It was not the regular crowd in church this Sunday.
All Saints’ Church in Peterborough was filled with friendly exchanges this weekend. Handshakes, smiles and a lot of sniffing.
The handshakes were between the humans. The sniffing, between their pets, who attended a Blessing of the Animals service held at All Saints’ on Sunday, in honor of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals.
“As you may be able to tell, this is going to be an informal service,” joked the Rev. Jamie Hamilton, after being greeted by a rough chorus of “woofs” from the canine parishioners dotted about the pews.
Each year, All Saints honors St. Francis with a Blessing of the Animals. While all variety of pets are welcome, dogs were the only recipients on Sunday.
Isabella “Boo” Martin was present with her black Labrador, Gracie.
Martin is the executive director of Touchstone Farm in Temple, a horse farm that uses horses for lessons and summer camp as well as therapy animals for veterans and those with disabilities. Gracie was acting as her stand-in for those animals she could not bring, said Martin.
“The animals at the farm, how could we do anything without them?” said Martin. “Whenever we have a kid that’s feeling particularly troubled, we always say, ‘Send them to a horse.’”
It was indeed, a short and informal ceremony, with Hamilton leading the congregation in the hymn “All Things Bright and Beautiful,” as well as a few short readings, one from St. Francis and one from the book of Matthew, and an abbreviated variation of Psalm 148. Hamilton then laid her hands on each dog present, blessing it.
It is important, Hamilton reminded the congregation, to bless and remember our pets, both those still with us and those gone.
“Animals do a tremendous amount to shape our lives,” said Hamilton, sharing her thankfulness for both the cats that she currently has, and her pet Boxer, Dempsy, who has since passed away.
A Blessing of the Animals was also held at the Cathedral of the Pines in Rindge on Sunday in the St. Francis Garden, officiated by Rev. Dr. Bonnie McCarthy and Laurie Kandoll, executive director of the Cathedral of the Pines.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 244.