We Love Our Pets

                  Last month I had the honor to bless a horse on a farm in Bedminster, NJ. It was a beautiful day to be outside with a blue sky, low humidity and summer temperatures. As I arrived I was taken to the barn to meet Alexa (aka Wedding Planner), the horse for the blessing. I provided some treats to Alexa prior to the blessing with hope that the horse would be comfortable with me. The owner of the horse and her mom proudly took some pictures of me with the horse coupled with themselves. I was also introduced to another horse named BO which was a former race horse who never won a race with total earnings that amounted to $0.00. Alexa was led out of the stable, and walked to a grassy area of the farm beneath a tree for the blessing.
 
     At this moment the boyfriend of the owner of the horse showed up which brought tears to the woman’s eyes as we readied ourselves for the blessing. After reading a passage from Genesis about God’s creation and praying the Our Father and some Intercessory Prayers, I sprinkled holy water upon Alexa which caused her to jump with each sprinkle. Upon completion of the blessing, I was given some treats to give Alexa, but more importantly I realized how much the blessing meant to the owner who hugged me and thanked me for coming to the barn. The experience reminded me of the love that people have for their pets/animals. 
 
     Next Sunday, October 1 at 1:00 p.m. outside of the entrance to the Fr. Ed Center a celebration that blesses pets and animals takes place. This is always an enriching gathering in that it is so enchanting to see the love that is shared between pets and their owners as well as the enjoyment pets bring to people. It is the tradition at the parish that the newest priest/deacon celebrates the gathering, which gives the honor to Fr. Chris. Although there is no particular prayer/blessing that must be used for this celebration, one blessing I often use is: “Blessed are you, Lord God, maker of all living creatures. You called forth fish in the sea, birds in the air, and animals on the land. You inspired St. Francis to call all of them his sisters and brothers. We ask you to bless these pets. By the power of your love, enable these pets to live in accordance to your plan. May we always praise you for all your beauty in creation. Blessed are you, Lord our God, in all your creatures! Amen.”
 
     There is little information on the way blessings for pets and animals originated, however it is evident that these creatures draw us closer to God since they are part of God’s creation. Many trace the blessing of pets and animals to the life of St. Francis of Assisi, which is celebrated on Wednesday, October 4. the day of his passing. St. Francis possessed tremendous love for all of God’s creation, which included pets and animals. Many in the church believe that there is hardly a saint more known and loved than Francis who was born in 1182 in Assisi, Italy and was the son of wealthy parents. While growing up Francis spent much time with friends in the pursuit of pleasure by drinking and partying till late hours in that it was not until Francis experienced a long illness that he had time to reflect upon his life and God’s plan for him. This led to his conversion and the foundation of the Franciscan family, which today is made up of priests, sisters, brothers, and lay people. In his later years Francis reverted to a quiet, reflective lifestyle with a heart smothered in joy, love, and peace.
 
     All are welcome next Sunday, October 1, at 1:00 p.m.to bring a pet or animal to the grounds outside the parish center for a special blessing. The service consists of a short prayer, reading from scripture, and an individual blessing upon each pet and animal, which makes us aware that “God made all kinds of wild animals, all kinds of cattle, and kinds of creeping things of the earth. God saw how good it was. So the Lord formed out of the ground various wild animals and various birds of the air, and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them; whatever the man called each of them would be its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of the air, and all the wild animals.” (Genesis 1:24, 2:19,20a)
 
In Christ's Love,'
Fr. Bob