Blessing of Animals
Saturday, October 5th, 2013
Ecumenical
10 am.
Parking lot of Holy Trinity, Reeves Street
Reverend’s Evelyn R. Knorr and Nan Corrigan offer a blessing for your pets.
Holy Trinity Anglican Church & St. Mark’s United Church.
Leader: Blessed be God, Creator of Heaven and Earth.All: All creation sings your praises.
Prayer for Pets
Leader: Almighty and everlasting God, Creator of all things and giver of all life, let your blessing be upon all these animals. May our relationships with them mirror your love, and our care for them be an example of your bountiful mercy. Grant the animals’ health and peace. Strengthen us to love and care for them as we strive to imitate the love of Jesus Christ our Lord and God’s servant Francis. Amen.
Hold your animal or place a hand on him/her.
Lord, for all the animals in the whole wide world,We thank you, God!
Lord, for all the fun and friendship we have with animals,We thank you, God!
Lord, for all the times we have hurt or neglected animals,We are sorry.
Lord, for all the times we have used poisons that have harmed animals,We are sorry.
Lord, for all the times we have destroyed the homes of animals in the forests, oceans, and fields,We are sorry and ask for your forgiveness.
Leader: Lord, make us instruments of your peace. All: Where there is hatred, let us sow love; Leader: Where there is injury, pardon; All: Where there is doubt, faith;Leader: Where there is despair, hope; All: Where there is darkness, light; Leader: Where there is sadness, joy.
Leader: O Divine Master, Grant that we may All: not so much seek to be consoled as to console; Leader: To be understood as to understand; All: To be loved as to love. Leader: For it is in giving that we receive; All: It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; Leader: And it is in dying that we are born to eternal live. Amen
Leader: O Divine Master, Grant that we may All: not so much seek to be consoled as to console; Leader: To be understood as to understand; All: To be loved as to love. Leader: For it is in giving that we receive; All: It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; Leader: And it is in dying that we are born to eternal live. Amen
Circle of Blessing Form a circle, each person placing a hand on the animal being held. The leader then moves to each animal, saying its name, holding a hand over the animal, and blessing it in the name of Christ who fills and heals creation.
Blessing: [Pet’s name], may the power of this blessing from Christ fill you with life, bind you to your human partners, and lead you to praise your Creator. Amen.
Blessing May the Spirit of God, who is above all and in all and through all, fill you with the knowledge of God’s presence in Earth and the presence of Christ within you.
Go in peace! Serving Christ and loving all creatures! We go in peace, serving Christ and loving our animal kin.
St. Francis of Assisi
Francis is known as the patron saint of animals. There are many stories about the life of Francis that deal with his love for animals. Two are noted here:
One of the most famous stories speaks of a time in which Francis walked by a tree filled with birds and begged them to listen to the word of God:
My brothers, birds, you should praise your Creator very much and always love him; he gave you feathers to clothe you, wings so that you can fly, and whatever else was necessary for you. God made you noble among his creatures and he gave you a home in the purity of the air; though you neither sow nor reap, he nevertheless protects and governs you without any solicitude on your part.
One of his companions reported that the birds stretched their necks and extended their wings as Francis walked among them touching and blessing them. Francis believed that all creatures can praise and love their creator.
Every year on the Sunday nearest his October 4th feast day (the day of his death in 1226,) many people of faith around the world host services where animals are blessed. These occasions celebrate both Francis's and God's compassionate concern for all creatures.
