On Tuesday night, Breen-Phillips Hall hosted a pet blessing Mass at the chapel for Saint Francis of Assisi week, named for the patron saint of ecology and animals.
Notre Dame students, South Bend natives and their pets participated in the blessing. Freshman Grace Kidder brought her miniature cockapoo named Mac.
Kidder said the blessing was a good opportunity to bring Mac into her Christian faith, to protect him and “let him go to doggy heaven.”
Graduate student Emily Patterson brought her emotional support miniature goldendoodle Mr. Gingerbread Man, or “Gingy” for short. Patterson said she will gladly take any opportunity to be back in her old dorm, especially when it involves her dog.
“[Gingy is] a big part of my life and a huge reason why I’m thriving right now, so getting him blessed, getting him taken care of at this Mass inspired by St. Francis means a lot to me,” Patterson said.
Fr. Chase Pepper, Breen-Phillips’ priest-in-residence, presided over the Mass and led the blessing. He noted in his homily that pets, like humans, can glorify God through their existence and serve as great companions.
Breen-Phillips residents agreed that their pets are important parts of their lives. Breen-Phillips hall council president Bella Dillhoff emphasized her love for the Mass. She viewed the blessings as a sort of therapy amid a stressful week.
“This is just such a nice event. It very much brings me peace and re-centers me a lot of times, especially when I’m stressed,” Dillhoff said.
St. Francis week is a part of the worldwide Season of Creation, which spans from Sept. 1 to Oct. 4 and focuses on caring for the Earth and creation at large.
Notre Dame encourages its students to participate in service activities and make sustainable choices, such as biking to class and picking up trash. It also holds events such as the annual Sustainability Cup challenge, which allows students to earn points for their dorm by attending sustainability events around campus.
Sr. Damien Marie Savino is a Franciscan sister of the Eucharist who is on two fellowships at Notre Dame while also writing a book about integral ecology. She thought it was wonderful that Notre Dame, established not by Franciscans but by Holy Cross priests, would take the time to celebrate and honor St. Francis’ legacy.
“Because he’s the patron saint of ecology, I think he can really speak to contemporary issues,” Savino said.
Savino’s favorite event of the week is the Notre Dame Linked Experimental Ecosystem Facility’s (ND-LEEF) Science Sunday. It gives local residents a chance to explore the facility and learn about the environmental research faculty and graduate students conduct at Notre Dame.
It helps to “translate [science] into the language that everyone can understand so that we can all learn to care better for the Earth,” Savino said.
Like many of the Breen-Phillips residents, she loves the idea of a pet blessing being part of St. Francis week.
“Because we believe that creation is a reflection of the creator, we can bless all aspects of creation,” Savino said.
