ULM’s furry friends are offered prayers in honor of a saint

It was the largest gathering of animals since Noah built his ark. Well, that may be a bit of a stretch, but several animals and their people gathered in Bayou Park Tuesday for the Catholic Campus Ministry’s (CCM) Blessing of the Pets.

Father Job Edathinatt of Christ the King Chapel on University Ave. presided over this event, which is done in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. More than 20 pets and their owners attended the blessing. The pets present included three horses, a cat, a rabbit, a squirrel and multiple breeds of dogs. Edathinatt rode into the park on horseback to bless the animals with health, happiness and love. Among those participating in the pet blessing was Karen Frye, Biedenharn Endowed chair in gerontology/sociology and interim department head for the Department of Gerontology, Sociology and Political Science. Frye, who is also a faculty advisor for the Catholic Campus Ministry, brought her Tennessee walking horse and two German Shepherd-mix dogs to be blessed by Edathinatt.

Lisa Hummel, a student leader at the Catholic Center, brought her beagle, Buddy, to be blessed.

“He found us,” Hummel said. “I feel like we’re blessed to have him.”

Buddy came to Hummel’s family last August, and they adopted him after an attempt to find his owners. She said the reason they came to the pet blessing is because of her belief in St. Francis of Assisi and her desire to have Buddy blessed.

ULM’s First Lady Linda Bruno was also in attendance with her dog Duncan and brought the collar of another dog, Dottie, who has cancer and could not attend the ceremony.

“I know your prayers are with her,” Bruno said.

The Catholic Campus Ministry plans to hold this event every year to celebrate St. Francis of Assisi.