What are your thoughts ? Does your parish do this blessing on Saint Francis’ feast day?
Yes. I took mine a couple of years ago. It was good for him and I enjoyed socializing
1 Like
I get the connection with St. Francis. Is that the only connection for blessing animals? In other words, if St. Francis wasn’t associated with animals at all and no other Saint was, would there still conceivably be a blessing of the animals? If so, wouldn’t other living things also be blessing-worthy, like plants, etc?
Our current parish doesn’t do it, as far as I know, but I think that some other parishes we attended did. I have no objection, and I recall that when I lived in Massachusetts the Gloucester fishing fleet got an annual blessing. I would not be surprised if farms or crops get blessings too.
1 Like
I usually do it, but not always.
Many people appreciate having their animals blessed.
It’s interesting that even some folks who don’t come to church for Mass may come for this blessing. So, from my perspective as a pastor, this is an opportunity to reach people with the word of God who would be otherwise difficult to reach.
It is often also very fun, especially when dogs flee from me as I go around with the holy water.
1 Like
Yes, our Parish does this Franciscan tradition. We have a little pug and she is crazy, so we do not get her blessed. We just sprinkle holy water on her ; )
1 Like
@Susanne.Lee I am for it. Pax’s question is a good one, and I think the same blessing makes sense for anything we depend on and love, the fishing fleet included. Anything that brings people through the door who would not otherwise come seems worth keeping.
God Bless
1 Like
Now that you say that I seem to recall blessing of crops and/or fields was a thing back in the day in farming communities?
1 Like
The dogs and cats don’t give us much; but the cows give us milk, butter, yogurt, cheeses. But we kill them so we can enjoy the taste in our mouth. To look at another creature, and see them simply as “food”. I know people who weep when their cat or dog dies. In the Muslim religion, before one can kill and animal, according to scriptural law, one has to look them in the eye while cutting the throat, and watch the life drain from their body. The idea is that by killing in this way, one will gradually begin to understand what Saint Francis understood, and why he is considered to be the patron saint of animals.
1 Like
A friend once took me fishing. All at once there was a tug on the line of my fishing rod. I reeled him in, and held him in my hand. A little guy…about 8 inches long. I got the hook out of his mouth, and lowered him into the water. Immediately he swam away. I put down my fishing rod. Imagine getting a hook in your throat and being dragged by that hook. And people do this considering it a fun sport. And they want to be closer to God. It’s not possible. However, the more we live like that, the more we cultivate indifference, the further we feel ourselves to be …from God. And we wonder why.
1 Like
Peter1, I would add that for some people, dogs and cats do give us a lot - in terms of company and companionship. My dog certainly keeps me company, provides me with entertainment, and I sleep better knowing he’ll warn me right away should something or someone go awry.
Your points are both well taken.
1 Like
@Peter1, that is a fair point about the hook, and I will not argue it. I still think a blessing says something true about the creatures God lends us, even the ones we raise for food. My own dog is a small mercy I would not want to do without.
God Bless
1 Like
This is a response to DCM and kkalebw, as we are all discussing a common subject.
In the religion that I attempt to follow, which an ancient eastern tradition, the first point, or first understanding is that there are two kinds of energies created by God. One is spiritual energy, which is conscious, and its forms are eternal. In other words, we are eternal spirits souls. The other energy is material energy made of the material elements. This energy also diversifies (under God’s control) into different forms; but these forms are temporal. They come into being and they dissolve. For example, from my garden, different vegetables become manifest. They are manifestations of the material elements. We take them to the kitchen. And the waste products are put into the compost bin, where they turn back into earth again.
In the same way, our bodies are composed of the material elements. With time they grow old, dwindle, and when the spirit soul departs, these bodies decompose and turn back again into the material elements, into earth.
The idea is that the consciousness within the material body is actually the consciousness of the spirit. Material elements are not conscious. As soon as the spirit soul departs from the material body, the body no longer displays the symptoms of consciousness. When the consciousness of the spirit resides within the body, this causes the spirit soul to identify with the material body as “me”…when in fact, I am not this body. I am an eternal spirit.
The example of a car and the driver can be considered. When there is no driver in the car, it doesn’t move. When the car becomes old and ceases to work, the driver simply gets another vehicle. The driver and the vehicle are different.
Our scriptures say that this understanding holds true for all life forms within the material realm…whether we are considering dogs, cats, or humans. Dogs and cats, and in fact all creatures, are conscious as long as they are “alive”. “Alive” means that the spirit lives within the body. And when the spirit departs, there is no longer any life symptom within the body.
In this sense, there is no difference between the dog, the cat, and a human being, from a spiritual point of view. The difference is that the spirit soul can reside in different kinds of bodies.
Every body, man or animal, has both “software” and “hardware”. The hardware is the flesh and bones, etc. The software is the mind. The big difference between the animals and the human is the software. Only the human mind can entertain spiritual conceptions. The dog, the cat, they cannot “hear” scripture. They cannot understand spiritual conceptions. Only the human being, therefore, can have a reciprocal loving relationship with God.
The creatures, like dogs and cats have the ability to love. Even a mother lion has affection for her cubs. But the animals don’t have the ability to understand that we are spirit and that we can have a living relationship with the Supreme spirit, or God.
The functions of all living beings can be summarized as: eating, sleeping, defending (or fearing) and mating. Both the animals and the humans are engaged in eating, sleeping, defending and mating. But only the human can have a relationship with God. If he does not, he is simply a royal edition of the animals.
In this way, we can see every animal as a living spirit. And we can love them. And we can receive their love for us as well. But we cannot discuss scripture with them, or engage in devotional activities like prayer, or singing hymns with them.
But a saint, like Saint Francis, has such a strong and vibrant living relationship with God, that the creatures can begin to sense something very special about him, and trust him, and feel safe and wonderful in his presence. I have read that the birds would land on Saint Francis, and that he had wonderful relationships of mutual respect and trust with different creatures. These are just some thoughts that come to mind in the moment.
Hoping this finds you well, and with your heart close to Jesus Christ. Please pray for me, that I am established in this way as well, Peter
Our parish doesn’t do this, but there is one in a neighboring town that does. I remember doing this as a kid, the whole family taking our dogs to be blessed. I think it’s a lovely tradition.
2 Likes
Welcome magdalen! Thank you for replying.
All animals are blessed to some degree, but extra blessings…no, no-one would come close to even considering such spiritual occasions in this diocese, while I think it would be great. I would expect some Franciscan priories across the UK to undertake that kind of event, however, as I know some of them have done where individual animals are concerned.
1 Like
My parish does pet blessings occasionally. I think it’s very nice.
2 Likes
I suggest the experience helps children, who like animals, understand better the meaning of receiving blessing in church