10
BROOKLYN WEEKLY, OCTOBER 13, 2019
HOUNDS OF GOLRY
Marine Park church blesses dozens of good Kings County canines
BY ROSE ADAMS
They’re all god’s creatures!
A Marine Park church
offered benedictions to dozens
of Kings County canines
on Saturday, leaving
furballs and their owners
feeling blessed
“It was nice,” said Gerritsen
Beach resident Mike
Manning. “All the dogs got
along really well together.”
Manning brought his
three dogs — Rex, Dekka,
and Bently — seeking a little
divine intervention at Good
Shepherd Church’s prayer
garden on Avenue S and
Brown Street for the house
of worship’s annual Blessing
of the Animals on Oct. 5.
The dog-gone adorable
blessing ceremony was
meant as tribute to Saint
Francis Assisi, the 13th century
patron saint of animals
— who inspires similar animal
blessing celebrations
among catholic dog-owners
around the world each
year.
At the Marine Park
event, Rev. Thomas Doyle,
the church’s parochial
vicar, splashed holy water
on around 50 local pups —
along with one cat and a turtle.
“Grant that these animals
may serve our needs,
and that your bounty in the
resources of this life may
move us to seek more confi
dently the goal of eternal
life,” the reverend intoned.
And while the tail-waggers
sat patiently during the
blessing ceremony, there is
some debate about the eternal
resting place for pups,
according to the church’s
pastor, who noted that the
Bible offers no defi nitive
ruling about doggy-heaven.
Still, some Christian
leaders do believe each tailwagger
— and turtle — goes
to the eternal promised land,
according to the pastor.
“Pope Francis would encourage
us to believe that
our animals go to heaven,”
Reverend Thomas Doyle
claimed.
So while it remains unclear
whether the pets secured
a spot in heaven during
Saturday’s blessing,
they were very well-behaved
— perhaps currying favor
with the almighty creator.
“Things were calm,”
said Doyle. “None of them
left any surprises in the
prayer garden.”
Father Thomas Doyle blessed Jillian Conigliaro’s dog at an annual animal blessing ceremony in Marine
Park. Photo by Caroline Ourso
SAVE THE DATE: 11.20.19
TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE
visit www.schnepsevents.com/kings2019
or call 718-260-2582
PRINT DIGITAL EVENTS BROADCASTING
SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
PRESENTS THE 2019
A champions networking event that honors top Brooklyn men
for their outstanding leadership and contributions to the community.
Thursday 11-20-19 | 6:00-9:00PM
GRAND PROSPECT HALL
263 PROSPECT AVE, Brooklyn, NY 11215
For more information call Alice at 718-260-2582 or email acoyle@schnepsmedia.com
/kings2019
link
/kings2019
/SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
link