Animals invited to a church service with a difference

animalblessing

St Philip & St James Church will hold a Celebration of the Life of St Francis of Assisi with Blessing of Animals at 4pm on 1st October.

It promises to be a church service with a difference which everybody is very welcome to attend and bring animals along or pictures of them.
Rev Robin Pye said "Francis is famous for being a Saint who challenged the medieval church. He gave up violence and wealth and led others by example in caring for the poor in obedience to the commandment that we should love our neighbour as we love ourselves.

"Contemporaries reported that wild animals would show no fear around St Francis. And Francis is reported to have said, 'If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men'."

Last week the Church asked students from Alderley Edge School for Girls to write on post-it notes what they felt thankful for.

Rev Robin Pye said "Many girls wrote 'pets' or the name of a specific pet. Our relationships to animals are very precious to us. For many of us, our relationship with animals takes us into a world of harmony and balance and love which we do not necessarily find in such an uncomplicated way in our relationships with human beings.

"Similarly, the Prophet Isaiah, searching for words to describe the peace that would reign in the Kingdom of Heaven, used images from the animal world, writing, 'The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them'.

"So, if animals are important to you, maybe you have a similar spirit to that of St Francis. You can explore this further at St. Philip & St James church this Sunday."

Tags:
St Philip and St James Church
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Helen Gaughan
Wednesday 27th September 2017 at 7:57 pm
We'll be there with Wilhelmina ...