The Blessing of the Animals

On October 10, Heathwood Hall celebrated St. Francis Day with the traditional "Blessing of the Animals." The annual custom is conducted across the world in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi's love for all creatures. St. Francis is the patron saint of animals and ecology. Special animal guests at this year's event included two horses from the Richland County Sheriff's Department "Posse." Many thanks to Heathwood Hall's chaplain, The Rev. Allen Cole, and to The Rev. Canon Michael R. Sullivan for blessing all creatures great and small for another year.

Click on a picture below to see a larger picture.

Blessing the Animals

What did you bring to St. Francis’s day?
A Spaniel? A Schnauzer? A mouse in some hay?
Who did you bring to the woods for a prayer?
A beagle, a basset, a turtle were there.

The bark on the trees and the bark from a dog
Made this day so special—for kitty and frog.
A miniature poodle, a stuffed Scooby-Do,
Both blessed by the priest—and the bunnies were, too.
Persians and setters and boxers and crabs
All gathered together in chapel—and Labs
And a snake and a St. Bernard came
For blessings, because they too worship His name.

And off to one side there stood two grand creations:
Two horses observing the strange celebrations;
A staunch Palamino, a studious roan
Receiving kid's blessings in hushed whispered tone.
We all blessed the creatures today in the wood;
I wonder if they would bless us if they could.

by Steve Friedman