By Joe Stanton
Contributing writer and photographer
The weather barked, so they got them all under one woof.
Father Sean O’Brien, pastor of St. Peter’s Church in Rome, Oneida County, held a Blessing of Animals on Oct. 7.
Parishioners brought their cats, dogs, rabbits and other household pets directly into church for the blessing. Some parishioners brought more than one pet. Father O’Brien, who had invited a variety of creatures to the parking lot, including a horse, ridden or in a trailer, and even crawly things as long as they were in a box. Inside the church, he kiddingly asked one parishioner if there was a tarantula in the box. Ha-ha, no.
At one point, one of the dogs started barking, and the rest followed.
But no horses were blessed at St. Peter’s Church that day.
Luckily, there were no surprises left for the cleanup crew.
