Blessing Of The Pets Comes To Lafayette and Surrounding Areas

(Lafayette, LA) If you live in Lafayette or the surrounding areas of Acadiana and love pets, you likely know about the blessing of pets that happens on or around the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.

St. Francis of Assisi Left Luxury to Serve People

St. Francis of Assisi left his wealthy life to become a priest and serve the people of Italy. According to Franciscan Media, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi is October 4. Also, Saint Pats says St. Francis is known for ministering to lepers and for his deep love of animals and nature. He is the patron saint of animals and the environment.

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St. Francis of Assisi Loved All Creatures

According to Angelo Stagnaro in U.S. Catholic,

For St. Francis, every creature—that is, everything that God created—was sacred. The sun, the moon, birds, humans, butterflies, and even rabid wolves were a part of God’s plan and a sign of God’s love.

That's a beautiful testament to his faith. Many denominations participate in the Blessing of the Pets. According to Monastery Icons, St. Francis even performed miracles, including one involving a town and a wolf.

The Prayer for the Blessing of the Pets

There is even a prayer that is said for the Blessing of the Pets:

Blessed are you, Lord God, maker of all living creatures. You called forth fish in the sea, birds in the air and animals on the land. You inspired Saint Francis to call all of them his brothers and sisters. We ask you to bless this pet. By the power of your love, enable it to live according to your plan. May we always praise you for all your beauty in creation. Blessed are you, Lord our God, in all your creatures! Amen.

Across Acadiana, churches will hold different services for blessing pets. If you can't make it to a service for any reason, pray the prayer above.

My dog Gracie, featured in this story, needs all the blessings and prayers she can get. She's sassy.

Lafayette and Acadiana Blessing of the Pets Events 2026

Holy Cross Catholic Church on Broadmoor Blvd in Lafayette is having its St. Francis of Assisi Blessing of the Pets on Saturday, October 3. This day will be a day of blessings for pets, but they also have the following planned for Saturday:

Low-cost Microchipping
Dogs up for Adoption
Pet Treats
St. Francis Medals

St. John Berchman's Catholic Church in Cankton will have a Blessing of the Pets on Saturday, October 3, in front of the church hall at 10:00 a.m.

From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m St. Peter's Catholic Church in New Iberia will hold its Blessing of the Pets. It's a pet- and family-friendly event.

St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Franklin will have a Blessing of the Pets on Sunday, October 4 at 2 p.m.

The Blessing of the Pets will happen at Asbury United Methodist Church in Lafayette on Saturday, October 3, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Add Your Church's Blessing of the Pets by Emailing Us

If your church is offering a Blessing of the Pets, we would be happy to add it to the list. Please email the information to bernie.lee@townsquaremedia.com.

Must-Have Halloween Costumes for Louisiana Pets

As pet owners, we spend a good amount of money on Halloween items for our pets, including food, treats, and costumes. One out of every five pet owners will spend over $50 buying a Halloween costume for their furry friends. The National Retail Federation estimates that we will spend $13.1 billion combined on all of Halloween, including decorations, pumpkins, parties, costumes, pet costumes, and candy.

According to the NRF, when it comes to our pets,

"Pets continue to join in on Halloween celebrations, with consumers planning on spending $0.86 billion on costumes for their furry friends."

There are some great Louisiana-themed costumes that can be found. Now, the costumes might not have Louisiana names, but you can use them for fun Halloween ideas.

Gallery Credit: Bernadette Lee