A Pet Blessing Honors St. Francis of Assisi

The Sisters of St. Franics of Assisi hold a pet blessing and honor their patron saint.
 

Each October 4, Catholics the world over celebrate the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis was born in 1181 or 1182 at Assisi in Umbria, Italy. During his short life, a serious illness caused him to rethink his carefree lifestyle and he began to live the bible literally, following, to the letter, the life Jesus had led.

He preached the Good News to others, immersed himself in prayer and gave up every material possession he had. He also founded the Franciscan Order. At the tender age of 44, St. Francis died on October 3, 1226, but not before receiving the stigmata. After he died, legends of his special ability to relate to animals spread. Some spoke of a time he preached the word of God to birds as they listened attentively. Others spoke of the pact he made with a viscous wolf to stop it from praying upon townspeople and their flocks.

Today, he is the patron saint of Italy, ecology and animals. On or around his October 4th feast day, many, including the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi, commemorate him by having a blessing of pets. On Saturday, October 3, 2009, the  sisters hosted their first annual pet blessing on the lawn of their convent  in front of the St. Francis Grotto.

Though the day was overcast, pet owners brought more than 40 dogs and a lone cat out to be blessed. Fr. John Cella of the friary in Franklin, Wis., was happy to oblige them. Before the pet blessing began, Fr. John recounted a personal story that had helped him to fully understand the special relationship between pets and their owners.

Fr. John’s parents were about to take a vacation and were concerned about where to leave their dog. Fr. John suggested they leave it at a kennel to which his father replied, “Would you put your best friend in jail?” After that, Fr. John understood the bond shared by pets and owners, as well as the desire for so many people to have their special friends blessed.

Many of the dogs blessed were older and suffering from ailments of old age. Their owners hoped the blessing would provide them relief from physical pain. Still, others brought young pups hoping to ensure good health and a long life. One of the youngest pets blessed, an eight-week-old puppy, was brought by its seven-year-old owner and her mother.

Pet owners received a St. Francis prayer card with a St. Francis medal attached to it, while pets received a sprinkling of holy water and a personal prayer. Prior to blessing them, Fr. John asked for all of the pets’ names and spent a moment or two getting to know each one personally. Not all of the dogs present, however, were clear on what this particular event would entail. Some clearly had flashbacks of vet or groomer visits, as they shied away from the priest. Others boldly jumped in and helped themselves to the blessing as they drank straight from the bowl of holy water. Some of the dogs enthusiastically greeted Fr. John by jumping on him and licking him.

As Fr. John blessed the last dog, the sisters responsible for the event reflected on the occasion. “People were so grateful and appreciative and wanted to know if we would do it again next year,” said Sr. Marcia Lunz, a fund-development writer for the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi and co-organizer of the event.

The sisters had set out to bring the community together to celebrate the feast of their patron saint and to bless as many animals as possible in the name of St. Francis. With their mission successfully accomplished, the sisters began looking ahead to next year.

For more information on the sisters, go to http://www.lakeosfs.org/. For more information on the Franciscan Pilgrimage Program with which Fr. John is affiliated, go to http://www.franciscanpilgrimages.com/contact.html.
 

To see more photos of the event and the furry friends who were blessed, go to the photo gallery. Click here! 

Article by Gillian Lester-George
Photo courtesy of Archdiocese of Milwaukee (The women who made the event possible - [from left to right] Sr. Marcia Lunz, writer for fund development; Jan Parrott, fund development, Sr. Kathy Cairns, vocation ministry and Sr. Rose Sevenich, vocation ministry.)