Huskies, Maltese terriers, and mutts turn out for St. Anthony’s Blessing of the Animals at St. Boniface Church

Many thanks to our community’s furry friends and their humans who joined us to celebrate the Feast of St. Francis at St. Boniface Church on Sunday afternoon.

Beloved pets from all over San Francisco made their way to the heart of the Tenderloin including Neige, an excitable Maltese who returned after attending Mass at 8:00 a.m., Roxy, a German Shepherd who dutifully received her blessing from Brother Andrew and Adele Desmond, a 16-year-old cat who enjoyed her benediction from the comfort of her carrier.

“Our pets have gifted us with a sense of joy and calm throughout the pandemic, so it feels good to honor them in the spirit of St. Francis who is the patron saint of animals because he loved all creatures,” said Nils Behnke, CEO, St. Anthony’s.

“St. Francis said we’re all God’s creation. So, we’ve been blessing animals for as long as we’ve been around and that’s about 150 years here at St. Boniface Church,” said Fr. John Hardin, OFM.