On Thursday, October 5th, students and families of St. Joseph School came together to mark the feast of St. Francis of Assisi with the blessing of their pets. St. Francis of Assisi was a 13th-century friar and preacher who is known as the patron saint of animals and the environment. In honor of his memory and his love for all of God’s creations, families bring their pets to church for a special ceremony referred to as the “Blessing of the Animals.”
The celebration is always a memorable event for the St. Joseph School students. This year, children and parents gathered in the school yard with their dogs, cats, hamsters, lizards and fish – which were all blessed by the Associate Pastor, Rev. Grzegorz Chodkowski.
Animal lovers can bless their pets using the prayer which asks God: “Reach out with your right hand and grant that these animals may serve our needs and that your bounty in the resources of this life may move us to seek more confidently the goal of eternal life.”
