For Catholics around the world Oct. 4 is the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi. Born to a rich family in 1181, Francis turned his back on wealth, living in extreme poverty while serving the poor. He was convinced that as creations of God, all animals, not just humans, deserve respect and love, and, according to a famous story, he even preached to birds. Such is the affection in which Catholics still hold him that the current pope chose to bear the name of Francis.

In memory of St. Francis, on Oct. 4 each year many Catholic churches invite parishioners to bring their pets for a special blessing. At St. Anne’s Church in Bethlehem, approximately 85 families registered for the occasion, gathering in the school yard off Washington Avenue at the end of the school day. Surrounded by numerous dogs large and small, a few cats and by one rabbit, a single gecko, and a guinea pig named Thunderbolt, the church’s pastor, Fr. Anthony Mongiello, and assistant pastor, Fr. Alexander Brown, offered an individual blessing to each participant. It was impossible to tell what the gecko and Thunderbolt thought of the event, but at the end, the dogs were certainly excited, and the human participants were smiling ear to ear.