From Camels to Porcupines, Animals Receive Blessings for Feast Day

Animals flocked to St. John the Divine’s animal blessing yesterday morning for the Feast of St. Francis.

For the 23rd year congregants assembled in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and the environment, for a service where exotic creatures and family pets could be blessed.

“St. Francis is a model for us. He loved all of God’s creations,” said Patti Welch, the Canon for Education and the pastor to animals at St. John the Divine. “He saw God in all things, from the littlest ant to the greatest eagle.”

Welch explained that St. Francis had come from a wealthy family before he found a leper on the street and, in helping him, was converted. He was “quite a party boy,” before focusing his attention on lions, tigers, and bears, Welch added.

Cathedral dean Rev. Dr. James A. Kowalski preached about the importance of caring for the earth with interruptions from a dog barking incessantly.

Music and dance performances followed, complete with colorful flags and ribbon twirlers.

Jerry Bilinski of Long Island, New York brought his dogs Petey and Ozzie for their second year because they were “very inspired by the theatrical event.”

The service culminated with an exotic animal procession. White robes strode alongside white fur as the animals were led through the cathedral to the priest. Among the featured guests were Oscar the tortoise, Sally the camel, Bell the reindeer, and Snuggles the porcupine.

Bambi Brook, who prepared the animals for their big entrance, “coexists” with them at the sanctuary where they live. Her family has cared for over 600 animals and has never sold one. “No animal has a dollar value,” she said. In addition to their appearances at the St. John the Divine, her animals do movies and commercials.

An outdoor festival featuring music, face-painting, and “Josh the Juggler” followed the ceremony inside the church. An animal adoption van was parked outside in true St. Francis fashion.

Assisting clergy Anne Brewer saw both spirituality and “real ecological sensibility” in yesterday’s event. She thought it was important that endangered species were blessed during the service, although she didn’t forget to bless her own dog, Tyler.

But, in comparison with previous years, St. John the Divine was “constrained for space,” Brewer said. Although she felt “the same energy and enjoyment,” much of the cathedral was blocked off due to construction.

As a result, many hopeful pets and owners were turned away. A blocks-long line of diverse species didn’t get into the service, but could receive their blessings outside.

Six-year-old Jeremy Alpert said he wasn’t disappointed and was content with exploring the outdoor festivities. But, given the opportunity to see his favorite animal, a tiger, get blessed, Jeremy smiled and said, “That would be funny!”

Pet owners used the words “grateful,” “terrified,” and “uplifted,” to describe how their furry friends might feel about being blessed. But assisting clergy Brewer was more skeptical. “I don’t think they really get what’s going on,” she said.

Yet animal pastor Welch said, “To have a priest come over and lay their hands on them, you know they feel it. I do think the animals are changed by it and that owners are changed by it.”

Despite several attempts at interviews, the animals had no comments. One, however, pooped on the church floor.