by Meredith Joubert
On the afternoon of October 3, 2021, a small group of dogs and their owners began to gather in a grassy area at Jesse Owens Park. At first glance, it appeared to be nothing out of the ordinary. The gathering grew larger, photos of cats and chickens began to be displayed on tables and on cell phones, and then a snake arrived. Passersby might have noticed that things were slightly unusual. And yet it wasn’t unusual at all. The gathering was a special ceremony called the Blessing of Animals, hosted by the St. Paul’s Pet Ministry.
St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals and ecology, is known for his love of all creatures. The Feast of St. Francis is observed annually on October 4. Along with many churches of different traditions, we celebrate the blessing of the animals in remembrance of St. Francis’ love of God’s living things.
At St. Paul’s, we believe that all humans and all creatures are important. The ceremony was open to the community, and pets of all kind were welcomed.
Rev. Ron Bartlow led us in a nice ceremony, with singing, prayer, and a responsive reading. In our blessing of our pets, we are reminded that we are called by God to care for creation. We give thanks that we have been given the task as stewards over all the creatures of the earth. All pets received a bandana that said “I am blessed.” At the end of the ceremony, Rev. Ron went to each pet and each pet photo individually and blessed that pet by name. And we all said Amen!
For many people, the love given to a pet, and received back in return, is a bond like no other. The unconditional love of a pet can connect us with the unconditional grace of God.