Published On:Thursday, October 01, 2009

By REUBEN SHEARER

Tribune Features Reporter

ON a typical Sunday morning, church pews are filled with worshippers praising and getting spiritual enrichment from the Word of God. It's a unique occasion planned at one church this Sunday, however. At 4.30 pm St Christopher Church in Lyford Cay will be having their 'St Francis of Assisi Day and Blessing of the Animals'. All animal lovers from across the island are invited to bring their four legged, and feathered friends to the afternoon service.

This is the third time the service will be held at St Christopher Church, in observance of St Francis Assisi, the patron saint of animals. The service is the brainchild of the Bahamas Humane Society and parishioners at St Christopher Church, to commemorate World Animal Day. Last year, events were held in 66 countries in celebration of World Animal Day.

Officiating the service will be Father Keith Cartwright, archdeacon of the Southern Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos Islands. Father Cartwright is also a member of the Bahamas Humane Society board.

Last year, 23 birds, dogs, cats, and turtles attended and were prayed for at the service. They all behaved, and nobody tried to bite or fight each other. Organisers ensure good animal behavior by having the service for no more than half an hour, to prevent the animals from getting restless, Tribune Religion was told yesterday.

"The service is a celebration of God's creation," Father Cartwright told Tribune Religion yesterday. "God made the entire cosmos and a part of that created animals and creatures, and we give God thanks for the wonderful beauty of animals and pets."

"We want to highlight the importance and care of God's creatures. There's a lot of cruelty to animals and we believe that is a sin. We need to create a lot of awareness about that."

"Animals were put here for different purposes. One of those purposes happens to be where they are companions of human beings," he said.

Father Cartwright's dog, 'Kay Kay' will be present at Sunday's service.

Following the service, Father Cartwright will be head down to the canine dog unit in Lyford Cay to pray for and bless the security dogs, which are used to protect the gated community.

This year, New Providence will be the only observers of the unique service. However, they're asking other parishes in the family islands to join the bandwagon. Last year, Grand Bahama picked up the ball and had a service in the garden in the Grove.

Bahamas Humane Society president Kim Arahna said, "I took my 7 year old freshwater turtle, Big Mama last year and my 14 year old potcake who is a cancer survivor."

Mrs Arahna is a firm believer in praying for animals. She and Father Cartwright witnessed the miraculous healing of her dog who was not feeling well.

"Last year, Father Cartwright was with me having dinner while my dog was having a heart attack, and we rushed downtown to the animal clinic. He prayed for the animal and she survived. I believe she survived because Father Cartwright prayed for her," she said.

"We hope the kids will bring their pets, she said. "We seem to forget that animals are God's creatures too. We are custodians of the planet and it is our unbounded duty to treat animals as God intended us to in a kind manner."

The only thing organisers of the service ask of those who bring their dogs is to ensure that they have access to water, and bring a form of waste disposal in case the animal has an accident.

"We've absolutely had no problems so far with this however, but ask that you bring it just in case they make a mess" she said.

On Sunday's service, animals present will be prayed for and blessed, and those who behave during the service will be sprinkled with holy water, Mrs Arahna said.

"He'll sprinkle holy water into the fish tanks," Mrs Arahna added. According to her, Father Cartwright makes housecalls at the request of parishioners request to pray for their animals.

With a drive to "bring more respect and love to animals in other churches," Mrs Aranha recently met with Christian Council president Reverend Patrick Paul. "We would really like to have as many of the other churches to follow the lead," she said. She and Reverend Paul are talking over introducing the service to congregations under the Christian Council.

Mrs Arahna emphasised that anyone on the island is more than welcomed to attend.

"We're hoping for a great showing from the public. The fact that we are behind the gates shouldn't stop people from coming in. We want as many persons from New Providence to be there."