All the Creatures
31 October 2009
News of a special service from one of our country parishes.
With some trepidation, Father Michael Healy, our Parish Priest of St Pius X in Withywood, Bristol and now also the Parish Priest of the Chew Valley, drove down the narrow lane to Eunice and Graham’s smallholding just outside Chew Magna. Here he found many parishioners and other locals from the community gathered in the barn with their chickens, ducks, dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, sheep and, not forgetting, the beautiful mare with her foal. To Father Michael’s relief, however, he didn’t have to meet Ambrose the bull who was well out of sight this year, having been moved to another field.
The blessing of pets to celebrate the Feast of St Francis of Assisi, which was celebrated earlier this month, has become a popular tradition for adults and children in the rural parish of Sacred Heart in the Chew Valley.
To a somewhat noisy chorus of baas, barking and clucking, the liturgy opened with the hymn ‘All Creatures of Our God and King’. In the readings and homily we heard about God’s creation and our responsibilities to look after God’s creatures and the amazing planet He has given us. Sat outside on the hay bales on a lovely autumn afternoon surrounded by animals, it was very stirring to listen to an extract St Francis’ own ‘Canticle of the Sun’ full of praising God’s creation. We were also reminded that it was St Francis who started the tradition of the Christmas Crib. We gave thanks for all that animals do for us, farm animals, working animals, police dogs, guide dogs, zoo animals among others. We prayed for all those who look after animals and we prayed for those who were sad that their pet was ill or had died recently. Then came the blessing of the animals with holy water, which most of the pets ‘humbly’ accepted with a shake of their head! The liturgy closed with the hymn ‘Make Me a Channel of Your Peace’, based on one of St Francis’ prayers.
Afterwards, everyone enjoyed in a scrumptious tea and there were a few treats for the animals too. Local vet, Clare, had brought her stethoscope along for the children to have fun listening to different animals’ heartbeats and to ask questions.
The blessing of pets is a worldwide tradition at this time of year but it was started in Chew Magna by former parish priest, the late Father Richard Sullivan SDS and continued by Deacon Mark Forge who sadly had to miss this year’s celebration.
Father Michael admitted to never having done anything like this before in all his ministry but at the end of the afternoon, when everyone had cleaned off their boots and started to drift homewards, he possibly left with the biggest smile of all having thoroughly enjoyed a relaxed and fun occasion.
News of a special service from one of our country parishes.
With some trepidation, Father Michael Healy, our Parish Priest of St Pius X in Withywood, Bristol and now also the Parish Priest of the Chew Valley, drove down the narrow lane to Eunice and Graham’s smallholding just outside Chew Magna. Here he found many parishioners and other locals from the community gathered in the barn with their chickens, ducks, dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, sheep and, not forgetting, the beautiful mare with her foal. To Father Michael’s relief, however, he didn’t have to meet Ambrose the bull who was well out of sight this year, having been moved to another field.
The blessing of pets to celebrate the Feast of St Francis of Assisi, which was celebrated earlier this month, has become a popular tradition for adults and children in the rural parish of Sacred Heart in the Chew Valley.
To a somewhat noisy chorus of baas, barking and clucking, the liturgy opened with the hymn ‘All Creatures of Our God and King’. In the readings and homily we heard about God’s creation and our responsibilities to look after God’s creatures and the amazing planet He has given us. Sat outside on the hay bales on a lovely autumn afternoon surrounded by animals, it was very stirring to listen to an extract St Francis’ own ‘Canticle of the Sun’ full of praising God’s creation. We were also reminded that it was St Francis who started the tradition of the Christmas Crib. We gave thanks for all that animals do for us, farm animals, working animals, police dogs, guide dogs, zoo animals among others. We prayed for all those who look after animals and we prayed for those who were sad that their pet was ill or had died recently. Then came the blessing of the animals with holy water, which most of the pets ‘humbly’ accepted with a shake of their head! The liturgy closed with the hymn ‘Make Me a Channel of Your Peace’, based on one of St Francis’ prayers.
Afterwards, everyone enjoyed in a scrumptious tea and there were a few treats for the animals too. Local vet, Clare, had brought her stethoscope along for the children to have fun listening to different animals’ heartbeats and to ask questions.
The blessing of pets is a worldwide tradition at this time of year but it was started in Chew Magna by former parish priest, the late Father Richard Sullivan SDS and continued by Deacon Mark Forge who sadly had to miss this year’s celebration.
Father Michael admitted to never having done anything like this before in all his ministry but at the end of the afternoon, when everyone had cleaned off their boots and started to drift homewards, he possibly left with the biggest smile of all having thoroughly enjoyed a relaxed and fun occasion.
Your comments
© Clifton Diocese 2010 | Disclaimer
