Bless Our Pets? Why not!

I am not Catholic, but my daughter attends a Catholic school. I was recently invited to participate in the Blessing of Pets for the Feast of St. Francis, which takes place each year around October 4. I found myself charmed by this ceremony conducted in the spirit of the patron saint of animals and ecology. For those who are unfamiliar, the Blessing of Pets, in which pets are gently sprinkled with water by a friar or other robed clergyman, goes something like this:

"Blessed are you, Lord God, maker of all living creatures. You called forth fish in the sea, birds in the air and animals on the land. You inspired St. Francis to call all of them his brothers and sisters. We ask you to bless this pet. By the power of your love, enable it to live according to your plan. May we always praise you for all your beauty in creation. Blessed are you, Lord our God, in all your creatures! Amen."

Delighted, I watched my preschooler hold up her stuffed hippo Sandy for the blessing as my 2-year old beamed at the cats, dogs, and parakeets surrounding him. The event drew in people from the community, too. Dogs of every persuasion waited their turn alongside their smiling owners, who themselves looked blessed to be there.

Later at home, I did a bit of research on the Blessing of Pets. I checked out American Catholic.org and read an interview with Franciscan Friar Kevin E. Macin, who helped me understand the purpose behind the ritual. “Some people criticize the amount and cost of care given to pets…Care for poor people instead of poodles,” says Macin. “However, I believe every creature is important. The love we give to a pet, and receive from a pet, can draw us more deeply into the larger circle of life, into the wonder of our common relationship to our Creator.” It made me kind of sad to hear that there was any criticism behind the Blessing of Pets. But people can find a problem with almost anything, can’t they?

Instead of pointing fingers, I try to learn lessons. Without dwelling on theological basis for liturgical variations amongst the many faith communities, I share a simple observation. Along the way, our mainline Protestant churches seem to have abandoned (if they ever had them at all) our calling to environmental stewardship. Thanks to the creation care movement, this is beginning to change. But after decades (or centuries?) of focusing so narrowly on the salvation gospel, many of us are left with a disconnect with our God-given natural world. So sold are we on this being our temporary home that many of us still treat the Earth like a hotel, leaving the mess for somebody else to clean up.

With the emerging world and postmodern America, institutions that no longer speak to people’s needs are crumbling. In the meantime, new forms of worship are popping up everywhere, as well as a rediscovery of ancient rituals. I’m not suggesting we throw the baby out with the bathwater. In fact, I’m quite happy with my Methodist church. But I also have a healthy respect for the environmental leadership shown by other faith expressions. I am so grateful that my kids are participating in a faith community that holds respect for animals and environmental stewardship as core tenets.

I pray that Christians will come together to show the rest of the world what we really stand for: universal love, peace, acceptance, eternal life – and creation care, too. Those are pretty good selling points, particularly if we can cut out what isn’t working for us, like bickering, partisanship, and judgment. Having found common ground with eco-advocates of all faiths, I firmly believe that green is the glue that can pull us all together.

What about you? Are you looking for a new way to expand your eco-ethos beyond the walls of your own denomination? Catholic or not, try honoring your furry or feathered loved ones with this easy “Do-it-Yourself” pet blessing at http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/francis/animal.asp.

Anna Clark is president of EarthPeople, a sustainability consulting firm. She is an author, speaker, and blogger on green living and leadership. Anna lives in Dallas with her husband and two toddlers in one of the first LEED-certified Platinum residences in Texas. Visit www.annamclark.com for more on all things green.