Blessing of the Animals Next Week
Dear Friends,
We’re heading into the dog (and cat) days of fall at St. Andrew’s! Our Blessing of the Animals service is next week. Blessing of the Animals is traditionally associated with the Feast of St. Francis. St. Francis Day is October 4, and this year our Blessing of the Animals service will be on the Saturday after St. Francis Day, October 7 at 10 am, outside at the Garden Chapel.
If you’ve never been to a Blessing of the Animals service, here’s how it works:
Pets come to church with their people. Usually these are dogs and cats, but other animals are welcome too. (NB: In case of a snake, Mother Paulette and I have decided Father Logan will bless it.)
We have a brief service. The dogs tend to get distracted during the scripture reading, but their people play close attention and are richly edified.
Each animal is individually prayed for and blessed by a priest.
For the next 365 days, blessed pets are perfectly behaved: visitors are welcomed into the home with friendly calm, food is not begged for, the mailman is not barked at, there are no accidents indoors, and things around the house are neither chewed or scratched.
I’m serious. About #1-3 anyway. For #4 you may need actual St. Francis.
Blessing of the Animals really is a lovely service, especially now that we can partake of the beauty of God’s creation at our Garden Chapel. It’s a wonderful evening to remember, give thanks, and praise God for the gift of the animals in our lives. If you have a pet, bring them up to St. Andrew’s next Saturday at 10 am.
In Christ,
Fr. Andrew
PS: The third of Bishop Sumner’s four-part series is this Wednesday, October 4 at 7:00 pm.
