"Awesome" Pet Blessing
Fr. Fred Link, OFM, pastor of St. Clement Church
For this year’s annual Pet Blessing on the Feast of St. Francis, Fr. Fred Link, OFM, had an awesome idea. Usually the pet blessing is after Sunday Mass, but since many of the children attending St. Clement School do not live in the area, Fr. Fred decided to have the pet blessing on a school day, Thursday, October 4, the very day of the Feast of St. Francis.
Here is Fr. Fred’s account of the day: "After school today one of the teachers exalted, 'that was awesome, Fr. Fred,' referring to our first pet blessing with our school children. A family member or two, together with the family pet, met their son or daughter on the front lawn of the friary this morning and joined all of the school children, many of whom brought photos of their pet and others with stuffed animals. A reliable witness counted 30 dogs, 3 cats, one guinea pig, a turtle and a parrot (Bro. Vince Delorenzo’s pet “Gracie”.)
Bro. Vince Delorenzo, OFM, with Gracie
Since so many of our kids come from all over the city, mostly by bus, and their parents work, that’s a great number. Our 8th graders had made posters suggesting Franciscan values. Seventh graders stood as sentries along the sidewalk. Our music minster led us in a couple of songs, I prayed a prayer of blessing (during which, amazingly, the cacophony of barking and whining dogs quieted down) and then Fr. Jim Van Vurst, OFM, and I blessed everyone present with his or her pet with holy water. Bro. Vince then joined Fr. Jim and me in blessing each pet individually, before the kids returned to their classrooms.
Our celebration of St. Francis really began at a solemn Mass this morning, including incense and a procession of 2nd graders with their own stuffed animals and a litany-like call to worship. We had a guest homilist, Fr. Mark Soehner, OFM, who told the story of St. Francis with great energy. Coincidentally, after communion we commissioned our new student council officers."
Thanks Fr. Fred for starting another “Awesome” Franciscan tradition at St. Clement School.
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