On October 5th, Mater Christi School celebrated its annual Blessing of the Animals Service in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and ecology, who once prayed, “Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures.” Students and their families, faculty, and staff gathered with their beloved pets on the front lawn of the middle school building for fellowship and a brief prayer service before “all creatures great and small” were offered an individual blessing by Mr. Jason Moore, Assistant Head of School for Spiritual, Religious and Community Life.
At the end of the service, a team of 8th graders, demonstrating “principled leadership” (the Core Value we’re focusing on this year), collected and donated well over 400 pounds of food, treats, toys and bedding to the Humane Society of Chittenden County. This collection drive was a student-led initiative with the goal of extending mercy and compassion to animals in need on the Feast of St. Francis. Students (some of whom are not pictured due to other commitments) proposed the idea for the drive, painted informational signs, made announcements, placed collection bins in lobbies, and sorted, loaded, and donated the collected items to the Humane Society. As always, we are humbled and moved by the kindness, creativity, and hard work of our students, and by the incredible generosity of the Mater Christi community. Thanks to everyone who donated and participated in this special event!