Lower School Community Continues Annual Tradition: "Blessing of the Animals"

“What does it mean to be a friend?” That’s the question Head Chaplain Phillip Craig asked the Lower School community during Tuesday’s Chapel, which included the annual tradition of the “Blessing of the Animals and Stuffies.”

“Most of the time, when we think of friends, we think of human beings,” Craig said during the chapel.. “But today, we have the chance to celebrate another kind of friend, living or fuzzy, that we can always count on.”

This school tradition began as a way to honor St. Francis, who believed that all people have a responsibility to protect and enjoy the natural world its beauty. Instead of bringing pets and stuffed animals to the OES Chapel for their blessing as in typical years, Lower School students, faculty, and staff were encouraged to share a photo of a favorite pet or stuffed animal to be blessed at the virtual Chapel.  Almost 200 photos were submitted!

“The spirit of this tradition was already important to our community long before I arrived [14 years ago],” Craig said. “I'm grateful that we can continue it all of these years later.”

“You've Got a Friend in Me” from the movie Toy Story kicked off the slideshow, as photos of the Lower School community’s favorite stuffies and pets flashed by.

“This year’s event especially highlighted, from our Episcopal identity, the value that we place on asking good questions—inquiry—and what it means to be a friend,” Craig said. “But perhaps more importantly, the value we place on the relationships in our lives and the dignity that we attach to those  relationships with other human beings. Maybe for just a moment, we remember that there is dignity for the animals in our lives, as well.”

Craig concluded: “Our school’s identity and Episcopal tradition affirms the importance of all of God's creation, which extends naturally to the animals in our lives.”

Watch the photo slideshow below. Thank you, to Chaplain Phillip and everyone else involved with this special annual tradition!