is a time for letting go and releasing the things that no longer serve us. It is the time to practise getting out of the way and letting Spirit take charge of our lives. 

As Mother Anna Dengel said: “When you feel downhearted or discouraged, begin to count your many blessings. Gratitude is a noble virtue.” 

Wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving, 2025