Bless the beasts

THE BLESSING OF ANIMALS takes place around the area today on what normally is the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. In the R.C. Church liturgical purists rule, so the 27th Sunday in Ordinary time trumps the PETA & Peace Patron. Thank God Episcopalians have their priorities straight. From our neighbor St. Paul's On The Hill to St. Bart's on Park Avenue, our four-legged, scaley and feathered friends will process up the main aisles at services today.

In years past on this day Hopi attended the Mass in the chapel of the Walsh building, when we used to have a chapel and when we used to have a Walsh Building.

We could have had a mini-procession here with Hopi, Agatha (Fr. Dan Jenson's, Fr. Joe LaMar & Mr. Sean Gould rotating custodians—cats don't have owners), Br. Kevin Dargan's cat, my turtle and Fr. George Ratterman's tarantula. Outdoors, of course on any given day we can see Canada Geese, deer, rabbits and the occasional skunk and wild turkeys.

The feral cats have gone, for now, but whether this is due to the successful "Catch, Neuter & Release" program of our grounds crew or Hopi's fierce vigilance remains to be seen. IMHO, feeding feral cats is misplaced Franciscan sentiment, as they then multiply, kill not only rats but rabbits, and run the risk of contracting rabies. (I mean the cats, not the Franciscans.)

In a future post, I shall explain the Peace Pole on our property. Till then, let us pray and work for peace.