Twenty-two dogs, five cats and 55 humans attend the Blessing of the Animals service at St. Mark, Midland in early October. Outside the church, several large bowls of drinking water beckoned invitingly, while inside, a table full of treat bags lured the mixed congregation into the church. Dogs who had previously only met at the local park or on the street while out for a walk greeted one another, noses to tails, and looked on, drooling, as each human was given a treat bag to share with their furry companions. The clergy were careful to name each animal and make eye contact as they sought God’s blessing upon them. The whole service took about an hour. ‘You could practically see the halos forming as each animal received its blessing,’ wrote Bev Hanna, a local reporter.
I am a bit of a church geek