Pets storm parishes for annual blessing

By Ambria Hammel | Oct. 15, 2009 | The Catholic Sun

TEMPE — Barking and meowing overpowered the normal chitchat after the Oct. 3 Mass at Holy Spirit Parish.

Some 300 furry, feathery and scaly creatures filled the courtyard for the annual “Blessing of the Animals” in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals, whose feast day is Oct. 4.

“You see so many happy people. They’re all proud of their pets. It even helps humans to bond together,” Fr. Thomas Hallsten, KHS, parochial administrator of Holy Spirit and owner of a 4-year-old Westy, said of the annual event.

Raquel Cabrera has had both of her Keeshonds blessed before, but was happy to bring them to the event. The veterinarian gave up on 9-year-old Ricky two years ago when he got Valley fever.

Cabrera rubbed him with holy water and asked the Lord to watch over him.

Lavona Florez and her sister had their cats blessed for the first time because of recent surgeries.

“He brings a lot of joy to us,” Florez said of her black cat that she adopted four years ago. “He’ll make you laugh by the end of the day.”

She said he likes to talk to the birds or playfully attack when one passes by.

Parishioners at the blessing also prayed for pets who have died in the last year as well as for those who are sick. The parish’s shawl ministry offered hand-knitted blankets to pets that are ill.

That included one of Joe and Barb Martinez’s three rescued Scotties who has bladder cancer.

“It’s a calling to take care of the animals. Just like St. Francis had that calling too,” Barb Martinez said.

Each pet received a St. Francis medal on a paw print ribbon and a personal blessing.

“Protect our pets, Your creatures, who provide us with joy and nonjudgmental companionship,” Fr. Hallsten prayed during the blessing.

The Tempe parish wasn’t the only one to honor pets.

“Animals not only are companions to us but we are companions to them,” Fr. Jude Uche, parochial vicar of San Francisco de Asís Parish in Flagstaff, said during an Oct. 3 blessing. He reminded more than 50 pet owners of their duty to treat animals with love.

“We need to always be conscious of treating animals with dignity and respect and we pray for those who do not honor this gift,” he said. 

Nearly 60 students at St. Joan of Arc Preschool also had their animals — real or stuffed — blessed by their pastor Oct. 6.

Catherine Hanley in Flagstaff contributed to this story.