2000 Turkeys

[Brownginger]

I just read the newsletter of my archdiocese and, like a slap in the face, noticed that the local shelter needs 200 turkeys for Thanksgiving. That brought to mind my annual nightmare about the millions of turkeys that are slaughtered across the country for this one day and the hundreds of millions of chickens that must live and die under horrible conditions throughout the year.

Why doesn't the Catholic Church take the lead in refusing to supply the poor and homeless such food and instead provide them with wholesome, nutritious, delicious meals consisting of food the providing of which does not include the terrible violence and abuse?

[creationlover]

Brownginger,

I appreciate your zeal for those in poverty as well as the horrific suffering that occurs to our Lord's animals.

Perhaps my answer is overly simplistic. Most are unaware of the horrific conditions in slaughterhouses, or do not believe they exist. Also, it would be terribly expensive to provide organic meals - they can feed more people by providing non organic foods. Then of course, even if they did provide organic vegetarian meals, would the recipients eat the food? Would they like it?

Thoughts?

[Brownginger]

I don't know the answer. Perhaps if more people were to refuse to partake of meat, there would be more land on which to grow organic food and the prices would come down. As you say, many, perhaps most, people just cannot accept the amount of violence and suffering that is done to animals for the sake of monetary profit. There comes a time when the Catholic Church has a duty to speak out or at least to refrain from indirectly participating in such suffering.

It is indisputable that there is no violence in Heaven and the Church teaches that Heaven begins on earth. It follows that the Church must seek to eradicate viiolence in all forms, including that done to animals. Simply because our primary duty is to love our God and to love one another does not mean that we cannot speak up for those with no voice. When I lose spirit, I remember St. Francis, one of the greatest of the saints, and I know that God does not want us to sit idly by while men do such things and that there is reward in being kind.

For those who turn away because they cannot bear to know and for those who know and yet prefer to satisfy their appetites, programs such as the one recently broadcast about the inhumane chicken plant will go far to change minds. Of course, there are clean and humane farms run by people who are high-minded; but the violence is there, nonetheless.

As for the desire of the poor for the taste of meat, those who provide meals are charitable in catering to that desire. If they were to serve vegetables instead of turkey on Thanksgiving, what good would it be to make people unhappy and on top of that to have to throw away uneaten food? So I don't know the anwer -- perhaps the answer will never be known.

[creationlover]

But we keep doing what is right. We fight for human rights; we keep fighting for compassion to animals. Years ago, I think it was the actor Martin Sheen who attempted to provide a vegetarian Thanksgiving for the poor and they were not at all happy about the meal. As we keep living by example, more and more will adopt the lifestyle. I know depending on the climate and local environment, there are some who will have to eat meat. But, as you so beautifully said, our job is to bring Heaven to earth as much as we can. And that means we keep extending compassion to humanity, the animals and being responsible for our environment.

[4elise]

My daughter worked at a sanctuary for farm animals years ago and she told me something that I have shared with people who still eat turkeys -

One year at this sanctuary before the holidays a volunteer came with his guitar and played music for the animals - and the turkeys, she told me, were so fond of the guitar music that they sat in a semi circle around the musician and kind of settle down and make a kind of purring/clicking sound and fluffed up their feathers while he played -

An image that stays with me.

Happy thanksgiving to all of you - and all the turkeys we won't be eating, hopefully they will find their way to a place where they too can some day enjoy guitar music!

[Brownginger]

That is a beautiful story and it will stay with me for a lifetime!