LIHUE — Judy Emmett said they almost didn’t come Sunday because of the rainy conditions. “But this is their special day, so I dressed them up and brought them,” Emmett said of Bridgette and Carmen, her two dogs that received
LIHUE — Judy Emmett said they almost didn’t come Sunday because of the rainy conditions.
“But this is their special day, so I dressed them up and brought them,” Emmett said of Bridgette and Carmen, her two dogs that received blessings from Rev. William Miller and Rev. Dr. Phyllis Meighen of St. Michael and All Angels Church, which celebrated the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi with a Blessing of the Animals service. “It is their special day, so we had to come.”
Rev. Miller said St. Francis was someone who considered all living things “brothers” and “sisters.” The Sunday special service payed tribute to not only living animals, but those that have passed as well.
The goal was to have at least 100 animals, said Barbara Gusman, a volunteer.
And the animals came — dogs, cats, chickens, birds, goats, pigs and even a horse, which sat through the service in its trailer.
“We couldn’t come last year because I wasn’t here,” said Roy Buduan of Hanapepe. “This year, I even cut the wings of the African Gray (parrot) because I knew we had to be here.”
More animals were in store for participants of the special animal blessing as the Goats with Headlamps provided a canopy of music.
