Annual Blessing of the Animals were held in honor of the Feast Day of St. Francis on Oct. 4. Blessings were held the weekend of Oct. 1-3 at parishes and schools across the Diocese of Charlotte. St Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals, merchants and ecology.
Another opportunity
Charlotte residents: Missed having your pet blessed last weekend? St. Matthew Church will host a pet blessing at noon Saturday, Oct. 9. Go to the Pets Memorial Garden next to the main church at the corner of Rea Road and Ballantyne Commons Parkway. Animals need to be on a leash or in a carrier.
![Sacred Heart Catholic School celebrated their Annual Blessing of the Animals in honor of the Feast Day of St. Francis on Oct 4th. St Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals, merchants and ecology.](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/sacredheart9_copy.jpg)
Sacred Heart Catholic School celebrated their Annual Blessing of the Animals in honor of the Feast Day of St. Francis on Oct 4th. St Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals, merchants and ecology.
![Sacred Heart Catholic School celebrated their Annual Blessing of the Animals in honor of the Feast Day of St. Francis on Oct 4th. St Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals, merchants and ecology.](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/sacredheart8_copy.jpg)
Sacred Heart Catholic School celebrated their Annual Blessing of the Animals in honor of the Feast Day of St. Francis on Oct 4th. St Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals, merchants and ecology.
![Sacred Heart Catholic School celebrated their Annual Blessing of the Animals in honor of the Feast Day of St. Francis on Oct 4th. St Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals, merchants and ecology.](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/sacredheart7_copy.jpg)
Sacred Heart Catholic School celebrated their Annual Blessing of the Animals in honor of the Feast Day of St. Francis on Oct 4th. St Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals, merchants and ecology.
![Sacred Heart Catholic School celebrated their Annual Blessing of the Animals in honor of the Feast Day of St. Francis on Oct 4th. St Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals, merchants and ecology.](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/sacredheart6_copy.jpg)
Sacred Heart Catholic School celebrated their Annual Blessing of the Animals in honor of the Feast Day of St. Francis on Oct 4th. St Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals, merchants and ecology.
![Father John especially loves celebrating this special event with all our students. (Photos via Facebook)](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/sacredheart5_copy.jpg)
Father John especially loves celebrating this special event with all our students. (Photos via Facebook)
![Father John especially loves celebrating this special event with all our students. (Photos via Facebook)](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/sacredheart3_copy.jpg)
Father John especially loves celebrating this special event with all our students. (Photos via Facebook)
![Father John especially loves celebrating this special event with all our students. (Photos via Facebook)](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/sacredheart2_copy.jpg)
Father John especially loves celebrating this special event with all our students. (Photos via Facebook)
![Father John especially loves celebrating this special event with all our students. (Photos via Facebook)](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/sacredheart_copy.jpg)
Father John especially loves celebrating this special event with all our students. (Photos via Facebook)
![Pets were blessed at St. Leo the Great Church. (Photos via Facebook)](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/stleo2_copy.jpg)
Pets were blessed at St. Leo the Great Church. (Photos via Facebook)
![Pets were blessed at St. Leo the Great Church. (Photos via Facebook)](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/stleo_copy.jpg)
Pets were blessed at St. Leo the Great Church. (Photos via Facebook)
![Parishioners brought pets outside Holy Cross Church in Kernersville to be blessed. (Photos by Paul Doizé)](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/holycross2_copy.jpg)
Parishioners brought pets outside Holy Cross Church in Kernersville to be blessed. (Photos by Paul Doizé)
![Parishioners brought pets outside Holy Cross Church in Kernersville to be blessed. (Photos by Paul Doizé)](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/holycross4_copy.jpg)
Parishioners brought pets outside Holy Cross Church in Kernersville to be blessed. (Photos by Paul Doizé)
![Parishioners brought pets outside Holy Cross Church in Kernersville to be blessed. (Photos by Paul Doizé)](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/holycross3_copy.jpg)
Parishioners brought pets outside Holy Cross Church in Kernersville to be blessed. (Photos by Paul Doizé)
![The St. Mark preschoolers had a special visitor -- and brought special visitors -- at school on Friday morning, Oct. 1.](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/stmark1_copy.jpg)
The St. Mark preschoolers had a special visitor -- and brought special visitors -- at school on Friday morning, Oct. 1.
![Deacon Louie Pais greeted the 3-, 4- and 5-year-old children and their stuffed animals for a special blessing of pets in celebration of the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi. (Photos provided by Amy Burger)](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/stmark2_copy.jpg)
Deacon Louie Pais greeted the 3-, 4- and 5-year-old children and their stuffed animals for a special blessing of pets in celebration of the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi. (Photos provided by Amy Burger)
![Father Thomas J. Kessler, pastor, blessed animals at St. Philip the Apostle Church in Statesville. (Photos provided by Connie Ries)](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/img_0013_copy.jpg)
Father Thomas J. Kessler, pastor, blessed animals at St. Philip the Apostle Church in Statesville. (Photos provided by Connie Ries)
![Father Thomas J. Kessler, pastor, blessed animals at St. Philip the Apostle Church in Statesville. (Photos provided by Connie Ries)](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/img_9989_copy.jpg)
Father Thomas J. Kessler, pastor, blessed animals at St. Philip the Apostle Church in Statesville. (Photos provided by Connie Ries)
![St. Pius X in Greensboro](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/spx_1_copy.jpg)
St. Pius X in Greensboro
![St. Pius X in Greensboro](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/spx_2_copy.jpg)
St. Pius X in Greensboro
![St. Pius X in Greensboro](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/spx_3_copy.jpg)
St. Pius X in Greensboro
![St. Pius X in Greensboro](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/spx_4_copy.jpg)
St. Pius X in Greensboro
![Deacon Jim Bozik held St. Peter Church in Charlotte’s annual Blessing of Animals prayer service. (Photo via Facebook)](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/stpeter_copy.jpg)
Deacon Jim Bozik held St. Peter Church in Charlotte’s annual Blessing of Animals prayer service. (Photo via Facebook)
![St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte held a pet blessing on Oct. 2. (Photo via Facebook)](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/stgabriel_copy.jpg)
St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte held a pet blessing on Oct. 2. (Photo via Facebook)
![The Blessing of the Animals was held at St. Therese Church in Mooresville in honor of the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals.](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/dsc_8678_copy.jpg)
The Blessing of the Animals was held at St. Therese Church in Mooresville in honor of the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals.
![. There were many wagging tails as Father Mark Lawlor learned the names of each of the animals, and they received their blessing. (Provided by Lisa Cash)](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/dsc_8726_copy.jpg)
. There were many wagging tails as Father Mark Lawlor learned the names of each of the animals, and they received their blessing. (Provided by Lisa Cash)
![. There were many wagging tails as Father Mark Lawlor learned the names of each of the animals, and they received their blessing. (Provided by Lisa Cash)](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/dsc_8729_copy.jpg)
. There were many wagging tails as Father Mark Lawlor learned the names of each of the animals, and they received their blessing. (Provided by Lisa Cash)
![. There were many wagging tails as Father Mark Lawlor learned the names of each of the animals, and they received their blessing. (Provided by Lisa Cash)](/images/djmediatools/399-petblessings21/dsc_8720_copy.jpg)
. There were many wagging tails as Father Mark Lawlor learned the names of each of the animals, and they received their blessing. (Provided by Lisa Cash)
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