Furry Friends Receive Blessings from Above

There may be a little more tail-wagging and cat purring in Foster City after this weekend's celebrations.

Local churches held ceremonies over the weekend to bless the animals.  Cuddly pets ranging from dogs and cats to birds and turtles were showered with blessings during the celebration, which coincides with the feast of St. Francis of Assisi on Monday.

St. Luke Catholic Church had the blessing ceremony outside their church and St. Ambrose Episcopal Church had tables outside the Foster City Dog Park to meet individually with animal owners.  While St. Francis of Assisi was the patron saint of animals and the environment, the Rev. Jay Watan of St. Ambrose Episcopal Church said the celebration focuses on people.

"It has a lot more to do with owners than the animals," said Watan.  "The (animals') companionship is so important and their blessing is an acknowledgment that we are blessed by these creatures."

Watan said the celebration serves as reminder to owners that God blesses everyone and that people have a responsibility to care for their creatures.  At the park, Watan met individually with dogs and their owners, allowing them to discuss their love for their pets, before a prayer of blessing.

Foster City resident Phyllis McArthur brought "Betty" to the dog park for her blessing.  McArthur said the experience was positive for both her and her terrier-chihuahua mix dog, who wore the St. Francis medallion around her collar from last year's blessing.

"It makes me feel good for her to have this blessing and for me to hold her while she is being blessed," said McArthur.  "I was blessed as well."

McArthur said she also appreciated the church's outreach and enjoyed seeing the community come together in a positive way at the dog park.

Just a few blocks down the road, residents brought around 20 pets to the outdoor ceremony at St. Luke, which was filled with barking, meowing, and lighthearted laughter. 

During the ceremony at St. Luke Catholic Church, church staff read from the book of Genesis and prayed shortly before the Rev. Jonathan Paala sprinkled holy water on the animals. 

Kathi Byrd brought her Golden Retriever "Sammy" and her box turtle "Jack" to the church for the blessing.  Byrd said she thought it was good for the animals to be a part of the celebration.

"It keeps them healthy," said Byrd.  "It's nice to remember everything we live with and that we're all part of God's creation."

Animal blessing celebrations were held in churches over the weekend around the world.  While Byrd chuckled about not noticing a huge change in her pets' behavior from the blessing, she said the experience is good for people and pets alike.

"They just enjoy getting out and seeing the other animals," said Byrd.  "It's a great reminder to treat them with love, kindness and respect."