Blessing for the Animals

Calvary Presbyterian Church hosted a Blessing for the Animals on Sunday, Oct. 5th, and many people gathered outside of the church with their dogs and cats.

The Rev. Carie Stanley, pastor at the church, started the event by reciting Psalm 104 near a statue of St. Francis of Assisi. People lined up on the sidewalk outside of the church with their dogs on leashes. Stanley blessed the dogs in consecutive order.

“Creation care is a very important part of what I believe in,” Stanley said. “I believe that God created this incredible world that we live in and all of it. So, our creatures great and small are so important that we are able to care for them and to understand that God cares for them as well."

“So, Saint Francis of Assisi Day, he was the patron saint of the animals. A lot of churches like to do this blessing. It’s kind of a nice, informal way to just be present to the community.”