Christians around the world celebrate the ritual that St. Francis of Assisi started almost 800 years ago of blessing animals. It was Francis who introduced the idea that human beings are only one of God’s many creations, but that all, including animals, are blessed by God.The love between a person and their pet is like no other and the opportunity to recognize this special relationship is embraced by all ages. This Blessing of the Animals Milestone Moment encourages reflection and caring discussions that can be had with friends and family about protecting animals and our environment and includes a blessing for the pet/s.

This Milestone Moment consists of two pages that are reproducible in your local setting. It can be sent in emails or printed.
· Page 1 describes the significance of the moment and the importance of observing it.
· Page 2 provides a conversation guide* that includes talking and listening to one another, reading a verse/s from the Bible, and a prayer and blessing. It includes a food for thought question on how one might show love for one’s neighbor through an act of service.

All Milestone Moment Conversation Guides are designed and based on the *Four Key Faith Formation Practices of Caring Conversations, Devotions, Rituals and Traditions, and Service. These practices encourage us to grow in our faith through personal, trusted relationships.

The Blessing Animals pottery stones are individually hand-crafted and available at a low cost to purchase and gift as a meaningful reminder of the Milestone Moment. They are wonderful keepsakes to remind us of God’s gift of our pets that provide us with love and companionship throughout the year.