Special blessing for pets

One of St Brendan’s priests, Fr Adi Indra, conducted the ceremony in the gardens at the church, with a prayer and scripture readings, followed by the animals receiving a special blessing.

The day was held on the feast of St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, this year.

Fr Adi said that while numbers were down on past years, it was still a good opportunity for people to pray together and connect with each other.

It is a tradition he’s hoping will continue into the future.

“The idea of the blessing is to appreciate God’s gift for creation and to be grateful for the companionship pets provide,” Fr Adi said.

“We can be very attached to our animals.”

“They can be a great support.”