St Francis of Assisi wrote, “All praise to you, Oh Lord, for all these brother and sister creatures.”

    Many churches now offer a blessing of the animals, often held to celebrate the feast of St. Francis on October 2. At larger churches, the line may look like that of the animals entering Noah’s Ark!

The Blessing is often the following:

     “Blessed are you, Lord God, maker of all living creatures. You called forth fish in the sea, birds in the air, and animals on the land. You inspired St. Francis to call all of them his brothers and sisters. We ask you to bless this pet. By the power of your love, enable it to live according to your plan. May we always praise you for all your beauty in creation. Blessed are all your creatures. Amen.”

     As part of the ceremony, church leaders will often speak of the unconditional love offered by pets and the reciprocal bond that forms between people and animals.