Neighbor News
Blessing of the Animals set for 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4 at Holy Spirit Episcopal Church!
Blessing of the Animals at 1 p.m. and a special service at 9 a.m. as West Haven church honors St. Francis, the patron saint of creation.
WEST HAVEN, CT - - - This Sunday, Oct. 4, you are invited to have your pet blessed during the celebration of the Feast of St. Francis at Holy Spirit Episcopal Church. Overlooking the West Haven Green, the brownstone church will also hold a special worship service at 9 a.m. to commemorate the life and teachings of St. Francis.
For a blessing of your pet, please join us outside the church between 1 and 2 p.m. Please bring your pet or a picture of your pet if they do not travel well. We will also bless the memory of a deceased pet. There is no charge for a blessing. A Certificate of Blessing will be available as a remembrance.
“Blessing of the Animals is always a wonderful time as we welcome both our neighbors and the creatures that accompany them through life,” Holy Spirit Vicar Fr. Tom Jackson said. “I have blessed dogs and cats as well as birds, snakes, and rodents during these services. I’ve also blessed the memories of pets who have passed on.”
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“As an Episcopal Church, we also offer a burial or memorial service to help people say farewell to an animal that has died,” he added. “This is in keeping with the view of St. Francis that all of creation is part of an interconnected web of life.”
The Oct. 4 Blessing of the Animals is one of several special services offered by Holy Spirit Church this month. These include:
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- Evening Worship for people in recovery: 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9, in the Lady Chapel. Our worship reflects the 12 steps of recovery utilized by many of the groups that meet in our parish hall each week.
- Remembering a saint for our time: St. Teresa of Avila: 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, in the Lady Chapel.
- First Responders Sunday, 9 a.m. in the Church. Join us to thank and honor those who serve as West Haven’s firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical technicians.
For more information on these and other Holy Spirit worship services or events, please see our website at https://www.holyspiritwh.org/ or call the office at (203) 934-3437.
Founded in 1723, Holy Spirit Episcopal Church is West Haven’s Episcopal Church. Set at 28 Church Street, the congregation offers worship at 9 a.m. on Sundays as well as special services during the week. Some 10 recovery groups, two other churches, and a Boy Scout Troop meet in their buildings at 28 Church Street here.
