While Thanksgiving is not a Catholic liturgical holiday, it is rooted in giving glory to God for everything He has given us while surrounded by our greatest blessings, family and friends.

Read more about the first Thanksgiving in America, and its Catholic origins here.

Here’s how to make your Thanksgiving truly Catholic:

Extend an Invitation

Invite someone who may not have the means to enjoy a feast or who does not have others to spend the time with. Care for the “least of these” and invite them into a house of love. This can be a great way to share your faith with someone who doesn’t yet know the Lord.

Decorate with Meaning

Incorporate liturgical or Catholic elements into your home décor:

Candles (symbol of Christ, the Light of the World) are placed along the table.
A crucifix or image of the Holy Family as the centerpiece.
Print scripture verses about thanksgiving (Colossians 3:15–17, 1 Thessalonians 5:18) and place a card at each table setting.
Play sacred or instrumental music in the background.

Begin with prayer

Start with a prayer that explicitly thanks God not just for food and family, but for our salvation, faith, and the fruits of the Spirit.

Sample Prayer:

"Good and gracious Lord, we give You thanks today, as we do all days, first and foremost for the gift of creation, salvation, redemption, and the gift of life. We ask You to bless this food, that it may nourish us and sustain us, and strengthen our ability to do Your will. We pray in thanksgiving for all the hands that brought it to our table. May this meal and the fellowship we enjoy not only serve as clear reminders of Your love for us, but of Your call for us to share Your love and the fruits of the Spirit with our brothers and sisters through service. We ask this as we ask all things, through Christ, our Lord. Amen."

Bless the meal

Traditionally, bless the meal.

Everyone: (sign of the cross) In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti.

Host: Benedicite!

Guests: Benedicite!

Everyone: Benedic, Domine, nos et haec tua dona quae de tua largitate sumus sumpturi. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen. Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts which we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Everyone: (sign of the cross) In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti.

**1 Corinthians 1:3-9**

Grace to you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
I give thanks to my God always for you, for the grace of God that is given you in Christ Jesus,
That in all things you are made rich in him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
As the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you,
So that nothing is wanting to you in any grace, waiting for the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Who also will confirm you unto the end without crime, in the day of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God is faithful: by whom you are called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Ways of Sharing

Consider going around the table and having each person share a few ways the Lord has deeply blessed them and kept His providence.
Ask an elder to read Thanksgiving-related scripture (1 Corinthians 1:3-9, Sirach 50:22-24) and discuss the meaning.
Pack up leftovers in a beautiful container and deliver to someone in need of a meal or in need of a friend.
Include a "charity box" on the table and encourage guests to contribute something to give away afterward.

Pray the Luminous

After the meal and clean up, pray the Luminous Mysteries, which focus on Christ’s ministry and blessings.

Offer a litany of thanksgiving, naming specific blessings and responding with: We thank You, O Lord.

Honor the Saints of Gratitude

Include saints who modeled thankfulness in your prayer or altar:

St. Thérèse of Lisieux – known for thanking God even for small things.
St. Joseph – protector and provider.
Blessed Solanus Casey often said, “Thank God ahead of time.”

Reflect on the Eucharist—The True Thanksgiving

The word "Eucharist" literally means “thanksgiving” in Greek (eucharistia). It’s the ultimate act of giving thanks, where we unite with Christ’s sacrifice. Give a reminder of Christ’s sacrifice for us and what it means to have life through Him and through Holy Communion.

Pray for the protection of the Church and gratitude for religious freedom.

Basket of corn — **Sirach 50:22-24**

Now bless the God of all
    who everywhere does great things,
    who raises us up from our birth
    and deals mercifully with us.
May he give us gladness in our hearts,
    and may there be peace in our time,
    in Israel as in times past.
May he grant us his mercy,
    and may he rescue us in our lifetime

How to Host a Catholic Thanksgiving