Dogs, cats, turtles and a horse that had a career at Medieval Times turn out for pet blessings

“Waffles,” “Pickles,” “Spastic Fantastic,” “Tiger Bruce Willis” and “Ramsey” were just a few of the named four-legged celebrities making appearances at the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi blessing of pets Oct. 1-4 at parishes around the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

Weekend festivities began the afternoon of Oct. 1 during dismissal from St. Joan of Arc School in Aberdeen. Virginia Bahr, principal, held her pooch, Ava, as she directed students in the parking lot. Parents brought their family dogs along for the ride, while some students held pictures or called their best friends on cell phones so Father William F. Franken, pastor, and Deacons Dan Kopczyk and Ray Van Pelt could perform a sprinkling rite with holy water as cars exited the school parking lot. Those who did not have pets received a family blessing. 

“St. Francis was such a lover of nature and all creation,” said Bahr, as she described how she wants her students to understand their role in helping the Earth flourish as God intended.

The school’s STEM program has a monarch butterfly tag and release weigh station so students can study migration patterns. 

Kittens nervously shivered at the sound of dogs barking in front of St. Casimir Church on O’Donnell St. in Canton Oct. 2. Some 50 families from the parish and surrounding neighborhood gathered for the annual blessing of pets by Conventual Franciscan Fathers Dennis Grumsey, pastor, and Andy Santamauro, associate pastor, on the day named after the founder of their religious order.

“It’s a tradition in the Franciscan community to bless the creations God has given to us as pets,” said Father Grumsey. “Dogs, cats, iguanas, turtles, fish…we spend part of the day together blessing animals of all kinds. It brings us a lot of joy…which the animals do for us.”

The animals’ reactions to the sprinkling rite incited laughter among some onlookers.

The largest creature attending the St. Casimir blessing was a drooling great dane named Une who was perfectly behaved.  

Following 11:30am Mass Oct. 4 at St. Philip Neri, Pastor Father Michael A. DeAscanis made a grand entrance to the back field of the parish school on Ramsey, a 14-year-old Warmblood horse that had performed at Medieval Times. The inclusion of horses was thanks in part to Suzanne Rachid, a parishioner who is taking riding lessons with the group Spirit Riders. Gypsy, a fellow Warmblood, also joined the festivities.

Suzanne’s father, Mark Rachid, who is in formation for the diaconate at the Linthicum Heights parish, assisted in the annual blessing of animals. 

Father DeAscanis said he’s been wanting to do this for several years since there are stables in the community. Coordination finally came together this year.

“It humanizes our Catholic faith … in all aspects … the little comforts … our animals,” said Father DeAscanis about the blessing of pets. “It brings the details of our faith into our lives.”

During the outdoor ceremony, a special reading for the feast day was read and pets and their owners were sprinkled with holy water. 

Father DeAscanis told those assembled that St. Francis saw God in people and in animals.

“He said you don’t need things to be happy, you only need God and others,” Father DeAscanis said, noting that “we thank God for the gift of pets who bring us companionship along our way.”

An estimated 50 parishioners, 22 dogs, 2 horses and one turtle, an eight-year old named Donatello, attended.

Children and their parents were invited to meet Ramsey and Gypsy after the blessing concluded.

St. Francis of Assisi medals were also distributed for owners to place on their pets’ collars.   

There were at least 40 parishes throughout the archdiocese that offered pet blessings this year.

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