God bless our pets!
October 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, has become synonymous with Blessing of the Pets at schools, parishes and shelters throughout the area. After all, he is the patron saint of the environment and animals because he loved all creatures. Legend has it that he preached even to the birds.
We have three pet blessing celebrations to share that honor the saintly tradition:
Immaculate Conception Parish, Fayetteville
Father Cliff Auth, pastor and dog owner, and Msgr. Ron Bill blessed pets and owners gathered at the Immaculate Conception campus in Fayetteville. This was a first-time event for the church, hopefully an annual gathering going forward. Photos courtesy of Erin Zacholl.
St. Joseph Parish, Endicott
Deacon Bill Matts presided at the blessing of pets, and appropriately so: St. Francis of Assisi was a deacon. A nice turnout of pets (and owners) was had on a beautiful weekend throughout the diocese.
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Holy Family School, Norwich
Father Tony Mathew, parochial vicar of St. Bartholomew and St. Paul churches, visited Holy Family School in Norwich for their annual blessing gathering. Given the indoor setting, the blessings were mostly conferred on pet photos and stuffed animals. Father did bless Luna, the resident therapy dog, and some hermit crabs that call the kindergarten terrarium their home. Photos courtesy of Miss Samantha Browne.
