The Rev. John Trout blesses Misiu, the pet dog of Monica and Lucas Sedlak and their children, Issabella and Christopher, of Barrington on the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and the environment Friday at St. Anne Catholic Church in Barrington.
Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
Ten-year-old Kate McGuire and her dog, Daisy, are blessed by the Rev. John Trout Friday on the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and the environment, at St. Anne Catholic Church in Barrington.
Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
People gathered at St. Anne Catholic Church in Barrington Friday to mark the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and the environment, and for the annual blessing of pets.
The Rev. John Trout doused those gathered with holy water when he blessed more than 55 pets assembled in the school’s courtyard in a short, late afternoon ceremony.
Trout said he has blessed pets of all kinds, from cats and dogs to horses and reptiles.
St. Francis is one of the most venerated religious figures in Catholicism. He and St. Catherine of Siena are the patron saints of Italy.