October 4th is officially WORLD ANIMAL DAY. It's October 4th because this is the day of recognition for St. Francis.

Of all the saints in the history of the Christian faith, St. Francis is considered the person who had the most connection and reverence for animals. There are stories of Francis communing with birds, making friends with rabbits and fish, and then there's the amazing tale of Francis being a mediator between a wolf and a fearful town....

God cares about animals, about all life. In the first chapter of Genesis, animals get blessed by God - before humans do:   

And God said, ‘Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.’ So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them, saying, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.’ (Gen 1:20-22) 

Blessing animals aligns with the heart of the Creator and continues a vital tradition, as exemplified by St Francis. Come join us on Oct. 4th, 10:30 - 11am, at the large shelter at Cornwall Park (if it's raining we'll be under the shelter, if not, then we'll be on the grass just outside the shelter).

Each individual animal will receive a blessing. No animal/wildlife is excluded. If an animal that you love is unable to come, please feel free to bring a photograph.

Love animals! Love creation! Be blessed!