Going beyond the blessing: Churches emulate St. Francis’ care for animals

On a warm October evening, members of First Congregational Church of Manchester, Vermont, got to work setting up chairs on the front lawn of their quintessential New England building as cars carrying out-of-town leaf peepers streamed in the background.

The reason was for a much-loved service congregation, its community — and the critters. It was the Blessing of the Animals, a time to not only honor St. Francis of Assisi — the patron saint of animals who was canonized in 1288 — but to emulate his care and compassion toward all creatures great and small.

“Animals are such an important part of people’s lives, why shouldn’t they be blessed, too?” said Gail Colgan, an elder at the church, smiling as she handed out worship bulletins.

The scene was set with a bowl of dog treats made by the youth groups of First Congregational, the United Church of Dorset and East Rupert and Zion Episcopal Church in Manchester, and all that was left to do was to wait for the guests to arrive.

And arrive they did — all colors and breeds. Some prancing with puppy energy, while others walked slowly with old age.

St. Francis, founder of the Franciscan order, could not have been more pleased with the turnout in Manchester — and with the growth in animal blessings in recent years across denominations.

Traditionally held on or around the Oct. 4 feast day of the saint, such blessings can be done throughout the year as a reminder that the “Lord looks after animals as well as people,” said Sharon Yockers, a member of First Congregational, who bought her older dog, Finley, to be blessed.

A blessing becomes a call to action

The Rev. Bill Borror, who joined First Congregational two years ago, has always had an affinity for St. Francis and his example of caring for animals.

“Francis didn’t love nature in an abstract way. He loved nature by being attentive to it,” said Borror, echoing the words of G.K. Chesterton.   

This attentiveness took on greater meaning as during the Manchester blessing Borror called attention to the needs of animals who were displaced by natural disasters and wars.

“Francis is a saint for all time, particularly now in these times of turmoil and crisis,” he said.

Randy Yockers, a member of First Congregational, has been following in the footsteps of St. Francis, doing what he can to help animals. Shortly after the 2022 Russian invasion of the Ukraine, a news clip showed families fleeing for safety.

“Everyone on that train was holding a pet,” recalled Yockers. Since then, giving to organizations assisting families and pets has been a priority for his family.

Caring for animals is a church mission

According to Sarah Speed, executive director of the Pennsylvania Animal Response Team in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania — an organization which provides direct emergency response, disaster training and guidance not just in Pennsylvania, but nationally — congregations can include the care of animals as part of their year-round mission by simply getting a conversation started.

“Have conversations with families about planning for emergencies,” said Speed, adding to include children as well. PART offers children’s coloring books on how to include pets in emergency planning.

Another conversation for church leadership, said Speed, is if the church can be used as an emergency shelter, explore what provisions need to be in place for the inclusion of pets.

“Can pets be safely housed with their humans? If not, is there a place that’s separate but easily accessible?” she asked.

Beyond disaster planning, Speed said that caring for animals during “blue sky days” is just as important.

“Think about the needs of pets in any outreach to those who are homebound. What are the unmet needs?” she said, adding that one of her organization’s major responses was during the Covid years where organizations like Meals on Wheels were asked to also check in with the needs of the pets.

“Begin by broaching the subject and then reaching out to other organizations for added assistance and education,” said Speed. Additional PART resources are available here. 

A spiritual — and physical — blessing

At St. Peter’s United Church of Christ in South Bend, Indianna, animals were invited to receive not just a spiritual blessing, but a physical one as well with free microchipping and rabies vaccines offered to the community.

Dr. Kari Kryder, formerly an Army veterinarian who now works with the Humane Society of Elkhart Country in Bristol, brought the idea of free microchipping as part of St. Peter’s Blessing of the Animals to the Rev. Kenneth Scott Bowie in 2020.

Bowie embraced the idea. The church had been celebrating St. Francis’ blessing since 2016 as part of the Sunday worship service.

“We welcome the pets into the sanctuary as part of worship,” said Bowie, admitting that the morning is a “cacophony of sounds and smells.”

In preparation for the microchipping, St. Peter’s raised money to cover 150 pets. But then Covid shut the even down. It was resurrected in 2022 with a great response. Using her extensive network, Kryder was able to include the free rabies shots as well — again, garnering a great response within the community.

“Last year we saw 85 pets. This year, we had 131 pets,” said Bowie, noting that this year the blessing and the microchipping and vaccines were separated into two events.

“We used to go from worship directly to the microchipping event, but we wanted to make things less chaotic,” said Bowie, adding that doing it this way didn’t detract from then number of families attending either event.

“People love their pets and have much appreciation for a church — or any other organization — which shows that their pets are appreciated,” he said.

For Kryder, being part of St. Peter’s has provided a path for her secular vocation as vet to truly become a sacred calling.

“Times are hard, and we are finding that many people are struggling with the care of their animals,” she said.

During the microchipping and vaccinations, Kryder came to see just how hard it was for people and pets when a homeless man brought his dog to be vaccinated. Before administering the shot, though, basic information like home address and contact number needed to be collected.

“He didn’t have a home address to give, so we gave the church address so that his dog could be taken care of,” said Kryder.

Seeing the divine in every lick and wag

For families and their pets in and around Canton, Ohio, there is a valuable resource available to them when Fido or Fluffy are ill or facing their end of life. There is a pet chaplain on staff at Trinity United Church of Christ.

The Rev. Nick Nicholson is Trinity’s associate pastor overseeing all pastoral care needs — including the needs of animals.

Nicholson became interested in the spiritual care of animals years ago when, during a conversation with friends about pet grief, the question of who walks alongside those who grieve arose. It was a question that led to Nicholson’s discovery of pet chaplaincy — a growing, yet still untapped ministry today.

“Up until then, I didn’t realize there was such a thing as pet chaplaincy,” said Nicholson, who is now a certified pet chaplain with the Association for Veterinarian Pastoral Education in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Since becoming a pet chaplain, Nicholson has accompanied families as they euthanized beloved pets, many who have found out her ministry on the Trinity website.

As she goes about this unique ministry, Nicholson holds a prayer close to heart. That is to wake up tomorrow to a world where all animals are treated with dignity, love and care and where there would be “no more lonely or lost animals.”

In Abington, Massachusetts, there’s another page on a church website that would make St. Francis smile. There among the United Church of Christ of Abington staff bios is Lucy, the “Unofficial Spiritual Support Dog” — a position she stepped into by accident.

Lucy’s pastor — and dog mom — the Rev. Dr. Kristy Coburn began noticing Lucy’s popularity growing during Covid when she would conduct worship from her living room rather than in an empty sanctuary.

As Coburn proclaimed God’s word, Lucy would climb into her lap. Better yet, as the last hymn played, Lucy would start dancing on her hind legs.

“She is a Havanese, which is Cuban circus dog, so she loves doing tricks,” said Coburn.

When the congregation returned to in-person worship, the council, much to Coburn’s surprise, said to the pastor, “You have to bring Lucy with you.”

Today, Lucy is part of the Abington community, wandering the sanctuary, greeting worshipers, dancing during hymns and cuddling in the pastor’s lap. Her presence has paved the way for other dogs to come and worship as well.

“We had a visitor one Sunday who had her dog in the car. The congregation responded warmly with ‘bring the dog in!’” said Coburn.

What has been the most powerful for the pastor with having Lucy’s presence in the sanctuary is the way the children light up when they interact with her.

“Her presence has opened the hearts and eyes to the divine for so many people,” said Coburn, including herself.

“As a pastor it is easy to get so wrapped up in the business of leading worship that you miss what is important. Lucy helps put things into perspective. She helps connect me to the joy and celebration that worship is and should be,” said Coburn.

There is, though, one problem that will show up on Lucy’s employee review. On Communion Sundays, worshipers have been taking an extra piece of bread to give to Lucy.

“It might be Lucy’s favorite time at church, but we now have to buy extra bread,” said Coburn.

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