"The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way it treats its animals." - Mahatma Gandhi
Get ready to have your pets blessed on Sunday October 3rd (5pm-5:30pm) at the Lafayette Presbyterian Church. Big or small, Reverend Drew will bless them all. In recent years, the turnout for the pet blessing has been nothing short of fantastic - there have even been a few caged cats along for the ceremonies. This year's blessing will take place a bit later in the day so as to allow Bills fans to partake... it will also give Drew the ability to bless the team properly (something that the team desperately needs). From Reverend Drew:
Every year, on (or, in my case, near) the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, people gather to ask blessing for animals, and--in particular, our pets.
This year will be no different. I will host a gathering at Lafayette Ave. Presbyterian Church at 5pm. In this brief gathering, we will pray prayers of blessing and thanksgiving for pets, hear a few sentences of scripture, and reflect on some words from Francis. Those who wish can have their pets blessed and prayed for individually.
This is one of the more fun parts of my ministry. It's simply fun to gather pet-people and their animals together. It makes sense to integrate our spirituality into every part of our lives. This will be our third year doing it, and I haven't been urinated on or bitten yet!
Other area pet blessings include:
If there are other pet blessing you wish to share, please post them in the comments.
If the weather cooperates, the Lafayette Church ceremony will take place on the front lawn of the church (corner of Elmwood and Lafayette). There will be a short prayer before individual blessing are delivered (complete with douses of Holy Water). Dogs are required to be on leashes, birds in cages and fish in tanks. This is the same church that conducts the Blessing of the Bikes in spring. In order to learn more about Lafayette Presbyterian Church, please visit www.ElmwoodJesus.com... how can you forget that URL?
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Get ready to have your pets blessed on Sunday October 3rd (5pm-5:30pm) at the Lafayette Presbyterian Church. Big or small, Reverend Drew will bless them all. In recent years, the turnout for the pet blessing has been nothing short of fantastic - there have even been a few caged cats along for the ceremonies. This year's blessing will take place a bit later in the day so as to allow Bills fans to partake... it will also give Drew the ability to bless the team properly (something that the team desperately needs). From Reverend Drew:
Every year, on (or, in my case, near) the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, people gather to ask blessing for animals, and--in particular, our pets.
This year will be no different. I will host a gathering at Lafayette Ave. Presbyterian Church at 5pm. In this brief gathering, we will pray prayers of blessing and thanksgiving for pets, hear a few sentences of scripture, and reflect on some words from Francis. Those who wish can have their pets blessed and prayed for individually.
This is one of the more fun parts of my ministry. It's simply fun to gather pet-people and their animals together. It makes sense to integrate our spirituality into every part of our lives. This will be our third year doing it, and I haven't been urinated on or bitten yet!
Other area pet blessings include:
- Friday, Oct. 1, At Hilbert College in Hamburg, outside Bogel hall at 1pm. (With ice cream for people and treats for animals)
- Sunday, Oct. 3 at St. Joseph University Church at 6pm
- Sunday, Oct. 3, at the Episcopal Church of the Ascension, during the regular 10:30am Sunday service.
- Sunday, Oct. 3 after the 11:30am Mass at Corpus Christi.
If there are other pet blessing you wish to share, please post them in the comments.
If the weather cooperates, the Lafayette Church ceremony will take place on the front lawn of the church (corner of Elmwood and Lafayette). There will be a short prayer before individual blessing are delivered (complete with douses of Holy Water). Dogs are required to be on leashes, birds in cages and fish in tanks. This is the same church that conducts the Blessing of the Bikes in spring. In order to learn more about Lafayette Presbyterian Church, please visit www.ElmwoodJesus.com... how can you forget that URL?
The following is from St. Francis:
"My sister birds, you owe much to God, and you must always and in everyplace give praise to Him; for He has given you freedom to wing through the sky and He has clothed you...you neither sow nor reap, and God feeds you and gives you rivers and fountains for your thirst, and mountains and valleys for shelter, and tall trees for your nests. And although you neither know how to spin or weave, God dresses you and your children, for the Creator loves you greatly and He blesses you abundantly. Therefore... always seek to praise God."
Pets we buy them so they can love us.
We buy them so we can love them.
We bless them in hopes that love will never die.
How will you find love?
I am saving my $$$ for a Toy Yorkie. Because everyone knows that real beauty is found in genetically altering life into a product that is trendy.
Some people buy dogs from the City Animal Shelter, because the pets there need homes.
I got my little ball of fur from the City Shelter. No regrets! He's a goofy pitbull/ridgeback mix with enough cuddle in him to convince anyone he's a lapdog, even if size suggests otherwise! You bless adopted dogs through the act of adopting alone, but if you're religious, I say take 'em to get blessed again here, too. :)