Parishes and schools prepare for Thanksgiving

Intermountain Catholic

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SALT LAKE CITY — As families prepare to gather around the table to celebrate Thanksgiving, parishes throughout Utah are getting ready to serve the needy.

SALT LAKE CITY — As families prepare to gather around the table to celebrate Thanksgiving, parishes throughout Utah are getting ready to serve the needy.

At San Andres Catholic Church in Payson, parishioners traditionally join with two local LDS stakes to provide more than 250 boxes filled with the makings of traditional Thanksgiving meals, as well as turkeys, for needy families of all denominations.

The need continues to grow, said San Andres’ pastor, Father Joseph Rooney. When he came to the parish five years ago, they distributed about 200 boxes; now it’s more than 250.

Among the Thanksgiving church services are the following.

Saint Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church — Mass: 10 a.m. Nov. 26

Saint Therese of the Child Jesus Catholic Church — Vigil Mass: 7 p.m. Nov. 25 followed by dessert reception; Mass: 10 a.m. Nov. 26

Parochial schools also are getting into the spirit of giving.

Judge Memorial High School is conducting a food drive to benefit Catholic Community Services. In addition to students’ donations, they are dropping off bags to houses in their neighborhood, with a note asking people to contribute food. These projects are put on by the ministry and social action student groups.

In addition, Judge Memorial students have started an ornament-decorating project that will continue through Nov. 23. Paw prints have been passed out to all students and faculty members, who are being asked to decorate them. These ornaments will be used by the Student Council to decorate the school’s Christmas trees.

St. Olaf Catholic School’s first- and second-graders will be making Friendship Stew on Nov. 24, and will have a prayer service and food drive on the same day.

At Saint Marguerite Catholic School, Nov. 23 will be Native American Day: Students will do native crafts, sample food, read native stories and legends, and meet Native Americans in full costume who will talk about life as a Native American and describe native artifacts.

On Nov. 24, Saint Marguerite students will be served a Thanksgiving feast for school lunch. They will bring in the food and decorate the tables. The younger students will dress as Pilgrims and Native Americans.

On Nov. 25, Saint Marguerite Catholic School will celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving and have a Thanksgiving program. In addition, there will be a food drive to help the Knights of Columbus prepare Thanksgiving meal baskets for the community.

Kearns-Saint Ann School has many events going on in celebration of Thanksgiving, as well.:

On Nov. 23 the Kearns-Saint Anne kindergarten students will have a Thanksgiving feast with their parents. The students dress up like Pilgrims and Indians.

On Nov. 24 , the school will have its Annual Name the Saint Contest. The student council members dress up like different saints, and there are contests from classes in grades 4 to 8, they have to listen to a description of the saint and then "Name That Saint."

The Kearns-Saint Ann School’s Thanksgiving Mass will be Nov. 25. All month the students will collect food for Catholic Community Services. At the end of Mass, CCS representatives will be at the school and students will present them with all the food they collected.

Studenßts also are collecting used clothing, shoes and bed sheets for the Philippines Disaster Relief Drive. The eighth-grade class will be collecting these items before and after school on Nov. 19, and 20 in the school gym.

Saint Andrew School will celebrate a Thanksgiving Mass on Nov. 20. The students will bring food for the food bank, sing in the choir and do readings.