Blessing of the Animals - On the State House Lawn Saturday October 4th, 2014

St. Francis Day 2014

This year we took our annual celebration of St. Francis and added to it with an outdoor blessing held on the State House Lawn.  Despite some persistent drizzle, the animals and their people came! Smiles and laughs were shared, and the friendly beasts all remained friendly!  What a joy to see the diversity of creation in one place.  Our great thanks to Grace East Concord and the Rev. Jason Wells for joining us.  And thanks to our sexton Andrew Brundrett for sharing these wonderful pictures!

Mark and Tracy came to provide music

Robbie the rabbit

Charlie

Mickey

Emie

Moonbeam the Nubian doe

Waiting patiently for a blessing

Hazel

Rory

Reina and Emie (jumping for joy)

Shelby receives her blessing

THE BLESSING PRAYER

Most high, almighty Lord, our Creator, yours are the praise, the glory, the honour and all

blessings! To you alone do all things belong. Be praised for giving us the animals, birds and fish

which fill your world. May we think of you and thank you when we play with and care for our pets.

Be praised for making us so happy to have our pets and to have them to play with. We ask you,

Lord, that we may be good to our pets always, so that they may be happy also. Help us always to

take care of them so that they will be healthy. O God, your world is wonderful. May we all come

into your even greater world of the kingdom of heaven where we shall see even more wonderful

things and where we shall live and love for ever. This we ask to your eternal praise, and to our

blessing. Amen.

Adapted from http://www.liturgies.net/saints/francis/animalblessing.htm

Rev. Jason Wells and Juice

Moonbeam and Starlight are blessed by Rev. Kate Atkinson