A variety of pawed and clawed friends gathered to receive a special blessing on Oct. 8 at St. Rita Catholic School.
The Blessing of the Pets, which celebrates the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, was held for the second time in honor of Lila’s Light.
In addition to pups both big and small, attendees at the blessing included one hermit crab named Timiscus and two very well-fed guinea pigs. Human guests were treated to ice cream, while their four-legged companions enjoyed pup cups — whipped cream with a bone-shaped treat.
All proceeds from the event benefitted Lila’s Light, a foundation that works to keep children from harm and protect animals from disaster and crises. It carries on the light of Lila Bonner, a little girl who loved all creatures and lost her life in July 2025’s Hill Country flooding.
“It’s good to see this light still shining,” Fr. Joshua Whitfield, pastor of St. Rita Catholic Community, said before leading the tail-wagging gathering in a prayer. “I hope we do this every year.”
Lila’s family and their two dogs, Violet and Lovey, attended the blessing. Her cousins are students at St. Rita, which also lost two young girls, Blair and Brooke Harber, in the catastrophe.
Some of the guests at St. Rita on Oct. 8 could be heard barking along during Fr. Whitfield’s prayer. He then blessed all the pets with holy water.
“I’m going to soak your animals,” Fr. Whitfield said to laughter from his human listeners before saying a Hail Mary for Lila Bonner.
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