St Francis of Assisi - Blessing of the Animals - Nim goes to Church

Friday, October 4th is the St. Francis of Assisi's feast day. Since Odin was alive, I have been trying to make a Blessing of the Animals event and this year is the first year I was able to.

I couldn't make any of the Friday events work out, but this morning we got up early to attend services at Holy Cross in Redmond.

I could blame it on not hiking since Tuesday or I could blame it on not training Nim on church behavior but wow, that was one of the harder public events we have done in awhile. I doubt they will forget us any time soon.

The church, staff, and congregation at Holy Cross was lovely. You would think that animals attended every Sunday. We pulled in behind quite possibly the tiniest car I have ever seen in my life that had a sticker "Twinkie Power" on the back. The lady that got out was so nicely dress and had a little poodle about the size of Nim's head...also nicely dressed. The poodle let Nim know she wasn't up for any of his attitude and clearly was a church going pro.

Nim was a little crazed in the parking lot, but I wasn't prepared for him to be so brainless when we entered the church (made me wonder if I was nervous?). We finally made it in, took a back row seat on the aisle and as he slowly settled in I thought we were going to be OK.

The 8am service was probably lighter than the 10am and some of the last to enter were a couple of families with kids carrying what I assumed cat carriers. Some had cats. One had a rooster. A ROOSTER.

What little brain Nim had promptly left the building.

The services started and he was at least distracted by me getting up and down and participating in the services. Finally it was time for the Blessing of the Animals and we were to come up individually, which made sense. While waiting our turn I heard the flutter of features, some commotion, and turned to see the rooster running under the row of chairs coming towards us. He hit the aisle in front of us, took off at a rooster run, went under the piano and amazingly up on the "stage" where Fr. Jim swiftly grabbed him.

Anyone who knows Nim in person knows exactly what noise came out of him. I literally started dumping sweat. People were telling me he was eager for his blessing but I knew exactly what that noise was for. The only reason Nim's feral noise was slightly quieter than normal was his utter disbelief that a chicken, outside fencing, had gotten so close.

I really have to hand it to Fr. Jim. I enjoyed his service and he had a wonderful animal acceptance about him. Nim and I did make it down the aisle, vacuuming any features on the way, made a quick check under the piano (which is probably where Nim last could actually see the rooster) and Fr. Jim patiently waited for Nim to simply be more present before giving his blessing.

Many people come up to Nim during greeting time which he naturally enjoyed.

Have a great Sunday and I leave you with the very popular "Prayer of St. Francis." While not actually written by St. Francis this prayer is considered to embrace his spirit.

Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
And it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.