By Heather Melton (she/her), UTO Staff Officer
I have always had pets. My first pet was a blind cat named Spock, who followed me around my entire childhood. Then there was a dachshund named Ernie (plus an orange tabby named Bert) who for many years put up with my younger self dressing him in doll clothes and carrying him around like a baby. He was faithfully by my side from elementary school until just before college. There were also numerous fish, gerbils, cats, and rabbits over time, as well as a ferret named Spaz. I worked at several zoos, where I played the comedic foil to several snakes and birds, engaged with giant pandas and Jack Hanna, and guarded a sloth who roamed freely in a rainforest building. In seminary, I was lucky enough to get to love and be loved by some amazing golden retrievers who belonged to some friends of mine. Currently, our family is on our second wave of cats. The first wave included a very dim orange tabby named Francis (after St. Francis) and a beloved tortie cat whose photo appears on our All Souls’ Day altar every year. Now we have Sally Ride the orange tabby and Tilly the Tortie, whom many of you have met via Zoom. Sally sleeps most afternoons on a cat bed by my computer, while Tilly attacks anything coming out of the printer. I joke that the cats are my coworkers. Like St. Francis who preached to the birds, I like to think my cats are the quality control team for UTO projects.
I am a big fan of the Feast of St. Francis and the Blessing of the Animals, and I know many of you are as well. St. Francis was the champion of the poor and the forgotten, including nature and care of creation, and was compelled by his faith to serve God by caring for them. Francis saw the love of God in nature and the abundance of gifts that come from it. There are tales of his preaching to the birds and befriending a wolf.
Francis wanted people to engage with their faith, so in addition to feeding and caring for their basic needs, he helped the poor in his community take part in spiritual practices not normally accessible to them. He created the stations of the cross so people could go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem without leaving their town, and he created the first nativity scene in a cave with real animals. Francis was edgy and cool, maybe a bit crazy, maybe cut from the same cloth as John the Baptist. Regardless, he was awesome and so much more than just a garden statue.
As October begins, many of our churches begin to plan for the Blessing of the Animals. It is one of the most fun and chaotic days of the church year. When I was a parish priest, I encouraged children to bring stuffed animals to get blessed if they didn’t have a pet, or people to bring photos of pets who had died. I am still struck by the number of photos of deceased pets whose companions wanted them to get one final blessing as thanks for their life and witness. Ultimately, the Blessing of the Animals taught me that we receive far more from our relationships with animals and nature than we give—a truth embodied in St. Francis’ ministry. Each day, my cats are a blessing, either by doing something crazy or by showing up to love on me after a long day of working, parenting, and adulting. The children who brought beloved stuffed animals reminded me of all the placeholders (or transitional objects) that gave me comfort as I was growing up and finding my way out into the world. The photos of deceased pets reminded me that the great cloud of witnesses includes these furry companions who walked alongside us, and they are the reasons to give thanks for the love, joy, and companionship that animals bring into our lives.
This month, I hope you’ll begin October by giving thanks for all the people, animals, and places in nature that bring you joy right now. Then, as the month unfolds and we head toward All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days, take time to remember all the people, animals, and places that have brought you joy throughout your life. Give thanks for the blessings they gave you and for the witness of their faith and love in the world around you. And be sure to share with us the photos and stories of the saints who informed your life, so we can all give thanks for the blessings of the saints among us and surrounding us.
