by Suzyn Barron, President of Warwick Valley Humane Society, Inc.
Did you know, November 1st is All Saints Day? It seems appropriate to write this column about all the saints who loved animals. Each of these saints was given a feast day of remembrance and here they are:
January 2 – St. Basil the Great said “O God, enlarge within us the sense of fellowship with all living things, our brothers the animals to whom thou has given the earth as their home in common with us.”
January 17– St. Anthony Abbott cured a pig’s illness
March 17 – St. Gertrude of Nivelles was known for her hospitality to animals and kindness to cats thereby becoming the Patron Saint of Cats.
March 20 – St. Cuthbert protected birds from hunters and became the Patron Saint of otters after two otters warmed his feet on his nightly prayer vigils while waist deep in the North Sea.
May 26 – St. Philip Neri would set captive birds, mice and even flies free. “He embraced vegetarianism on the grounds of animal welfare, not just on the grounds of abstinence” according to Catholic Concern for Animals.
May 27 – St. Melangell had a calming influence over hounds and hares resulting in the conservation society known as Cymdeithas Melangell which now promotes animal welfare.
May 30 – St. Hubert was once a hunter until he had a vision and became known as the originator of ethical hunting behavior.
June 4 – St. Petroc had a special affinity with wild animals and once rescued a stag from hunters. According to legend he also once tamed a dragon.
June 9 – St. Columba blessed the work horse that came to him in sorrow and said “‘Let it alone, as it is so fond of me, let it pour out its bitter grief into my bosom”, the horse knowing its master’s death was near.
July 31– St. Neot rescued a deer.
August 16 – St. Roche is the patron saint of ailments and dogs. His feast day is celebrated with a dog blessing service honoring their companionship to the old, sick, challenged and lonely people.
September 1 – St. Giles was a vegetarian whose companion was a red deer.
September 9 – St. Ciaran treated all animals as his brother and sister. Even the wild boar who helped his build his first monastery.
September 13 – St John Chrysostom once said “surely we ought to show them great (great beasts) kindness and gentleness for many reasons, but above all, because they are the same origin as ourselves.’
September 30 – St. Jerome simply took a thorn from the paw of a lion who repaid him by giving up eating other animals.
October 4 – St. Francis of Assisi, Patron Saint of Animals quote: ‘If you have men who will exclude any of God’s creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men.’
November 3- St. Martin de Porres communicated with and healed animals and lived with a dog, cat, bird and a mouse.
November 20 – St. Edmund was beheaded for his faith and it was a wolf who guarded his head until it could be reunited with his body for a proper Christian burial.
December 18 – St. Modestos was a healer of animals. Celebrating his memory with faith offers protection to one’s animals from all harm.
December 31 – St. Sylvester cared for a bull.
“Animals teach us how to love without words and heal without conditions”. Unknown.
Pet of the Week:
Adoption applications are available at wvhumane.org or call 845-986-2473 for more information.
