Recipes & Traditions from Our Hosts
Savoring Our Faith, with Fr. Leo Patalinghug
Every Thanksgiving, we tell the Lord how grateful we are for our blessings because “every perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17).
To help you celebrate this day, several EWTN hosts have told us why they give thanks and have shared their Thanksgiving recipes and traditions. And Dr. Greg and Lisa Popcak have given us a step-by-step approach to handling possible family disagreements during the holidays (before the arguments even start!).
We also hope that you enjoy the Thanksgiving message from Michael Warsaw, the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of EWTN, as well as a free eBook below.
We are thankful for you, our EWTN Family, and we wish you a blessed Thanksgiving!
with your free eBook, Gratitude of the Saints: 15 Timeless Quotes on Giving Thanks.
In this season of gratitude, let the wisdom of the saints encourage you to deepen your relationship with God. This free eBook offers inspiring words, timeless prayers, and spiritual insights that can help you cultivate a grateful heart every day.
Savoring Our Faith, with Fr. Leo Patalinghug
INGREDIENTS
INSTRUCTIONS
Creamy Mint Cranberry Sauce Ingredients
Creamy Mint Cranberry Sauce Instructions
Recipes are from Grace Before Meals by Fr. Leo Patalinghug. He hosts Savoring Our Faith, which airs Sundays at 4:30 PM Eastern.
“I am incredibly grateful to God, the Divine Composer, to be a finely tuned instrument in His hands. When God creates through me, I am fulfilling the meaning and purpose of my life.”
– Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, host of Beacon of Truth
“I am grateful….
To know Christ as a Catholic,
For my family,
That God has blessed me with a meaningful life.”
– Dr. David Anders, host of Called to Communion
“I am most thankful for God’s loving Providence, my family, faith, Church, my priesthood (40 years), the vowed life in the Society of Jesus (50 years), and of course, EWTN!”
– Fr. Robert Spitzer, host of Father Spitzer’s Universe
“The thing I am most grateful for is that I realize I was born in a time and place to have the opportunity to know God, to know Christ, and to be Catholic.”
– Dr. Ray Guarendi, host of Living Right with Dr. Ray
“I have my dream job that I love doing. I work with wonderful colleagues, but there was something missing in my life, and I didn’t even fully realize it until it was filled. So at the moment, I’m most thankful for my beautiful wife that God sent.”
– Colm Flynn, EWTN News Rome Correspondent
Praying with Mother Angelica, “In Thanksgiving”
A Thanksgiving Message from Mother Angelica (1923-2016)
1) First of all, there is absolutely nothing wrong with saying before we get together for some big family event, “Guys, everything political is momentary, but our family is eternal. So let’s just not talk about politics or any huge topics that are going to blow us up because we really want that time to just love and enjoy each other.” It’s fine to set that standard. That doesn’t mean everybody’s always going to cooperate, but it is absolutely fine to go into it that way.
2) Go into it with a plan for saying, “What kinds of activities do we want to do or games do we want to play?” Because those conversations tend to come up when there’s nothing else to do. And so by having it a little bit more scheduled, having a few more activities or games or things to do planned, that enables us to kind of join around other things.
3) In the moment, we want to recognize that there’s a time and a place for everything. When somebody says something that offends us, or especially if somebody says something that we know is not true about our Faith or they attack us directly, we want to defend the Church.
We want to defend God. Or even defend ourselves. And that’s a beautiful thing. But that’s not the time or place to do it. Instead, we say, “You know what? I would love to have this conversation with you. Let’s get on our phones and plan a date to go out together or have a call and really talk this out. But I don’t want to do this here because this is a time to really celebrate our relationships and be a family. And that’s what’s really most important to me. I hope you feel that way too.” And then change the subject. Changing the subject can be very beneficial in these situations. And do it in a way that’s subtle and kind and interesting to the other person that we seem to be getting into a conflict with. Because none of these things will ever be solved over the holiday table. But if we offer to connect with that person at another time, and we’re building that relationship with them, we can have an effect or at least a potential effect on them. But nobody is ever going to be swayed when the eyes of the entire family are upon them. It’s just not going to happen.
Dr. Ray Guarendi
Host of Living Right with Dr. Ray, which airs Tuesdays at 9:30 AM and Saturdays at 10:00 PM Eastern
Dr. Ray Guarendi and his…
Read His Holiday Traditions
Dr. Ray Guarendi
Host of Living Right with Dr. Ray, which airs Tuesdays at 9:30 AM and Saturdays at 10:00 PM Eastern
Dr. Ray Guarendi and his wife, Randi, have ten children who are all grown. Dr. Ray says, “One of the traditions we had early on [is that] we would invite priests who were here from other countries.” In more recent years, the Guarendi family goes around the table, each saying a reason why he or she is grateful to the Lord.
Also, Dr. Ray offers advice for the upcoming seasons of Advent and Christmas. He says, “Do not make Christmas become a project so much so that you say ‘I can’t wait until this is all over.’”
Tom Peterson
Host of Catholics Come Home, which airs Sundays at 8:30 PM Eastern
“Particularly at Thanksgiving, I am…
Read His Holiday Traditions
Tom Peterson
Host of Catholics Come Home, which airs Sundays at 8:30 PM Eastern
“Particularly at Thanksgiving, I am reminded of the Scripture (Luke 17:11-17) of the ten lepers whom Jesus healed.
Sadly, only one came back to thank Jesus for His amazing gift of healing mercy. This Scripture passage reminds us to give thanks to the Blessed Trinity daily for all the many blessings in our lives.
For Thanksgiving, our family has the tradition to go around the dinner table, having each person list those things for which they are most grateful, e.g.: salvation, health, family, peace, reliance on God, a vocation, employment, our faith, holy priests, the Sacraments, etc.
Additionally, calling or texting friends who have blessed my life, especially those I don’t speak with often, is another favorite personal tradition on Thanksgiving.
While we have a few good food recipes that are family traditions too, thanking God daily, and particularly at Thanksgiving, is a sure recipe for showing our love to God in return for all the good He constantly showers upon us. And, I am reminded of my late mom’s famous saying, ‘When God blesses you with a good parking place, make sure you thank Him, or you may not get that good parking spot next time you ask!’
People and God appreciate when we show our gratitude for their generosity and love.
God’s blessings to you and your family this Thanksgiving and throughout the year!”
Debbie Georgianni
Host of EWTN Radio’s Take 2 with Jerry and Debbie, which airs at noon Eastern weekdays, and The Spirit World, airing at 11:00 AM…
Read Her Holiday Traditions
Debbie Georgianni
Host of EWTN Raio’s Take 2 with Jerry and Debbie, which airs noon Eastern weekdays, and The Spirit World, airing 11:00 AM Eastern Saturdays
“In my Italian family, it seems as though everyone starts in the kitchen and pretty much ends up in the kitchen. So, in my home, I like to have family and friends gather around the center island of the kitchen and begin by sharing an amazing appetizer. Of course, we always begin with prayer and grace before the meal. Usually, the first order is the drinks. Whether it’s a fine wine or sparkling mineral water (Pellegrino), we prefer to use long-stemmed wine glasses to add to the experience. We always have Frank Sinatra/Dean Martin/Michael Buble/Connie Francis-type music playing as the guests enter our home. We also have the lighting very relaxing and a bit dimmer than normal. No TVs are on, and phones are left at the door. When our guests enter the kitchen, they are usually overwhelmed by the gigantic Antipasto waiting for them. It is a meat and cheese board that is so colorful it sort of resembles the Italian flag.”
Debbie continues, “At every American meal, in my family, we always added an Italian dish or touch. The Antipasto seems to be a real hit with our family and friends. It’s fun to make, very beautiful to look at, and delicious to eat family style … the Italian way.”
Montse Alvarado
President and Chief Operating Officer of EWTN News
“It’s such an American moment for us as…
Read Her Holiday Traditions
Montse Alvarado
President and Chief Operating Officer of EWTN News
“It’s such an American moment for us as immigrants. And so I would just say that it’s really beautiful in our family, not being American, being Mexican and being naturalized citizens, how Thanksgiving has become truly an important moment in our family where we always spend it together. We’re all over the country, and my immediate family always spends it together.
Christmas is a moment to make sure that spiritually we’re in the right place, that we’re focused on our Lord, that we’re not focused on presents and consumerism. Thanksgiving really is that moment for us to come together and be grateful that we have this country, that we are here, and that we get to be together, that we’re not separated – and that, thank God, spiritually, we’re also alive in Christ together as a family. So we have so much to be grateful for.
It almost feels like it’s a Christian tradition much more than a secular tradition to come together in gratitude.”
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