Blessing of the Animals

The line started forming at noon. Everyone, whether he or she had two or four legs, waited peaceably.

This Sunday represented the eighth year that priests from the local Episcopal Church blessed pets and their owners in honor of animals' patron saint, Francis of Assisi.

Ladies from the Homeless Cat Network again set up a table. HCN spays feral cats who live in the wetlands and sets up feeding stations to minimize their impact on Bay wildlife. HCN's efforts appear to be working; the number of feral cats has shrunk to less than 100.

By two o'clock we were done, and we packed up the tables, chairs, and signs. Somewhere Saint Francis was smiling. © 2013 Stephen Yuen