While the countdown to turkey, yams, and pie has been underway since Halloween, Thanksgiving came to Boston College a week ahead of schedule. On Wednesday, Campus Ministry sponsored the third annual Multi-Faith Thanksgiving Celebration, which combined practices and traditions from many cultures to enrich the student body and celebrate all that students were thankful for.
Multi-Faith Thanksgivings have been a part of the BC calendar since 2006, when Vice President for University Mission and Ministry Joseph Appleyard, S.J., requested it be instituted. Since then, the practice has become tradition. Last year had notable speakers, such as Matt Ryan, BC '08.
"The service is designed to provide opportunities for persons who are non-Catholic to have opportunities to express their faith and call all facets and traditions of the University together in a shared sacred experience," said Rev. Howard McLendon, leader of Interfaith Programs and the service on Wednesday.
The celebration drew from many different faiths, including Judaism, Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism. "[The celebration] provides a chance to be exposed to other religious traditions of both BC and the world," McLendon said. The service drew from all of these traditions to create a well-rounded celebration and imparted knowledge and understanding to the crowd about many faiths of the world. There was Islamic music, Jewish and Anglican blessings, and various readings drawing from Buddhism and Judaism. The Heights Room itself reflected the unification of traditions, as banners of many different faiths were hung next to each other. When asked what he hoped attendees would take away from the celebration, McLendon said he wanted them "to leave with an opportunity to express thanks for the blessings of God and a deeper appreciation for all of God's creation."
The speaker this year was Rev. Michael Himes, a professor in the theology department. Himes said he hoped to address all faith traditions in his speech, focusing on a message about gratitude, a subject that transcends religious differences. He said that it was through gratitude that people can appreciate others. "If we recognize our dependence, then we turn … to another, who is a friend. That is what grounds gratitude," Himes said. He addressed religion more specifically in a jest and said, "I am not God - and that's a good thing." His remarks were met with applause.
The celebration included a new component this year with the introduction of the Noor Ensemble, a group that performs classical Moroccan music with classical Middle Eastern instruments. According to the service's program, the group is representative of the spirit of the celebration as "they sing about peace, God, Prophets, and seek to unite and connect all persons of all religious traditions."
This year, the service also partnered with Spread the Bread, focusing on the theme of "Bread for a World in Need." Spread the Bread was founded by two BC alumni in 2001, and its mission, according to its Web site, is to "make a small, practical difference in the lives of others: a hungry person, an unsung hero, an elderly person living alone." The Web site emphasizes how anyone can participate in the program, and its partnership with BC provided an opportunity to help needy families this season.
While the Thanksgiving service provides an opportunity for the BC community to come together to celebrate a holiday, McLendon said its interfaith aspect is an essential part of this celebration. "[Cooperation between faiths] is essential. We live in a global community comprised of many religious traditions, and we will not be able to successfully live together on this planet without an understanding and acceptance of the heritages and beliefs of others in the world," McLendon said.
When the service concluded, there was another reason to celebrate: free food. Attendees were invited to stay and share in music, community, and a buffet.
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