Blessing of the Animals Coming Up

Photo by PoPville flickr user pablo.raw

For this who live in/near Brookland:

The friars at the Franciscan Monastery invite their Brookland neighbors and their friends to bring their pets to the monastery Sunday, Sept. 30 at 1:30 p.m. for the annual Blessing of the Animals. The friars traditionally bless pets (large and small are welcome) on or near the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals and the environment, who was known for his life of simplicity and peace. Hope to see folks there! The monastery is located at 1400 Quincy Street, NE.

For those that live near the National Cathedral (3101 Wisconsin Ave, NW):

Washington National Cathedral continues its annual tradition of blessing animals on October 7, 2012, in honor of the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi. St. Francis, the patron saint of animals, frequently preached to them in his ministry. The Cathedral will welcome special guests Lois Wye from the Washington Animal Rescue League, Lisa LaFontaine, President of Washington Humane Society and Victoria Strang from the Humane Society of the United States.

“The blessing of the animals is always a heartwarming and fun event for the community,” said Cathedral spokesman Richard Weinberg. “For many people a pet is a member of the family, and bringing a pet to church for a blessing is a unique opportunity that allows us to engage with our faith in a new and meaningful way. We are proud to carry on this tradition of blessing all members of God’s creation.”

All pets and their caretakers are invited to attend and participate. The Animal Rescue League will have a pet adoption van on site and the Humane Society will have some animals available for adoption for those looking to provide a home for an animal in need.

When: Sunday, October 7, at 2:30 pm EDT
Where: Walker Court on the West Front of the Cathedral along Wisconsin Ave.