The animals are blessed at St. Stephen'sin honor of St. Francis

Warwick — There were no horses, alpacas or goats, as often happens, this year. But on Tuesday evening, Oct. 4, a large assembly of animals, mostly dogs, gathered outside Warwick’s Church of St. Stephen, the First Martyr. It was the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, remembered for his love of all creatures. And the annual blessing of animals, is conducted in remembrance of St. Francis’ love for all creatures. St. Stephen’s Pastor, Rev. Michael McLoughlin, invited children and adults to bring their pets, large and small, to the church that day for the annual “Blessing of Animals.” Parishioners Glen and Miriam Muse, for example, presented Shiloh, a four-year-old Husky mix recently rescued from a Georgia “kill” shelter by The Last Resort Animal Rescue in West Milford, N.J. The Muses named their dog not after the famous Civil War battle but after the Newbery Medal winning children’s novel about a young boy and an abused dog.