OSF Healthcare St. Francis hosts blessing of animals

ESCANABA, Mich. (WLUC) - Some furry friends visited OSF St. Francis Hospital in Escanaba on Sunday.

In celebration of the upcoming feast day for St. Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of Animals, OSF St. Francis Hospital hosted a special blessing for pets.

Hospital Chaplain Father Robb Jurkovich held a short prayer service and then splashed the animals with holy water. He said the blessing can bring the owners a sense of reassurance and peace.

“Animals are a part of the family,” Jurkovich said. “So, by extension, we’re blessing families through this event. So whenever you can multiply blessings that’s a win for the community.”

There were more than a dozen pets at the event. Jurkovich said he would like to see more attend next year.

“St. Francis Hospital is all about outreach to the community, not just the work that’s done in the building, but outreach to the entire epicenter of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Escanaba here,” Jurkovich. “Especially to reach out to bless families, to help families, especially in times where there has been a lot of unrest in the Spirit.”

Barb and Wayne Seibert brought their cats, Kara and Prada, to be blessed. They said, that since the cats are a part of the family, the blessing is another part of their spiritual journey.

“It just enhances it,” Barb Seibert said. “It’s so special, God provides for everything even for our pets.”

“It’s a great opportunity to have the cats blessed, or pets I should say since there are mostly dogs, it was very nice,” Wayne Seibert said.

Jurkovich also said the hospital would like to make this blessing an annual occurrence.

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