People brought their beloved pets to St.John the Baptist Episcopal Church‘s parking lot this afternoon for the annual Blessing of the Animals. The Reverend Canon Elise Johnstone and curate Rev.Vince Booth blessed all the pets who were there.
Most of the pets were dogs, though we did spot two cats:
It was largely a calm and sweet event:
The spoken blessing included:
God’s animals inhabit the sky, the land, and the sea; we share the Earth with them, and like them, rely on God’s blessing to sustain and preserve us. We gather today in communion and friendship with Francis of Assisi, who preached to animals and moved throughout the known world sharing God’s unconditional love for all beings. Remembering Francis’s love for all God’s creatures, bring forward the animals entrusted to your care so that we may bless them.
St. Francis medals were available for all the participating pets.