St Francis of Assisi is known as the patron saint of pets and with his feastday celebrated on October 4th, the month of October is special for pets. Many parishes hold some kind of special blessing ceremony for the pets of parishioners.
St. Philomena Parish had their pet blessing on Saturday October 13th. Father Chris Weber welcomed a group of parishioners and their dogs (and one cat!) and conducted a blessing service.
The pets (and owners) were well-behaved though one exclaimed that they had hoped for an exorcism for their rambunctious pooch.
Following the readings and blessings, the entire group (assisted by the occasional woof) read St Francis' prayer:
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
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