St. Joseph’s celebrates annual blessing of pets
St. Joseph’s celebrates annual blessing of pets
Special connection
Maverick McKinney, father, and their cat Penelope attend the pet blessing event on Monday.
St. Joseph School student Kenzie Philips with a photograph of her pets to be blessed.
Special connection
Maverick McKinney, father, and their cat Penelope attend the pet blessing event on Monday.
St. Joseph School student Kenzie Philips with a photograph of her pets to be blessed.
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Students, families and their pets gathered in the parking lot at St. Joseph Catholic Church on Monday for the annual blessing of pets in honor of St. Francis of Assisi.
The celebration, traditionally held on the feast day of St. Francis, was held one day late this year to ensure students from St. Joseph School could participate.
Rev. Richard Tomasone led the blessing, reminding students that St. Francis is the patron saint of animals and the environment. He also spoke about the important role animals play in God's creation and in people's lives.
"The blessing of the pets reminds us that, as pets are a part of our world, they feel blessed by God, particularly as they elicit a response and love from us," Tomasone said.
During the ceremony, Tomasone read from the Book of Genesis and spoke about animals throughout Scripture before asking God to bless the pets gathered for the school.
He then sprinkled the students and their pets with holy water. Students who were unable to bring their animals participated by bringing drawings or photographs of their pets to be included in the blessing.
For the students, the event offered an opportunity to celebrate the animals that have become important members of their families.
Fourth-grader Kaidence Clopp brought her dog, Lola, to the event. Clopp said having Lola blessed was meaningful because she loves her dog and wants her to remain safe and healthy.
"I really love her a lot, so to have her be blessed is nice because I just love her so much," she said.
Other students participated by bringing photographs of their pets. Kenzie Philips brought pictures of her pets, Cooper and Kallie, so they could receive the blessing even though they were not able to attend in person.
St. Joseph student Maverick McKinney and his father brought their cat, Penelope, to the event and shared that she has attended in previous years as well. They said the blessing helps to keep their pet happy, healthy and safe throughout the year.
The gathering included a variety of animals, although dogs and cats were the most common. Tomasone recalled previously blessing an especially unusual animal, a large pig that arrived on a leash.
The event concluded with a final prayer asking God to continue to protect and sustain the animals and the people who care for them.
The annual blessing gave students and families an opportunity to celebrate their pets while reflecting on the important role animals play in their lives and in the Catholic faith.