As a long-standing tradition of Episcopal churches around the world is the celebration of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, through the blessing of the animals.
Trinity Episcopal Church is offering the annual Blessing of the Animals at 4 p.m. Sunday on their side lawn.
Although this year the event falls on the first weekend of fall break, parishioner and committee chair Beverly Johnson said that they are still expecting more than 30 people to bring their animals to the blessing.
“Kids love to bring their dogs,” Johnson said. “They even bring their plush animals.”
Johnson said Trinity has been hosting the event for at least 20 years and although most people bring dogs and cats, a variety of animals have attended including turtles, horses and sugar gliders.
“We have even had a burro named Jose,” Johnson said. “And we have had Ricky and Rocky the ferrets.”
She said that through the years, the same people bring the same animals, but as the church congregation has aged, people have lost pets as well and that this is recognized.
The event includes an outdoor service with an altar, a statue of St. Francis and a wooden cross. After the short service, Father David Carletta uses water to bless each animal and gives the owner a St. Francis medal and prayer card.
“Pets mean a great deal [to owners], even more in today’s society,” Johnson said. “People rely on the companionship of animals.”
Johnson, who volunteers at the Daviess County Animal Shelter said that the church requests dog and cat food donations, which she takes to the shelter.
Trinity Episcopal Church is located at 720 Ford Ave.
