To the editor:
Bring your furry, scaly, and hairy creatures to be blessed! Come to St. David’s Blessing of the Animals, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. at the intersection of State Road 45 and 135, Bean Blossom, Indiana. Come at 6 p.m. for a presentation by Scaly Tailz, then refreshments and the blessing.
The bond between person and pet is like no other because communication is at its most basic. Eye-to-eye, you and your dog or cat form a circle of unconditional love. Our pets mean the world to us.
Scaly Tailz provides educational reptile and amphibian demonstrations. They talk about the animals they bring, about wildlife conservation, how we can be responsible pet owners. They also offer a safe and loving forever home for reptiles and amphibians who have been abandoned, or who need to be re-homed. Come out to see them!
Why do we bless animals? Many Episcopal churches celebrate a Blessing of the Animals in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi. He is known for his love for animals, and refers to them as his “brothers and sisters.” He once gave up his room in a small hotel to a donkey.
Pets have a long history in the White House. Most U.S. presidents had multiple pets. Theodore Roosevelt tops the list with 21, including a small bear, a lizard and a blue macaw. We have followed the antics of the Nixons’ dog Checkers, the Clintons’ cat Socks, and the Obamas’ dogs Bo and Sunny.
Estimates say that Americans own between 70 and 80 million dogs and as many as 96 million cats. Many a senior lap is filled with a purring fellow creature. In times of stress or hardship, many of us count on the unconditional love of our companion animals.
Come join us! Bring your animals large and small to St. David’s Episcopal Church on Oct. 5. Important: Please bring them on a leash or in a cage. We look forward to meeting you and your animal friends.
The Rev. Kelsey Hutto (submitted by Jan Holloway)
Send letters to [email protected] by noon Thursday before the date of intended publication.
Letters are the opinions of the writer.
Letters must be signed by the author and include the writer’s town of residence and a contact number in case of questions. Only one letter every two weeks, per writer, to allow for diversity of voices in the opinions section.
Please be considerate of sharing space with other letter-writers and keep your comments concise and to the point.
Avoid name-calling, accusations of criminal activity and second- and third-hand statements of “fact.”
