- November 6, 2024
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When Reverend Wayne Farrell greeted the crowd gathered at St. Boniface Episcopal Church he thanked God for all of his creatures, even the two-legged ones.
His joke, met with laughter, opened the annual Animal Blessing in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, who was the patron saint of animals. The feast day for St. Francis of Assisi is Oct. 4. Animals and their owners attended a Saturday morning service followed by the animal blessing and light refreshments. Barking mixed with singing throughout the service as the animals sniffed out new friends and patiently, and some impatiently, waited to be blessed by reverends Wayne Farrell and Ralph McGimpsey.
The animals present were all dogs, except for two lynx point siamese cats, Tilly and Daisy, who rested quietly in their carrier and ignored all the woofing, barking and sniffing happening around them.
The service was hosted by the church’s Boniface Eco-Stewardship Team, B.E.S.T.
Head of B.E.S.T., Gracie Riker, said she loves having the animals together and notices that all of them get along for the most part.
“It’s just nice to see people enjoying their pets and coming together to celebrate their pets,” she said.