The Blessing of the Animals
The Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist, 230 Melrose Terrace in Linden, will host their annual Blessing of the Animals on Sunday, October 2, 2022 at 2 p.m. A rain date is scheduled for October 9. The Blessing will take place on the great lawn of the church. People participating in the events are asked to bring a folding chair. A short Christian prayer service celebrating God’s gift of animals will begin at 2 PM and will include an individual blessing of animals. The priest will come to each animal and, with the owner’s permission, bless the animal. Donations of pet food will be accepted for a local animal shelter. The Blessing of the Animals takes place on the first Sunday of October since the blessing commemorates St. Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of Animals, whose feast is celebrated on October 4. Throughout his life, St. Francis was known to preach to the birds, release rabbits caught in traps or fish caught by people and even make peace between a wolf and the people of Gubbio whom the wolf terrorized. For additional information, please call the parish at 908 925-1535.
