Blessing of animals

The event has become an annual ritual at the Boardman church.

By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

BOARDMAN — For more than an hour this weekend, St. James’ Episcopal Church went to the dogs — along with a few birds and cats.

The church conducted its annual “Blessing of Animals” Sunday afternoon on the front lawn of the Glenwood Avenue church.

Sharyn Fees, communications coordinator for the church, said the church has been blessing animals annually for more than five years. She said the blessing ritual has remained the same, but the date has changed.

“We started doing this around St. Francis of Assisi Day because he is the Patron Saint of Animals, then we moved it to the spring, Rogation Sunday, instead,” said Fees. “There is always a good turnout.”

Sunday’s turnout was no exception from the norm with dozens of pets and their owners gathering at the front of the church. Dogs made up the overwhelming majority of participants, but several cats, one cockatiel and a somewhat-shy hamster were also visible in the crowd.

Barbara Jones of Austintown was one of the few cat owners to bring her 10-year-old feline out among mostly canine counterparts to take part in the blessing ceremony. Jones shares her home with several cats but brought only the one with the personality and calm nature to stand amid other animals.

The Rev. Kelly Marshall, church rector, opened the ceremony with a hymn that elicited howls from more than a few singing canines eager to participate.

Father Marshall said he is not sure what the blessing ceremony does for the animals involved, but he said it does a lot for the relationship between owners and their pets.

“This blesses the relationship between owners and their pets. They know they have done something for their pets by bringing them here,” he said. “It is a good thing to bless what God has made.”

Blessing what God has given is exactly what JoAnn Kaschak of Canfield had in mind when she came to the ceremony with her mixed-breed small dog Dazzle, who she rescued from a puppy mill several months ago.

“This is a thanksgiving for all things God has given us. He has given us these animals, too, and they are our friends and companions,” she said.

Father Marshall offered special prayers for deceased pets and pets with various illnesses, something many people in the crowd appreciated.

Barb Good, a member of K-9’s for Compassion, attended the ceremony with other members of the K-9 group and four dogs. She said one female boxer dog, Dharma, was in need of a blessing from the church.

“Some of us were here last year, and we enjoyed it so much we decided to bring them back out this year. Dharma was just diagnosed with cancer, so we decided she needed an extra blessing,” said Good.

Dharma is receiving chemotherapy.

Ron Gorski said the ceremony made for a good way to spend the afternoon with his 4-year-old dog Laci and ask God for longevity.

“I just saw it in The Vindicator and decided to come on out here,” he said. “I hope [Laci] lives another year longer — like me.”

jgoodwin@vindy.com