Blessing of the Animals in Bangor Honors St. Francis of Assisi

BANGOR---Dogs, cats, and their lucky human companions gathered outside St. Mary Church on Sunday, October 9, for a Blessing of the Animals service on a beautiful day in Bangor.

Monsignor Andrew Dubois, pastor of St. Paul the Apostle Parish, of which St. Mary Church is a part, was joined by Deacon Luis Sanclemente and Deacon Michael Whalen in blessing the large assembly of furry friends.

“Tails were wagging, a few canines joined in the blessing with barks and yips, and many new friends were made of the animal and human variety,” said Kristen Jandreau, coordinator of parish communications. “Our smallest friend was a Yorkshire Terrier, all the way up to two Irish Wolfhounds, and every size in between.”

Pet food donated at the service was delivered to the Furry Friends Food Bank, a program of the Eastern Area Agency on Aging that helps low-income seniors feed their pets.

Blessing of the Animals services are traditionally held in early October to honor the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi (October 4). St. Francis was known for his love of all of God’s creatures. The services invoke God’s blessing on the animals and thank God for letting us share the earth. The blessing also recognizes the important place that pets hold in people’s hearts.