Welcoming “creatures great and small”

The Blessing of the Animals has become an annual event in many of our congregations; it’s usually scheduled on or close to the Oct. 4 Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, whose joy in all of creation is recalled in stories of his friendship with birds and animals.

Here’s a schedule of services at which parishioners and neighbors are invited to bring their animal companions to church for a blessing. This list will be updated as we receive more dates and times.

Oct. 2

8:30 a.m. St. John’s School, Homestead

Oct. 3

10 a.m.-2 p.m. St. John’s, Hollywood (Event includes Fall Fest)
11 a.m. Church of the Resurrection, Biscayne Park

5 p.m. St. Mary Magdalene, Coral Springs

Oct. 4

8 & 10 a.m. Holy Trinity, West Palm Beach
8 & 10 a.m. St. Luke’s, Port Salerno (Event includes pet costume contest)
9 a.m. Bethesda-by-the-Sea, Palm Beach
9 a.m. St. Mary’s, Stuart
10 a.m. Church of the Intercession, 501 NW 17 St., Ft. Lauderdale
10 a.m. St. Andrew’s, Lake Worth
10 a.m. Chapel of the Venerable Bede, Coral Gables

noon St. Andrew's, Palmetto Bay

2 p.m. Church of the Advent, Palm City
3 p.m. St. James-in-the-Hills, Hollywood

3 p.m. All Saints’, Jensen Beach
4 p.m. Good Shepherd, Tequesta
4 p.m. St. Benedict’s, Plantation
4:30 p.m. St. Mark’s, Palm Beach Gardens

Oct. 7

9 a.m. St. Christopher’s-by-the-Sea, Key Biscayne

Oct.10

4 p.m. St. Gregory’s, Boca Raton

Oct. 18
10 a.m. St. Martin’s, Pompano Beach (Event includes petting zoo, refreshments, other activities)