Catholics celebrate St. Francis with pet blessings
Old St Mary's Parish,1500 S. Michigan Ave., and St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, 5472 S. Kimbark Ave., joined parishes and schools throughout the Archdiocese of Chicago in blessing animals on Oct. 4, 2025, in celebration of the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and the environment. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
A dog scurries to get to the blessing on time. Paulist Father Dan Macalinao, associate pastor of Old St Mary's Catholic Parish, 1500 S. Michigan Ave., blesses animals on Oct 4, 2025, in celebration of the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and the environment. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Patricia Gale and Erin Iseminger hold onto their labs Bentley, Merri, Roar and Reyn. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Macalinao blesses animals on Oct. 4, 2025. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Oliver Dale greets new friends Roar, Reyn, Bentley and Merri. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Mayra and Joselyn Robles hold their pets Chico and Benji during the blessing. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Paula Schipiour holds her turtle, Abigail Murphy, while a young boy pets it. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Jennifer Peterlin and Ashley Leakey lay their hands over Carlton and Oliver Dale. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
A shih tzu looks on from a dog stroller. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Macalinao blesses Ace Gangoso, director of liturgy and music at the parish, and his dog. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Father Michael Trail, pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, 5472 S. Kimbark Ave., pets a beagle on Oct .4, 2025, in celebration of the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and the environment. To commemorate this observance, dozens of parishes in the Archdiocese of Chicago host outdoor pet blessings over the weekend. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
