Written by Br. Kevin Elphick, TSA
October 6 was a beautiful Sunday with bright skies, perfect for celebrating the octave of the Feast of St. Francis. When I arrived at Graymoor, people had already begun gathering to have their pets blessed. I had brought my Australian Shepherd, Colette, named after the sainted Poor Clare nun. We met several other dog owners awaiting the blessing and shared dog treats with their pets until the Minister General, Fr. Emil Tomaskovic, SA, arrived. I was reminded “of the sweetness that St. Francis enjoyed when contemplating in creatures the goodness of the Creator” (Thomas of Celano). Fr. Emil arrived with holy water in hand and gathered the assembled owners and dogs together.
As Fr. Emil spoke his words of greeting and gave a general blessing, he initially faced some competition from several exuberant, barking dogs, but they quickly settled down. Some dogs were shy, some sat patiently as blessed water was sprinkled on their heads, and others fully rolled over as if it was time for a belly rub! Everyone had their cell phones and cameras out to capture this moment of blessing for their beloved companions. More people continued to arrive, and Fr. Emil began providing car-side service.
After a dog was blessed with its head protruding out of the passenger-side window, I was delighted to see the owner open the hatchback and bring out a cage with his pigeon cooing away. Fr. Emil was prepared to bless them all! It was a wonderful opportunity to honor the memory of St. Francis and recall his affectionate love for animals.