Of all our national holidays, Thanksgiving is one of my absolute favorites. What a wonderful idea it is to gather with family and friends, reflect on our bountiful blessings, and give thanks for God’s generosity. At our house this year, we are especially anticipating our college kids’ return home for a long weekend of family fun.
We here at Catholic Digest are also pausing for a moment this Thanksgiving to offer thanks for many good things that have come our way in the past year. Working together on the redesign of our magazine has been a joyful challenge for all of us here on staff. The addition of Bishop Robert Reed as our editor-at-large has brought an injection of fresh ideas and great hope for the future. Our updated website (CatholicDigest.com) has given us the opportunity to grow in new ways and bring the joys of the Catholic faith to the next generation.
Of course, one of the blessings we cherish most here at Catholic Digest is our relationship with you, our readers. We love to hear from you, and one thing you consistently tell us is that you love Patrick’s Corner, the monthly column where our own Sean Patrick shares touching stories about growing up in an Irish Catholic family.
As a contributor for more than 30 years, Sean Patrick truly has become part of our family here at Catholic Digest, and I know that many of you consider him part of yours, too. After years of generous service, though, Sean plans to begin a well-deserved retirement from his writing. We will be running some of his “best of” columns in the coming months and for the remainder of this publishing year.
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I hope that you will join me in expressing our heartfelt thanks to Sean for the stories, joy, faith, and love he has shared with us throughout the years. He has a few personal words to share with you in our November 2017 print issue and below. If you would like to send a note of thanks and congratulations to Sean, you can do so through our office at this address:
Sean Patrick c/o Catholic Digest
3055 Kettering Blvd.
Suite 100
Dayton, OH 45439
Thanksgiving blessings to you and yours!
A farewell message from Sean Patrick
To my favorite friends — the readers of Catholic Digest — whom I have loved and cherished for more than 30 years and who deserve a real, “Thanks, gang” from YOUR best friend! It has been a real adventure, getting to know and love you. My personal patron, the archangel St. Michael, is telling me it’s time to relax and sit back. I can now say I have read every single article in every single Catholic Digest since 1986 and have loved every word.
Thanks to Danielle Bean, Paul McKibben, and the rest of the Catholic Digest staff, along with others like my best friend Dan Connors and Julie Butters, who has spread her talented wings a bit. I will miss you all but not for long! I promise to keep you all in my prayers and thoughts, as I can keep the shining smile on that golden lady on the gleaming dome at the University of Notre Dame — my alma mater — in my vision now and forever. And let me bestow her love and glory upon each reader who remembers my final words: Love y’all!
— Sean-O