Thoughts on the Blessing of Animals

The Rev. Miriam Saxon

(View a collection of photos from the pet blessing in our galleries)

What fun it was to mark the commemoration of St. Francis of Assisi's life and ministry with our annual blessing of our pets! This was my first opportunity as a priest to participate in an animal blessing, and it was a holy way to honor the love that our pets provide us. I have often said that my first dog, Lucy (a black lab), taught me the true meaning of God's unconditional love for us. No matter how often I ignored Lucy or fussed at her for some doggy error, she immediately forgave me for any meanness and always greeted me as if I was the most important person in the universe.

The pet blessing service was a wonderful reminder of how much our pets give back to us and comfort us as daily companions. I especially loved the cats that came, perhaps somewhat begrudgingly as cats are prone to do, but who came as witnesses to their owners' love for them. The barking, anxious dogs mixed in with some cowering or unsure cats were inspiring chaos!

Margaret Parks brought her cats in newly purchased carriers on wheels, and she said they liked these so much that they decided to sleep in them once she took them home. Perhaps these new carriers will make future vet visits less stressful! It was fun to meet the elderly Moses, companion to AD Sawyer, and to hear stories from Mark Johnson about how he showed God's hospitality by taking in a dog that had been owned by a cancer patient, even though the dog turned out to be an elderly dog, not the puppy Mark thought he was getting.

For those of you who missed this fun day, I encourage you to plan now to join in the chaos and laughter at next year's pet blessing!!