- October 15, 2016
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Gigi arrives in a pink bow. She was blessed once before in New York. (Photos by Lesley Dwyer)
Rev. Brock Patterson blesses 5-year-old Gigi. Her owner Barbara Milano is a chapel member and found the event on Facebook.
Annie waiting for her blessing. Over her 11 years, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has traveled cross-country by RV and lost 36 teeth. She can still gum a treat though.
Rev. Brock Patterson blesses Annie while her owner Dan Rife keeps her in place.
"Annie is my baby," owner Dan Rife says.
Annie arrives in a pink bandana ready to be blessed.
Barbara Fincke introduces Ricky Ricardo. "I gotta find him a Lucy," she said.
Ollie and Dean Martin greet each other on October 22 for the Blessing of the Animals.
Oops, Ollie tries to drink the holy water. Rev. Brock Patterson tells him "no."
Rev. Brock Patterson blesses Ollie, one of the calmest dogs of the day.
Dean Martin gets assistance staying still as he's sprinkled with holy water during the Blessing of the Animals at Longboat Island Chapel.
Dean Martin is blessed and ready to run.
John and Lori Gubernat with Dean Martin. Lori is the chapel's new office manager.
Max the cat tolerating his blessing.
Greg Fiore and Donna Heffner get Max to pop his head out for a picture.
Each pet received an engraved tag.
Cindy Kuehnel, co-chair of the chapel's charitable outreach, collects donations.
Gidget arrives in a stroller.
Gidget sits tall as Rev. Brock Patterson blesses her.
Gidget licking the holy water off her face.
Rev. Brock Patterson shows off his own dog Pippa.
Gidget looks on from her stroller. She's half shaved since she's no longer a show dog, but she's kept her long ears.
Michael Nunes and Cindy Kuehnel collect bags and cans of pet food from guests.
Pets and their owners gather in front of the Longboat Island Chapel to be blessed.
People and pets meandered in and out for the Blessing of the Animals at Longboat Island Chapel on Saturday.
Lesley Rife uses calligraphy pens to add a special touch to all the certificates.
Lesley Rife hands out another pet blessing certificate.
From wild to domesticated, Longboat Key residents take great pride in protecting and pampering their animal friends.
No sea turtles were in attendance, but over two dozen dogs and one cat attended the Longboat Island Chapel’s first Blessing of the Animals on Saturday.
The chapel is non-denominational, but October is a popular month for pet blessings because the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi is celebrated on Oct. 4. Assisi was an Italian Catholic friar, known as the patron saint of the environment and animals. It’s written that he gave sermons to flocks of birds.
The Rev. Brock Patterson blessed each pet with peace and joy, but even the most high-class domesticated animals are still animals.
Two dogs got into a kerfuffle in the parking lot, and Ollie the hypoallergenic Havanese tried to drink the holy water.
The lone cat Max popped his head out to tolerate the blessing, but quickly disappeared back into his duffle bag carrier the second it was over.
The best in show was, of course, former show dog Gidget, a Shih tzu. She arrived in a stroller and had no interest in the antics of the other dogs acting like dogs.
This wasn’t Gidget’s first blessing. She sat tall as Patterson signed the Holy Trinity around her nose and recited a prayer.
“May the Lord bless and keep you, watch over you, give you health and great joy all of your days. Amen,” he said.
Gidget was unfazed by the sprinkle of holy water. The same can’t be said of Dean Martin.
The terrier/chihuahua mixed breed is still a nine-month-old pup fresh out of the Underdog Rescue of Florida. He was sweet as could be, but could not sit still before, during or after the blessing.
“We need an exorcism on him,” joked owner and new Chapel office manager Lori Gubernat as she led doggie Dino toward Patterson.
Each pet received a certificate of blessing, a treat and a pink or blue dog tag, engraved with "Longboat Key" on one side and "God Loves You" on the other. All blessings were paid forward to less fortunate animals.
Guests arrived gripping leashes in one hand and pet supplies in the other. They filled a table with food, treats, collars and cash, all of which will be donated to the Humane Society of Manatee County.
