By Alice Huth-Derrah
“Yes…I really do need all these cats,” proclaims one of the many cat-themed towels in my kitchen. Cats (and dogs too) have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Fur angels are as necessary to me as food, water, and breathing air. I’m always ready and more than willing to add another kitty to the family and have participated in several Blessing of the Animals events at St. Elizabeth Seton (SES) over the years. So, on Saturday, October 5, little Amzie, the newest and fourth rescue kitty to join our happy little clan, was placed into the carrier and off we went to the ceremony.
Observances for the Blessing of the Animals are celebrated all over the world by both secular and religious organizations. The event is held every year on or as close to October 4, the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi. Saint Francis is the patron saint of animals and the environment and is recognized for his love of all God’s creatures. Born in 1181 in Assisi, a small town in the Umbria region of Italy, Saint Francis’ father hoped his son would also become a cloth merchant and a successful wealthy businessman like himself. Indeed, Francis was spoiled and lived a life of privilege. He would later say of his youth “I lived in sin.” Over time, St. Francis’ values started to shift, and he began spending more time in prayer and came to believe that “all God’s creations” were part of his “brotherhood.” He and his followers lived a life of poverty and chose to serve all living things, including creatures great and small, because each and every one of them belongs to God.
Upon arriving at SES, it was heartwarming to see so many fellow animal lovers accompanied by their special family members. A large number of dogs, ranging in size and breed and with tails wagging energetically, arrived with their proud people in tow. Amzie was the only kitty in attendance. Father Williams Abba, St. Elizabeth Seton’s Parochial Administrator, presided over the ceremony and was assisted by Steve Raml, Liturgy and Music Director. After the greeting and opening prayer, Psalm reading, and intercessions, Father Williams made the rounds to ensure that all the sweet animals received their sprinkling of Holy Water while Steve distributed the beautiful St. Francis medals. Truly uplifting, the Blessing of the Animals ceremony joyfully honors those creatures that infuse our lives with so much love.
Animals fulfill a variety of invaluable needs for humans. They sustain us physically when they give up their lives to feed us, they help us with our labors, they act as protectors and loyal companions providing emotional and physical support and comfort, and they add a richness of beauty and diversity that can cause us to pause and marvel, giving us an unconditional, unquestioning, and unwavering love no matter our mood, social or financial standing, or our questionable decisions. They deserve our respect and reverence, not only because of the example St. Francis provided, but because it is what we are called to do by God. In Wisdom 1:14 we are told “For He fashioned all things that they might have being, and the creatures of the world are wholesome, and there is not a destructive drug among them.” God celebrates all life, and so He is saddened when any life ends. The creatures of the earth enrich our lives with an inestimable beauty and fullness, and they instill within us that sense of great wonder about our Heavenly Father. When we experience life on earth, whatever its form, we know God is the author of all that is good.
