Blessing of the Animals

Bring your furry, feathered, finned, or otherwise beloved pets to the Playground on Sun, Oct 4 at 5:00 p.m. for our annual Blessing of the Pets, held in celebration of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.

St. Francis, who lived in Italy in the 12th and 13th centuries, is remembered for his deep love of God’s creation. He saw animals, plants, and the whole natural world not simply as things to be used, but as gifts that point us toward their Creator. Francis famously preached to birds, called the sun his “brother” and the moon his “sister,” and even befriended a wolf. 

The tradition of blessing animals on or near St. Francis’ feast day grew from this same conviction: all creation belongs to God, and all of creation gives us reason to give thanks. A blessing isn’t about making our pets invincible or guaranteeing they’ll stop eating things they absolutely…