Lynnwood school lines up pets for an annual blessing
By Janice Podsada
Herald writer
EDMONDS — With two German shepherds, two parakeets and two frowning cats, it could have been the line for Noah’s ark.
Instead it was a line of pets waiting to be blessed Thursday by Rev. James Dalton outside Saint Thomas More Parish School in Lynnwood.
About half of the school’s 253 students, kindergarten through sixth-grade, brought their pets to school or met them outside on the lawn, where a simple altar had been set up.
Thursday was the Feast Day of Saint Francis of Assisi, who "loved all forms of animals, two- and four-legged," Dalton said. "He called animals his brothers and sisters."
David Mesford of Lynnwood said his children told him to bring the family’s two dogs, Max and Amadeus, to the afternoon blessing.
"I’m under orders," Mesford said.
His son and daughter, Joey, 12, and Shelby, 9, attend the Catholic school.
It was the first time their year-old dogs, brothers, had been blessed. But with Max and Amadeus in tow, Mesford had to leave the family’s other pet, Brownie the hamster, at home.
Fortunately, "Brownie was blessed last year," he said.
During the hour-long ceremony, Dalton went from one pet to the next, some of which were leashed, or in cages or terrariums, sprinkling each with holy water.
"What do you like best about your pet?" he asked each parent or child.
The answers varied. Gambler, the little brown quail, brought the response, "He’s cute," said Terri Stampher, the mother of three students.
Stephen Miketinas, 12, told Dalton, who bent down to peek inside a cage, that Eiffel, a 2-year-old white rat, was easy to take care of. Eiffel spent most of the ceremony hiding inside the blue macaroni box she calls home.
"She’s kind of stinky," Stephen added.
Gail McNutt, the school’s development director, said the school has been doing this for 10 years. McNutt brought Clyde, her 8-year-old chocolate lab, to be blessed for the eighth time.
The ceremony helps children appreciate God’s creatures and better understand their role as stewards of the Earth, McNutt said.
"They go home and take better care of their animals. We always want what we teach to relate to the kids’ home life. So many of them have pets."
You can call Herald Writer Janice Podsada at 425-339-3029 or send e-mail to podsada@heraldnet.com.
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