PETS BLESSED AT HOLY REDEEMER
All creatures great and small were welcomed to the Holy Redeemer last Sunday for the blessing of the animals.
Fr Dan Nguyen and Fr Hilary Nwainya presided over the special ceremony to bless pets which bring so much joy into the lives of their owners.
Plenty of dogs, a hamster and a cat were brought along to the event. In previous years there have been snakes, tortoises anda donkey.
‘It’s such a popular day. People always show up every year,’ said organiser Maureen Masterson.
Maureen’s late sister Anne McCullugh founded the blessing of the animals over two decades ago. Also last Sunday, Anne was remembered at Mass on her fourth anniversary, so she was very much in Maureen’s mind on the day.
‘ The animals were delighted, as if they knew it was their day,’ said Maureen. ‘ They don’t fight with each other.
She said that Fr Hilary, who is from Nige- ria, and Fr Dan, who is from Vietnam, said a lovely prayer. They called out the names of each animal and blessed them.
The weather remained dry for the wonderful celebration of pets.
The blessing of the animals is always held on the first Sunday after October 4, which is the feast day of St Franics, the patron saint of animals.
Maureen said that the purpose of the blessing is to support and continue animal awareness.