All creatures great and small, along with their human kind, were invited to St. John’s Shaughnessy Anglican Church for Sunday’s annual Blessing of the Animals.
The occasional bark from the pews didn’t disrupt the service, and by the time John Stephens read from the Book of Genesis, Cody, the Doberman coonhound mix whose face seemed to be in a state of perpetual seriousness, dozed in the aisle of the nave.
Volunteers from Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association (VOKRA) sat on the right side of the church with kittens so tiny they fit into the crook of their holders’ arms. Charley the dog and Oscar the cat were also at their Sunday best, not a surprise as their owner is archdeacon Stephens.
“People really love their animals whether they’re churchgoers or not, and to be giving thanks — people understand that in their own way and there’s something really beautiful about that,” he said. “It’s something that’s been in the church for a long, long time and it’s a fun way to connect animals with people.”
Some early arrivers to the ceremony were disappointed at the news the VPD mounted police was a last-minute cancelation. Last year, two police horses stood at the church’s front doors and peered in throughout the 45-minute long service. This was before Stephens’ time at St. John’s, though. He’s only been at the church for six months, having spent most of his 20 years at St. Philip’s in Dunbar. He started his career at St. John’s the Divine in Squamish, and it was there he led a memorable animal-filled service where a lone horse looked in one of the windows for the duration.
While Stephens said nobody has brought in a snake or a tarantula to one of his animal blessings yet, he’s open to the idea as long as the creature is contained in an aquarium. This fearlessness is explained upon discovering Stephens also holds a degree in zoology from UBC.
The tradition of blessing animals began almost 800 years ago with St. Francis of Assisi’s belief humans were but just one of God’s creations. The rite is often held on Saint Francis’ feast day, the day of his death, Oct. 4, or the Sunday closest. The Catholic saint was known for his sensitivity and care towards all living things, an approach similar to Buddhist teachings (ancient Judaism, as well, had its own animal blessing ceremonies that are still held at some synagogues). Saint Francis was even known for sweeping a surface clear before sitting, according to St. John’s reverend Liz Hamel, who assisted Stephens for the blessing.
“There are stories how he would go out and preach to the birds and how he was very careful before sitting down so there were no bugs or creepy things on the bench. He had reverence for all life,” she said. It’s a teaching that is especially good to remember when children attend the blessing of the animals.
“I’ve been at pet blessings where there have been worms,” Hamel said. “Little kids dug up some worms to be blessed so they got blessed.”
Part of the ceremony included remembrance for departed pets. People were invited to write down the name of a deceased pet on a board and light a candle. Snowflake, Patches and Casey were remembered, along with unnamed cats and Pinchy the lobster. Hemel added a name to the list: Buddy the cat. The appearance of VOKRA at the animal blessing, however, got her thinking about adopting another feline after two catless years.
“I think we’ve finished mourning him and it’s time for another one,” she said.
It’s welcome news for VOKRA, the recipient of Sunday’s animal blessing donations at St. Johns. VOKRA currently has 160 cats up for adoption along with 600 in their care.
“Every year VOKRA rescues 1,800 cats from the streets,” said volunteer Barb Mount Poulsen. “These are homeless animals that really struggle and many would perish if not caught. So I don’t think there’s anything that needs a blessing much more than that.”
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