Blessing of the Animals

Every year on the first Tuesday of October, around the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, we invite parishioners, neighbors, and anyone interested to bring their dogs, cats, snails, tarantulas, rodents, snakes, mice, goats, horses (yes, we’ve had all of these!) to receive a blessing here on the lawn of St. Stephen.

This year, the event takes place on Tuesday, Oct. 3, at 6:00 pm on the front lawn. We really encourage you to bring your neighbors, relatives, friends, and strangers. This is a wonderful event that allows us to focus on the beauty and wonder of creation, the pleasure that our pets bring us, and the assurance that God loves all that God has made.

It’s also a wonderful time of fellowship. There’s a lot of laughter and tears too. We invite people to say the names of their beloved animal friends who’ve passed on in the past year during the prayer. Bring as many of your pets as you want and can manage! We love a crowd!