c. 2000 Religion News Service

CLEVELAND _ Sir Rodney of Dangerfield, a 7-year-old bassett hound with a placid mug, kept his sniffer in full gear as the Rev. Douglas H. Koesel sprinkled holy water over him on the front steps of St. Mark Catholic Church.

On the other side of the semicircle was Boo Boo Kitty, a small black cat who purred contentedly in the arms of Kitty Flynn as she and her children prayed for their pet, who was recently diagnosed with feline leukemia.

Standing a bit to the rear, with his front paws on his owner’s arm and his hairy snout nestled against his chest, was a small Yorkshire terrier and his 8-year-old buddy, Tom Pickett. Tom had just been given Lacy a few days before, and they were starting their new relationship seeking God’s blessing.

Sir Rodney, Boo Boo Kitty and Lacy were among more than 40 members of the animal kingdom to sit, stand or roll over for a blessing of the animals on a recent October evening at St. Mark’s.

The ceremony is one of a multitude conducted worldwide during October in celebration of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. The celebration honors the Italian saint famed for his gentle embrace of animals as part of God’s creation. Most such blessings take place near Oct. 4, the feast day of St. Francis.

Christians have been blessing animals since Francis’ death in the 13th century. But the events have become more popular in recent years due to a developing theology of compassion for animals and the desire of pet owners to publicly celebrate what has traditionally been a private, housebound relationship.

“The animal-rights movement has forced Christians to come to terms with how they think about animals,” said Stephen Webb, author of “On God and Dogs: A Christian Theology of Compassion for Animals.”

“Every animal matters, and especially the animals we have entered into covenantal relationships with,” he said.

St. Francis would have been pleased. He loved the birds flying around his hilltop town and legends have it that the birds gathered around him to listen to his sermons. In his Canticle of the Creatures, Francis wrote, “All praise to you, O Lord, for these brother and sister creatures.”

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Recently, dogs, cats, turtles, rabbits and a fish were among the creatures blessed at the third annual blessing of the animals at Archwood United Church of Christ. The Cleveland Buddhist Temple recently held its semiannual animal memorial service.

“I think God has blessed us with creation, which we often take for granted and are not good stewards of,” said the Rev. David Bahr of Archwood. “This is both a reminder and a recommitment to be good stewards of what God has given us.”

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As giant pin oak trees provided shade on a pleasant fall evening, a parade of dogs, cats and even a guinea pig peacefully lay down beside one another in blessing ceremonies every 10 to 15 minutes outside the old stone church at St. Mark.

“Lord, with love and compassion, watch over these pets, which we bless in your name,” intoned Koesel as he sprinkled holy water on the animals.

Boo Boo Kitty, a 12-week-old stray cat abandoned at a gasoline station, has found new life with the Flynn family even though they found out she has leukemia.

“She’s brought a lot of joy to us. She really unified the family. We all laugh, probably now more than ever,” said Kitty Flynn, surrounded by four children ages 4 to 13. “I really feel she’s been a gift to us.”

Barney, a 10-year-old mixed breed, strained at his leash with his nose pointed toward the backside of the female dog next to him during his ceremony. But for his owners, Herb and Pam Tippie, and their 5-year-old daughter, Madeline, the blessing of the dog who wraps his paws around Madeline and comforts her when she cries was meaningful.

“For me, it meant that Barney is part of the family,” Herb Tippie said. “Being man’s best friend, he always loves us a lot.”

Glen Lenhart, a layperson at St. Mark who helped organize the animal blessing, said pets are like family to many people, and it is important for everyone they love in their lives to be recognized.

“A lot of people want that affirmation, that the church embraces their pet,” Lenhart said.

There has been a shift in the way pets are viewed in society, said Webb, associate professor of religion at Wabash College. Once seen as a private relationship, the bond between dogs and cats and human beings now is recognized to the extent that some companies even allow employees to bring pets to work. Institutions such as nursing homes welcome visiting pets as studies show domestic animals help lower blood pressure and provide longer, happier lives for humans.

Blessings of animals and services mourning their deaths meet a spiritual hunger on the part of church members, according to Webb.

“People want their relationships to be valued, and publicly valued, by some sort of ritual,” said Webb.

DEA END BRIGGS