Diocese of Pittsburgh 30 Days of Gratitude Returns November 1st
Gratitude to God is a cornerstone of Catholic life, so the Diocese of Pittsburgh is bringing back the “30 Days of Gratitude” online campaign to share the spiritual, physical, and emotional benefits of appreciating God’s blessings.
In June of 2018, Pope Francis challenged everyone to ask themselves, “What has God done for me? How many beautiful blessings has He given me?”
The “30 Days of Gratitude” campaign will guide people through answering those questions.
The campaign will begin Sunday, November 1, 2020 and include social media posts, video reflections, and journal pages with prompts for prayers. Resources may be accessed here. Each week will have a special focus:
- November 1-7: gratitude and joy
- November 8-14: gratitude and challenges
- November 15-21: gratitude and suffering
- November 22-28: gratitude and hope
- November 29-30: campaign wrap-up reflections
In the words of Pope Francis, “The Christian life is above all the grateful response to a generous Father. Gratitude is a characteristic trait of the heart visited by the Holy Spirit. To obey God we must first remember his benefits.”
This campaign is intended to help local Catholics experience what the Holy Spirit can do with a grateful heart. In last year’s campaign, followers of the diocesan Facebook page shared stories of gratitude, and invited family and friends to participate and be uplifted and inspired.
“On top of the anxiety related to the COVID-19 pandemic, political, social, and religious divides have taken quite a toll on all of us this year,” said Jennifer Antkowiak, diocesan spokesperson. “Sadly, we see that many are feeling more bitterness than thankfulness. We hope that the ‘30 Days of Gratitude’ campaign will set people up for holidays of warm remembrance.“
Psychological studies show that people who make time to appreciate the things they value are happier, more productive, and experience better overall mental and physical health.
“A grateful heart is a joyful heart,” Antkowiak said. “Working on softening and opening your heart has the capacity to diminish feelings of worry, fear, and doubt.”