St. Brigid's has blessed pets

Some didn’t even notice that Kayla Levasseur brought Mary – a tiny puppy she’s fostering from the Rhode Island SPCA – to the blessing. Mary is just 4 weeks old, and suffers from a rare and potentially life-threatening genetic disorder.

Father Bob Rochon blessed each of the pets with holy water. Some, like Lucky, enjoyed the sprinkle, while others shied away or didn’t seem to notice.

Angela Prior and daughter Amber, age 8, brought Bella the bunny to St. Brigid’s to be blessed.

Loraine Moore smiles with her dog, Sammy.

Father Bob Rochon’s friend Mario Carlino held tight to Rochon’s dog, Emma, during the blessing on Saturday.

Posted Thursday, October 18, 2012 1:46 pm

On Saturday, a small crowd gathered at St. Brigid’s Church in Johnston to have their four-legged friends blessed by Father Bob Rochon. Rochon has been celebrating the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi with the blessing of the animals for eight years. A self-proclaimed animal lover, Rochon’s own pet, Emma, was in attendance. When Father Rochon led those present in song, Emma barked along, that is, until she was hushed with a treat.

Sun Rise photos by Kim Kalunian