Close to two dozen friars gathered at St. Anthony Friary for a Thanksgiving Meal on Wednesday evening, November 22. Guests from local small friaries joined us for turkey and all of the trimmings. We gathered on Wednesday because most of us headed out on Thanksgiving Day to spend a little time with our families this weekend. Those of us at St. Anthony Friary gathered for Eucharist Thanksgiving morning and then scatted in various directions. I, for example, am in Peoria, IL where I overate with my family yesterday and enjoyed seeing my two sisters and their families, many of whom are now married with their own families. I have yet to meet the newest member of the group--my six day old great niece.

Brother Scott, pictured here "delicately" eating a drumstick, also performed his annual ritual Wednesday night--making a very large pot of turkey soup from the carcass and other choice portions of the bird. When I went to my room late Wednesday evening I could smell the soup filling the house with wonderful aromas. It is little "traditions" like this that make our friaries homey. Yes, we get into patterns of behavior that become community traditions much as members of our families of origin do. What family doesn't have all sorts of rituals and customs that have become traditions around Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Well, so do the friars, and Scott's "famous" turkey soup is a good example.