Nov. 23, 2023
MM#285--Happy Thanksgiving & Catholic Contributions
FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message Did you know the first actual Thanksgiving took place in St Augustine, Florida in 1565, not the widely believed Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621? Brace yourself for a riveting journey through history as we peel back layers of misconception to uncover the true roots of Thanksgiving. We delve into the fascinating details of this original event, including a holy mass offering, the prominent roles of don Pedro Menendez and father Fr...
FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message
Did you know the first actual Thanksgiving took place in St Augustine, Florida in 1565, not the widely believed Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621?
Brace yourself for a riveting journey through history as we peel back layers of misconception to uncover the true roots of Thanksgiving.
We delve into the fascinating details of this original event, including a holy mass offering, the prominent roles of don Pedro Menendez and father Francisco Lopez de Mendoza Graliales, and the remarkable involvement of the local Timunacan Indians.
Key Points from the Episode:
- We're setting the record straight. Join us as we continue to challenge popular narratives surrounding Thanksgiving with the incredible tale of Squanto, the Catholic Indian who saved the pilgrims at Plymouth Rock.
- Learn about the pivotal role Spanish explorers played in early American history, preceding even the English in what's now known as the American colonies. Our takeaway? History doesn't always align with popular belief.
- Tune in, open your mind, and be inspired to question, explore, and understand more about our collective past, the events that have shaped our present, and the impactful lessons they hold for our future.
Our exploration promises more than just an intellectual feast. It's a hearty meal!
Other resources:
More goodness
Get your FREE Academy Review here!
Get our top book recommendations list
Get new podcast episodes dropped into your email box easily
Want to leave a review? Click here, and if we earned a five-star review from you **high five and knuckle bumps**, we appreciate it greatly, thank you so much!
Because we care what you think about what we think and our website, please email David@teammojoacademy.com, or if you want to leave us a quick FREE, painless voicemail, we would appreciate that as well.
WEBVTT
00:00:07.608 --> 00:00:20.806
Welcome to the Theory to Action podcast, where we examine the timeless treasures of wisdom from the great books in less time, to help you take action immediately and ultimately to create and lead a flourishing life.
00:00:20.806 --> 00:00:24.850
Now here's your host, David Kaiser.
00:00:25.661 --> 00:00:30.952
Hello, I'm David and welcome back to another Mojo Minute.
00:00:30.952 --> 00:00:36.451
I want to wish each and every one of you a very happy Thanksgiving.
00:00:36.451 --> 00:00:47.183
I hope each of you enjoyed the blessings of faith in God and family and freedom in the United States this Thanksgiving.
00:00:47.183 --> 00:00:53.011
So in today's Mojo Minute, let's clear up some of the confusion around Thanksgiving.
00:00:53.011 --> 00:01:03.768
You see, for every untruth that is spoken these days in digital media, there are many unannounced fact checkers who are waiting to pounce on them.
00:01:03.768 --> 00:01:14.390
You saw this with the complete debacle of the New York Times 1619 History Project, where they tried to say that the United States was founded by slaves in 1619.
00:01:15.480 --> 00:01:29.451
Before the usual trope of the year 1620, which is actually our first year of the founding in America, but in just the last 10 years I would have probably believed that.
00:01:29.451 --> 00:01:39.224
You see, our public school history is taught at least in the 1990s, when I was there is uniquely terrible.
00:01:39.224 --> 00:01:51.412
So much so, in fact, that it took me going to college to get a full picture of the United States's history and actually delve deep into US history.
00:01:51.412 --> 00:01:59.828
And from what I'm hearing these days from my friends, the public school education has slid further and further down the slope.
00:01:59.828 --> 00:02:02.165
I can't imagine how bad it is today.
00:02:03.560 --> 00:02:08.131
But that is not the thrust of today's Thanksgiving message.
00:02:08.131 --> 00:02:19.407
Nope, as an American Catholic, I will say American Catholics don't even know their own history or their country's history.
00:02:19.407 --> 00:02:23.288
And to illustrate my point, I will offer three examples.
00:02:23.288 --> 00:02:43.810
First, did you know that the first actual Thanksgiving was given on American soil in 1565, in St Augustine, florida, and not the Mayflower in Plymouth, massachusetts, in 1621.
00:02:43.810 --> 00:02:54.967
Nope, the Spanish began coming to the New World and it is certainly right that Christopher Columbus landed and founded and claimed the Bahama Islands in 1492.
00:02:54.967 --> 00:03:08.754
But technically, you should say, the first actual American Thanksgiving was celebrated on September 8th, the Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin, in 1565 at St Augustine, florida.
00:03:08.754 --> 00:03:10.159
And what do we know about that event?
00:03:10.159 --> 00:03:17.782
Well, we know that the Native Americans attended and the Spanish settlers around St Augustine attended.
00:03:17.782 --> 00:03:20.766
They held a feast and a holy mass was offered.
00:03:20.766 --> 00:03:25.441
Keep in mind, the holy mass is an offering of Thanksgiving.
00:03:25.441 --> 00:03:29.989
Eucharistia in Greek means Thanksgiving.
00:03:29.989 --> 00:03:45.123
We know, don Pedro Menendez came ashore in 1565 amid the firing of guns and military slutes to claim the land for King Philip II of Spain.
00:03:45.123 --> 00:04:01.306
The ship's chaplain, father Francisco Lopez de Mendoza Graliales, chanted the today in prayer as he approached the land and presented a crucifix which Menendez ceremoniously kissed.
00:04:01.306 --> 00:04:19.521
There were some 500 soldiers on hand, as well as 200 sailors, 100 families, along with the local Timunacan I believe I'm pronouncing that right Timunacan Indians, who also celebrated the holy sacrifice of the mass in gratitude to God.
00:04:19.521 --> 00:04:28.221
That was 56 years before the Puritan pilgrims of Massachusetts celebrated with their lot.
00:04:29.185 --> 00:04:39.314
The founding of St Augustine is part of a much longer tale of the Spanish in North America which I'm reading right now and it is quite fascinating.
00:04:39.314 --> 00:04:45.295
So the Spanish began heavily traveling to the current United States in the early 16th century.
00:04:45.295 --> 00:04:54.665
So much so, in fact, that even the second Thanksgiving on American soil could be said to have happened in Texas in 1589.
00:04:54.665 --> 00:04:57.413
By, again, the Spanish explorers.
00:04:57.413 --> 00:04:58.154
At the time.
00:04:58.154 --> 00:05:06.815
You see, the Spanish were in North America much before the English were in what we now call the American colonies.
00:05:06.815 --> 00:05:16.526
Now most people object and say but Florida didn't come in as part of the United States and of America until 1845.
00:05:16.526 --> 00:05:28.310
So you could make that argument, but most people who do make that argument forget that at the time Massachusetts wasn't an American colony either.
00:05:28.310 --> 00:05:37.120
So I submit that Florida and even Texas's thanksgivings should be recognized when telling the American story.
00:05:38.502 --> 00:05:50.918
Now my second example that most American Catholics don't know about Thanksgiving, in addition to when the actual first Thanksgiving was held in St Augustine, is that?
00:05:50.918 --> 00:05:57.930
Did you know that it was a Catholic Indian who saved the pilgrims at Plymouth Rock?
00:05:57.930 --> 00:06:04.288
Yes, in fact, squanto the savior of the Plymouth Thanksgiving was actually Catholic.
00:06:04.288 --> 00:06:06.913
His story is fascinating.
00:06:06.913 --> 00:06:16.730
You can read all about it in a wonderful, interesting book called 150 People, places and Things you Never Knew, or Catholic, by Jay Cop.
00:06:16.730 --> 00:06:19.680
In fact, let's go to the book to hear the story.
00:06:19.680 --> 00:06:28.422
We all know the story of the first Thanksgiving in 1621 and how Native Americans helped the pilgrims grow food.
00:06:28.422 --> 00:06:33.571
Well, as Paul Harvey would say, here's the rest of the story.
00:06:33.571 --> 00:06:43.047
A Catholic Native American made it all possible, considering what he knew of the White Settlers and how he had been treated by them up to that time.
00:06:43.047 --> 00:06:45.153
It was something of a miracle.
00:06:46.165 --> 00:06:52.098
In 1614, captain John Smith of Pocahontas fame led two British ships to Maine.
00:06:52.098 --> 00:06:59.954
One of his lieutenants sailed one of those ships to Cape Cod, where the British explorers encountered a tribe of Native Americans.
00:06:59.954 --> 00:07:13.891
He invited two dozen of them, curious about these strange seafarers, to the ship, where they were forced into irons and taken as slaves back across the Atlantic to the island of Magala, near Spain.
00:07:13.891 --> 00:07:16.350
One of them was a man named Squanto.
00:07:16.350 --> 00:07:28.036
Spain was a Catholic nation and Pope Paul III and 1537 had issued a papal bull that forbade the enslavement of indigenous peoples of the Americas.
00:07:28.036 --> 00:07:36.230
The Native Americans, he ruled, were rational human beings who had the right to freedom, even if they were heathen.
00:07:36.230 --> 00:07:48.853
So before Squanto could be sold into chains, rather excuse me Franciscan friars released him and diligently taught him the Catholic faith.
00:07:48.853 --> 00:07:56.107
Squanto wanted to return home, but the friars instead were able to send him to London as a free man.
00:07:56.107 --> 00:08:05.884
He there learned English and then finally secured a passage back to the Americas in 1619.
00:08:05.884 --> 00:08:08.673
Squanto made his way to Plymouth Rock, but his tribe was gone.
00:08:08.673 --> 00:08:12.595
It was wiped out by diseases transmitted by white settlers.
00:08:12.595 --> 00:08:23.672
He was taken captive by a chief Nade, massacois, whose own powerful Wampong tribe also had greatly been reduced by disease.
00:08:23.672 --> 00:08:29.497
Massacois had to decide what to do about the white settlers who had arrived, the pilgrims.
00:08:29.497 --> 00:08:31.591
He was not sure he could trust them.
00:08:31.591 --> 00:08:34.091
They had stolen ten bushels of maize.
00:08:34.091 --> 00:08:37.091
Their thievery helped keep them alive.
00:08:37.150 --> 00:08:37.953
That first winner.
00:08:37.953 --> 00:08:59.850
Little had gone right for them since they sailed from England and half of the 102 people aboard the Mayflower were dead by the end of that first winner, massacois probably could have easily killed the settlers, but he had his own rivals to deal with and the pilgrims had cannons and guns and weapons that might make his rivals hesitate to attack him.
00:08:59.850 --> 00:09:09.229
So he sent Squanto as an emissary to them, and the pilgrims were astounded at his ability to speak English.
00:09:09.229 --> 00:09:16.931
The Catholic Squanto taught the pilgrims how to plant native corn and how to fish, and he saved their lives in another way.
00:09:16.931 --> 00:09:24.528
In serving as an emissary and interpreter, he almost certainly turned Massacois away from an attack.
00:09:25.085 --> 00:09:30.476
The great irony is that the pilgrims were hostile to Catholics and religious freedom.
00:09:30.476 --> 00:09:35.335
They left England to establish a settlement free of other forms of Christianity.
00:09:35.335 --> 00:09:45.013
The great GK Chesterton once cracked that England ought to celebrate Thanksgiving in gratitude that the intolerant pilgrims left England.
00:09:45.013 --> 00:09:48.607
Sadly, squanto did not live.
00:09:48.607 --> 00:09:56.154
Long after his memorable kindness to the pilgrims, he succumbed to a European brought disease in 1622.
00:09:56.154 --> 00:10:07.033
His last words, according to William Bradford, the governor of the Plymouth Colony, were to pray for him that he might go to the quote Englishman's God in heaven.
00:10:07.033 --> 00:10:15.017
Squanto, tricked and kidnapped as a slave by white settlers, still treated the pilgrims as friends.
00:10:15.017 --> 00:10:39.784
We equate thanksgiving with gratitude for blessings, of course, but Squanto, in exemplifying forgiveness and charity, helped bring to the New World, to the often narrow-minded, pinch-faced pilgrims, the ethic of love at the heart of Christianity, call it his first instance of reverse evangelization.
00:10:39.784 --> 00:10:44.283
So that is a fascinating story about Squanto.
00:10:44.283 --> 00:10:46.883
Most Americans don't know that story.
00:10:46.883 --> 00:10:50.402
Most American Catholics, frankly, do not know that story.
00:10:50.402 --> 00:10:59.385
And as the great Paul Harvey said from our quote, now you know the rest of the story.
00:10:59.385 --> 00:11:10.022
Now, finally, there's one third example I'm going to demonstrate because most American Catholics don't know this history either.
00:11:10.022 --> 00:11:20.485
Did you know that there was a Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence and that he was a good friend of our first American president, the great George Washington?
00:11:20.485 --> 00:11:22.960
Let's go to the book for that story.
00:11:24.774 --> 00:11:28.748
Maryland was a glorious exception among the original 13 colonies.
00:11:28.748 --> 00:11:35.806
Generally excluded from influence and power, catholics faced myriad of legal, social and religious barriers.
00:11:35.806 --> 00:11:44.557
To be a person of influence and power in the early days of the America required you to be white, protestant and a man Sound familiar.
00:11:44.557 --> 00:11:55.464
As the colonies grew increasingly dissatisfied with British rule and as support for independence group, catholics continued to be kept on the sidelines and marginalized.
00:11:55.464 --> 00:11:59.000
56 men signed the Declaration of Independence.
00:11:59.000 --> 00:12:03.058
Only one was Catholic Charles Carroll.
00:12:03.995 --> 00:12:11.118
Carroll was an extremely wealthy Maryland landowner, one of the richest men in the colonies, if not the richest.
00:12:11.118 --> 00:12:20.162
Even so, protestants had regularly challenged his patriotism, questioning whether his ultimate loyalty was to Rome or not.
00:12:20.162 --> 00:12:26.817
Like the other signers, his backing of the American independence put his life and wealth at risk.
00:12:26.817 --> 00:12:31.845
Carroll risked as much as, if not more than, any other signer.
00:12:31.845 --> 00:12:40.000
When John Hancock asked if indeed he would sign the Declaration of Independence, he replied most willingly.
00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:45.285
A bystander blithely remarked there goes a few million.
00:12:45.285 --> 00:12:51.346
Incidentally, carroll's cousin, john, served as the nation's first bishop in Baltimore.
00:12:51.346 --> 00:13:00.886
Sensitive to American suspicions about Catholics, he asked Rome in 1787 to allow US Catholics to celebrate mass in English.
00:13:00.886 --> 00:13:07.186
Not quite ready for Vatican II, the Pope refused this unusual request.
00:13:08.355 --> 00:13:12.517
Charles Carroll served as a US Senator After the revolution.
00:13:12.517 --> 00:13:20.301
President Washington considered him a close friend and an ally of and it was an ally of Carroll.
00:13:20.301 --> 00:13:24.682
He asked him to support a Foreign Service appropriation.
00:13:24.682 --> 00:13:30.183
The first time a president ever, over alert, overtly attempted to influence legislation.
00:13:30.183 --> 00:13:38.407
Carroll adroitly persuaded the House of Representatives to reverse its opposition to this appropriation.
00:13:39.634 --> 00:13:41.962
Carroll enjoyed a long and distinguished public career.
00:13:41.962 --> 00:13:53.345
Besides being a Senator, he helped to develop Maryland's first constitution and its declaration of rights, and never went too shy away from a public duty.
00:13:53.345 --> 00:13:56.722
He even laid the cornerstone of the B&O Railroad.
00:13:56.722 --> 00:14:02.764
When he died at age 95, he was the last remaining signer of the Declaration.
00:14:02.764 --> 00:14:11.998
So those are just several examples of how we have misread our own history here in the United States.
00:14:11.998 --> 00:14:20.948
So in today's Mojo Minute again, I want to wish you, each of you, a happy and hearty thanksgiving.
00:14:20.948 --> 00:14:27.352
May you enjoy your feast and, most importantly, give thanks for your faith in God.
00:14:27.352 --> 00:14:41.965
For this wonderful country, its religious freedom that it allowed Puritans and Catholics and all peoples of goodwill, despite their differences, to live a flourishing life here.
00:14:41.965 --> 00:14:45.278
So a happy thanksgiving everyone.
00:14:50.554 --> 00:14:51.578
Thank you for joining us.
00:14:51.578 --> 00:14:54.964
We hope you enjoyed this Theory to Action podcast.
00:14:54.964 --> 00:15:04.144
Be sure to check out our show page at teammojoacademycom, where we have everything we discussed in this podcast, as well as other great resources.
00:15:04.144 --> 00:15:07.956
Until next time, keep getting your Mojo on.
00:00:07.608 --> 00:00:20.806
00:00:20.806 --> 00:00:24.850
00:00:25.661 --> 00:00:30.952
00:00:30.952 --> 00:00:36.451
00:00:36.451 --> 00:00:47.183
00:00:47.183 --> 00:00:53.011
00:00:53.011 --> 00:01:03.768
00:01:03.768 --> 00:01:14.390
00:01:15.480 --> 00:01:29.451
00:01:29.451 --> 00:01:39.224
00:01:39.224 --> 00:01:51.412
00:01:51.412 --> 00:01:59.828
00:01:59.828 --> 00:02:02.165
00:02:03.560 --> 00:02:08.131
00:02:08.131 --> 00:02:19.407
00:02:19.407 --> 00:02:23.288
00:02:23.288 --> 00:02:43.810
00:02:43.810 --> 00:02:54.967
00:02:54.967 --> 00:03:08.754
00:03:08.754 --> 00:03:10.159
00:03:10.159 --> 00:03:17.782
00:03:17.782 --> 00:03:20.766
00:03:20.766 --> 00:03:25.441
00:03:25.441 --> 00:03:29.989
00:03:29.989 --> 00:03:45.123
00:03:45.123 --> 00:04:01.306
00:04:01.306 --> 00:04:19.521
00:04:19.521 --> 00:04:28.221
00:04:29.185 --> 00:04:39.314
00:04:39.314 --> 00:04:45.295
00:04:45.295 --> 00:04:54.665
00:04:54.665 --> 00:04:57.413
00:04:57.413 --> 00:04:58.154
00:04:58.154 --> 00:05:06.815
00:05:06.815 --> 00:05:16.526
00:05:16.526 --> 00:05:28.310
00:05:28.310 --> 00:05:37.120
00:05:38.502 --> 00:05:50.918
00:05:50.918 --> 00:05:57.930
00:05:57.930 --> 00:06:04.288
00:06:04.288 --> 00:06:06.913
00:06:06.913 --> 00:06:16.730
00:06:16.730 --> 00:06:19.680
00:06:19.680 --> 00:06:28.422
00:06:28.422 --> 00:06:33.571
00:06:33.571 --> 00:06:43.047
00:06:43.047 --> 00:06:45.153
00:06:46.165 --> 00:06:52.098
00:06:52.098 --> 00:06:59.954
00:06:59.954 --> 00:07:13.891
00:07:13.891 --> 00:07:16.350
00:07:16.350 --> 00:07:28.036
00:07:28.036 --> 00:07:36.230
00:07:36.230 --> 00:07:48.853
00:07:48.853 --> 00:07:56.107
00:07:56.107 --> 00:08:05.884
00:08:05.884 --> 00:08:08.673
00:08:08.673 --> 00:08:12.595
00:08:12.595 --> 00:08:23.672
00:08:23.672 --> 00:08:29.497
00:08:29.497 --> 00:08:31.591
00:08:31.591 --> 00:08:34.091
00:08:34.091 --> 00:08:37.091
00:08:37.150 --> 00:08:37.953
00:08:37.953 --> 00:08:59.850
00:08:59.850 --> 00:09:09.229
00:09:09.229 --> 00:09:16.931
00:09:16.931 --> 00:09:24.528
00:09:25.085 --> 00:09:30.476
00:09:30.476 --> 00:09:35.335
00:09:35.335 --> 00:09:45.013
00:09:45.013 --> 00:09:48.607
00:09:48.607 --> 00:09:56.154
00:09:56.154 --> 00:10:07.033
00:10:07.033 --> 00:10:15.017
00:10:15.017 --> 00:10:39.784
00:10:39.784 --> 00:10:44.283
00:10:44.283 --> 00:10:46.883
00:10:46.883 --> 00:10:50.402
00:10:50.402 --> 00:10:59.385
00:10:59.385 --> 00:11:10.022
00:11:10.022 --> 00:11:20.485
00:11:20.485 --> 00:11:22.960
00:11:24.774 --> 00:11:28.748
00:11:28.748 --> 00:11:35.806
00:11:35.806 --> 00:11:44.557
00:11:44.557 --> 00:11:55.464
00:11:55.464 --> 00:11:59.000
00:11:59.000 --> 00:12:03.058
00:12:03.995 --> 00:12:11.118
00:12:11.118 --> 00:12:20.162
00:12:20.162 --> 00:12:26.817
00:12:26.817 --> 00:12:31.845
00:12:31.845 --> 00:12:40.000
00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:45.285
00:12:45.285 --> 00:12:51.346
00:12:51.346 --> 00:13:00.886
00:13:00.886 --> 00:13:07.186
00:13:08.355 --> 00:13:12.517
00:13:12.517 --> 00:13:20.301
00:13:20.301 --> 00:13:24.682
00:13:24.682 --> 00:13:30.183
00:13:30.183 --> 00:13:38.407
00:13:39.634 --> 00:13:41.962
00:13:41.962 --> 00:13:53.345
00:13:53.345 --> 00:13:56.722
00:13:56.722 --> 00:14:02.764
00:14:02.764 --> 00:14:11.998
00:14:11.998 --> 00:14:20.948
00:14:20.948 --> 00:14:27.352
00:14:27.352 --> 00:14:41.965
00:14:41.965 --> 00:14:45.278
00:14:50.554 --> 00:14:51.578
00:14:51.578 --> 00:14:54.964
00:14:54.964 --> 00:15:04.144
00:15:04.144 --> 00:15:07.956
