Squanto was the Native American man who mediated between the Puritan Pilgrims and the Native Americans. Squanto had been enslaved by Protestant English but he was freed by Catholic Spanish Franciscans. Squanto was baptzed and became a Catholic Christian. So it was a baptized Catholic Native American who orchestrated what became known as Thanksgiving even in 1621.
Don't forget that in addition to PETITION, CONTRITION, and ADORATION, the fourth valid type of prayer is APPRECIATION (thanksgiving). The best way to express thanks is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass whereby the Holy Eucharist is made present by the Priest on the altar. The Greek word for 'giving thanks' is the root word (eukaristein) eukaristein) for EUCHARIST. Although not a Holyday of obligation, Catholic Americans should go to Mass on Thanksgiving BEFORE indulging in food and football.
In our Italian home, we had Turkey with trimmings PLUS lasagna, ravioli, meatballs, sausage, pumpkin pie and Sicilian ricotta pie. We ate for hours, rested, ate, rested, ate, etc. In between, my aunts and uncles and cousins yelled, screamed, ranted and raved about anything and everything. No holds barred. We were LOUD and spoke in three languages: English, Italian and Sicilian. My parents and grandparents, however, made sure we showed our gratitude and appreciation by going to Church for MASS before our culinary ecstasy and gastronomic nirvana. THEN CAME THE BRIOSCHI (Italian alka-seltzer)