By Tara Speer
Assumption Church in Morristown celebrated the Feast of St. Francis with the Blessing of the Animals on Saturday.
Catechism students from the Good Shepherd Level III program gathered earlier in the week to prepare gifts for parishioners with dogs. In all, the children put together 100 gift bags, containing dog treats and the prayer of St. Francis on back of an icon.
Father Lukasz Wnuk officiated at Saturday morning’s Mass.
Assisted by Linda Macios, parish director of religious education, Father Lukasz welcomed everyone by the Statue of St. Francis, where the celebration began with the hymn based on the words of St. Francis’ All Creatures of Our God and King.
A few of the dogs joined their voices with those of the Assumption family.
Afterwards, everyone enjoyed refreshments, and the prayer cards and treats were shared with parishioners of all creatures great and small — with the instructions to pray or sing the prayer of St. Francis before giving pets their treats.
