The annual African Festival, a celebration of the beauty of African culture and community, will be held at the Guild Hall of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, located on 307 Congress Street in Portland, on Saturday, August 23, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The festival will be preceded by a Mass at the Cathedral at 4 p.m.

St. Mary of the Visitation Parish will hold a Blessing of the Animals prayer service, sponsored by the Heart of St. Francis Secular Franciscan Fraternity, on Saturday, October 5, at 1 p.m.

St. Michael Parish will offer a Blessing of the Animals in honor of the Feast of St. Francis on Friday, October 4, at 5:30 p.m. outside the Western Avenue entrance of St. Mary of the Assumption Church in Augusta.

Our Lady of Hope Parish will hold a Season of Creation Prayer Service on Thursday, September 26 , at 7 p.m. at St. Joseph Church, 673 Stevens Avenue in Portland. The Season of Creation, which started September 1 and concludes on October 4, is a monthlong prayerful observance that calls upon Catholics to pray and care for God’s creation. It’s a time of reflection on our relationship with the environment, how we live, and how our lifestyles impact the natural world.

St. John Vianney Parish will hold the Blessing of the Animals in the garage of the St. Louis Church rectory on Sunday, October 6, at 1 p.m.

St. Peter the Fisherman Parish will hold its annual Blessing of Pets on Friday, October 4, the Feast Day of Saint Francis of Assisi.

In commemoration of the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish will hold a Blessing of the Animals prayer service at St. Catherine of Sienna Church in Norway on Saturday, October 12, at 10 a.m.