The 20s30s Ministry at the American Cathedral in Paris recently hosted their 4th annual Thanksgiving dinner, a multigenerational celebration with over 100 people.
“Thanksgiving has become a key moment for our community, not only to celebrate gratitude, but also to strengthen the bonds between us through hospitality and conviviality,” said Thibault Ayglon, one of the organizers. “Seeing so many people connect, talk, and laugh around the same table was a powerful reminder of what church community can be at its best.”
What made this year particularly special, according to the group’s co-leader Antonio Merino, is that it was the first year young adults have traveled from other parishes – Clermont Ferrand, Wiesbaden, and one student from Edinburgh – to join the celebration. “It is so heartening to see our group growing across the Convocation,” he noted.
Vital to Thanksgiving was the “abundant” spread of all varieties of dishes. “People were very generous. Everyone was able to find something they liked, and there was no waste,” said Marcé Blandine, Merino’s co-leader.
“This is a moment that brings people of all generations together – and from very different social backgrounds – around something simple but essential: sharing a meal and being present with one another,” Ayglon added.
Other special moments included a piano performance by three of the students, a collective prayer from W.E.B. DuBois to unite the gathering in gratitude, a Thanksgiving Tree with leaves for participants to reflect on reasons to be thankful, dancing, a bar (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), and “a lot of love and laughter,” said Hallie Marcott, another of the organizers. “And we were delighted by the number of volunteers who came forward to help with set-up and clean-up,” added Blandine.
Blandine, who has led the group with Merino for the past four years, is stepping down to focus on family. “It was a really special Thanksgiving for me. Antonio, being both my amazing co-leader from day one and the brother I never had, made a heartfelt public announcement to thank me,” she said. “It was so heartwarming and it allowed me to remind everyone that … the most important thing is the amazing bonds we are creating here.”
Future events for the 20s30s and Young Adults of the Convocation are: a pilgrimage to Rome on 22-25 May 2026 for the 150th anniversary of the consecration of Saint Paul’s Within the Walls and participation in the Convocation’s annual convention in Wiesbaden, followed by a pilgrimage to St. Hildegard’s Abbey near Rüdesheim (9-12 Oct. 2026).