That the word God is simply dog spelled backwards is not lost on dog lovers anywhere or ministers who plan annual pet blessing ceremonies. The Reverend Doctor Adela Torchia is no exception. She’s organizing her fourth pet blessing ceremony for Powell River at 11 am on Monday, October 8 at St. David and St. Paul Anglican Church on Sycamore Street and is hoping to see all kinds of pets there.
“Our pets are ways we can experience the beauty of the sacred and the love of God,” said Torchia. “They give us this warmth and connection and unconditional love.”
Torchia explained that the pet blessing ceremonies are held in the beginning of October to help people recognize the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, a monk who is revered by the Anglican, Roman Catholic, Lutheran churches and New Age Ecologists.
“Saint Francis is the patron saint of ecology,” she said. “He thought that nature was transparent to the divine.” In other words, when he looked at the beauty of nature, he saw glimpses of the Creator’s soul, she explained. “Francis goes beyond the boundaries of not only Christian denominations but also world religions. He has this appeal because he’s so simple and loved nature.”
Torchia started performing pet blessing ceremonies each October when she came to Powell River four years ago from Jasper, Alberta.
“They’re more common than you think,” she said. “So far we’ve only had dogs. I don’t know if people are afraid to bring cats because of all the dogs but one year a person brought in a bird.”
With the cancer rates in dogs and cats increasing, Torchia said the idea of having a family pet blessed resonates well.
“So many people have deep connections with their pets,” she said. “We will ask for God’s protection and a happy life together for the animal and the person in their life.”
This pet blessing is not only for pets that are living. Torchia explained that because some children don’t have pets, they can also bring in stuffed toys for blessing.
“We can bless those [stuffed toys] too because those furry creatures, the teddy bear, are symbolic stand-ins of our furry creatures that we love.”
For more information about the pet blessing ceremony, readers can contact Torchia at 604.485.3919.
