In honor of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and ecology, Mater Christi School celebrated its annual Blessing of the Animals service on October 4th in the Chapel of the Sacred Heart.
St. Francis’ spirituality, which saw the “fingerprints of God” in all of creation, is reflected in his famous words from the “Canticle of the Sun,” one of the first works of literature written in Italian. St. Francis saw all creatures as his brothers and sisters, and there are many stories of St. Francis’ care and concern for animals.
MCS students, families, faculty and staff celebrated St. Francis’ vision and brought their beloved pets — dogs, cats, and even a rabbit, bunny, and hedgehog — to the Chapel where each animal received an individual blessing from Mr. Jason Moore, Assistant Head of School for Spiritual, Religious and Community Life.
May the example of St. Francis of Assisi inspire us all to show mercy and compassion to one another, to those in need, and to “all creatures great and small.”