Local pet owners had the delightful opportunity to have their heavenly hounds and faithful felines blessed at St Anthony of Padua, Toongabbie and St Canice’s Church Katoomba in celebration of the Feast of St Francis of Assisi – the patron saint of animals, among other things!
Pet blessing at St Anthony of Padua Toongabbie. Image: Diocese of Parramatta/Jazz Chalouhi/three two one photography.
The annual blessings took place after the mid-morning Masses, enabling local parishioners to reflect on God’s love for all walks of life.
Fr Joby gives a pet blessing at St Anthony of Padua Toongabbie. Image: Diocese of Parramatta/Jazz Chalouhi/three two one photography.
At St Anthony of Padua in Toongabbie, the 10am Mass incorporated a slideshow of photos of local parishioners with their pets, including weird and wacky ones.
“We usually get around 250-350 people for Sunday Mass, and around 50 people for the pet blessings,” Parish Priest Fr Joby Kadambattuparambil Ittira MS said.
Following the Mass, parishioners are invited to have their pets blessed in the courtyard of the Church grounds.
Parishioners at Toongabbie gathered for the blessing. Image: Diocese of Parramatta/Jazz Chalouhi/three to one photography.
At St Canice’s in Katoomba, the pets can be quirky, but mostly include dogs, cats and birds.
“One year we had a carpet snake … and we’ve even had a donkey!” Parish Priest Fr John McSweeney recalled.
Pet blessing at St Canice’s Katoomba. Image: Diocese of Parramatta/Visualeyes Photography.
Fr John McSweeney celebrates Mass prior to the pet blessing at St Canice’s Katoomba. Image: Diocese of Parramatta/Visualeyes Photography.
All in all, the blessings are a wonderful way to honour the life of St Francis of Assisi (1181/82 – 1226), who was the founder of the Franciscan orders of the Friars Minor (Ordo Fratrum Minorum), the women’s Order of St Clare (the Poor Clares), and the lay Third Order.
St Francis’s desire was to follow Jesus’ example through his generosity to the poor, his willingness to minister to the lepers, and for his love for animals and nature. His love for animals is expressed in the Canticle of Creatures. He is the Catholic Church’s patron saint of animals and the environment.
St Francis of Assisi has particular significance in the Diocese of Parramatta, as Bishop of Parramatta, Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv is a member of the Franciscan Order of the Friars Minor Conventual.
The blessing administered by the priests involved a verbal blessing and sprinkling of holy water.
Parish Priest John McSweeney with parishioners at St Canice’s, Katoomba. Image: Diocese of Parramatta/Visualeyes Photography.
Thank you to our parish priests for supporting this local tradition and to everyone who attended, may you – and your pets – feel wonderfully blessed.
You can read more about the pet blessing in Katoomba in the Blue Mountains Gazette.
View the full photo gallery below from our Flickr page.
