BILOXI -- Around two dozen pets and their owners showed up Sunday afternoon at the Church of the Redeemer on Popp?s Ferry Road for the annual Blessing of the Animals service.
The ceremony has been held by the church for decades, going back farther than most people can remember, according to Rev. Robert Wetherington, who officiated at the event.
Most of the pet owners were parishioners, and while the majority of the furry friends present were dogs, there were also a couple of cats and a ferret as well.
LINDSAY KNOWLES/SPECIAL TO THE SUN HERALD Rev. Robert Wetherington says a blessing over Barbara Barrilleaux?s dog Trouble at the Church of the Redeemer?s annual Blessing of the Animals on Sunday afternoon.
?Pets are our companions and have become such an intimate part of our lives now,? said Wetherington, who is the church?s priest in charge. ?When we ask God to put a blessing upon our lives, we often include our pets, too.?
People come out to have their pets blessed for a variety of reasons, Wetherington said.
?For a lot of people, this enables for their pets to live healthy lives, while for others it is for remembrance to share the joys and sorrows of pets that have been lost. All of those things are sacred.?
For puppy Trouble, this was a very special blessing of thanksgiving. Recovering from cancer, Trouble and his owner, Barbara Barrilleaux of D?Iberville, just got the good news that his pathology report was non-cancerous.
Barrilleaux, who has been a member of the church for about 40 years, said she has always brought her pets to the annual blessing and that ?it is a very special time because we all think of our pets just like we do our children.?
?This service, in many ways, is to recognize the sanctity of the relationships that we have with our animals, but it is also a reminder to us of our responsibilities as stewards of all God?s animals, not just our own,? said Wetherington.
Brenda Wheeler of D?Iberville, who brought her two cats Mischief and Garfield and her dog Pup Pup to be blessed, summed it up this way.
?Why wouldn?t we bless our pets? God loves animals too!?
Another Blessing of the Animals is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday in Community Park, said Wetherington, who will officiate at that event as well.
Source: http://www.sunherald.com/2011/10/09/3496359/pets-are-a-blessing-get-their.html
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