The Blessing of the Animals |
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Each year, on the Sunday closest to St Francis' Day, neighbors and parishioners
gather at the church with their favorite non-human companions to receive
the Church's blessing in honor of the saint who loved all of God's creatures. |
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 Hudson and Charlie get acquainted |
 These cats don't look convinced |
 Petruschka and Chloe |
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 Clover |
 Chiquita the Ferret |
 Lily |
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 Attentive congregants |
 Chiquita makes friends |
 Fr. Warren reads from the Fioretti ("Little Flowers") of St Francis |
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 Fr. Wood blesses the animals... |
 ... and begins introducing them to holy water. |
 Charlie the Basset Hound likes getting blessed |
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 Who's next? |
 The cats get sprinkled |
 Concluding with "All Things Bright and Beautiful" |
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 In 2006, Jake was uncertain about the whole business  In 2007, he was still reluctant; in 2008 he and Jeoffry abstained entirely  |
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