HOUNDS OF GLORY! Marine Park church blesses Kings County dogs
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
COURIER L 18 IFE, OCT. 11-17, 2019
around the world each year.
At the Marine Park event,
Rev. Mark Simmons, 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 confidently
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 definitive ruling
about doggy-heaven.
Still, some Christian leaders
do believe each tail-wagger
— 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 Mark Simmons blesses Jillian Conigliaro’s dog (above), while Linda
O’Shaughnessy waits with pooch Jax (left). Photos by Caroline Ourso
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