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“I bless them. I embrace them. I embrace you. I build community with you,” said the Haitian immigrant and pastor of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Concord, New Hampshire. said one pastor, Gene Beniste.
Haitian immigrant pastor Jean Beniste blesses a photo of his dog and another pet as his daughter Anneliese looks on. The Blessing of the Animals on the Feast of St. Francis took place on Saturday, October 5, 2024, in the gardens of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Concord, New Hampshire, where Beniste is pastor. G. Jeffrey McDonald, via AP
October 9, 2024 | 9:05am
CONCORD, N.H. (RNS) — When pet lovers with their dogs and photos gathered in a churchyard here on Saturday (Oct. 5) for the annual Blessing of the Animals, they were in the midst of past years. It was received with a different kind of confidence.
“I say: Bring your pets. Bring your dogs and cats. I’m Haitian, so I’m not going to eat them,” he said minutes before the crowd of about 60 people took their seats. , said the Rev. Jean Beniste, a Haitian immigrant and pastor of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. “I bless them. I embrace them. I embrace you. I build community with you.”
President Trump falsely accuses Ohio immigrants of kidnapping and eating pets during debate
This is in reference to remarks made during a September 10 debate by former President Donald Trump in which he falsely claimed that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were “eating the pets of the people who live there.” It was the first of several laugh-inducing innuendos made by the speakers. ”
Such rumors, which spread like wildfire on social media, were proven false. But advocates remain concerned about the impact of hostile rhetoric against Haitians and other immigrants.
The people gathered at St. Paul’s Cathedral decided to turn one of Christianity’s more light-hearted rituals, the annual blessing of animals, into an act of goodwill resistance.
The Blessing of the Animals is a ritual performed in early October by various Christian denominations in honor of St. Francis, a widely beloved medieval saint known for his compassion for the poor and the animal kingdom. Owners bring their household pets, and sometimes livestock, to be blessed by a priest who recognizes their importance to God.
But this year’s service in New Hampshire’s capital was also about portraying a struggling immigrant group as trustworthy and empowered to offer blessings on God’s behalf. . This reframed framework brought together new participants who wanted to show solidarity.
“This year, animal blessings take on a new, even prophetic meaning,” RT wrote. The Rev. Robert Hirschfeld, Bishop of the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire, called on the entire diocese of Concord to participate. “Our gathering of blessings instead of curses can be seen as an act of resistance against a culture that promotes violence in thought, speech, and action.”
At the event, Hirschfeld likened the church’s response to that of Jesus in Luke 13, who rebelled against Herod and continued to bless the people.
“This is a way to turn the world’s energy upside down,” Hirschfeld said after the event. “Instead of continuing to talk bitterly, let’s turn this into a blessing.”
For observers of New Hampshire politics, the event was noted as politically noteworthy.
Andrew Smith, a pollster and political science professor at the University of New Hampshire, said the incident will leave President Trump’s comments in the public consciousness “at least for the rest of the weekend…and if he’s explaining it, he’s lost.” .
“There may be a little bit of ecumenical trolling by the Episcopal Church against the Republican Party, especially the message coming out of Springfield, Ohio,” Smith said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if the organizers and sponsors of this event purposely spread this across the United States in a way that really emphasizes Haitian immigration.”
Debra Ragen Coffman of Concord said she had never participated in Blessing of the Animals before, but thought it was “especially important” to do so this year. She was inspired to bring in her Coton dog, Tula, after a friend sent her a post about “blessing as resistance.”
“I didn’t want to come just to celebrate the animals, but to join a community of love and resistance to the hatred that is spreading throughout this country,” Ragen-Coffman said. said.
Organizers sought to maximize visibility for the usually low-profile event. The event is usually held indoors, but this year it was moved outdoors, allowing downtown dog walkers to casually join in and watch the animals gathered for a blessing from a Haitian priest wearing a collar. I was able to feel happy.
Concord Mayor Byron Champlin brought special attention to the event by participating and sharing his thoughts on the New Testament idea of coming together as one body.
Pets and their owners received further help as Beniste took full advantage of his role as a blessing. He placed his hands on all the dogs in prayer, printed out pictures of cats, and displayed electronic images of deceased pets on his cell phone. He then moved through the crowd, giving treats to dogs and sprinkling their owners with holy water.
“I love doing this!” Beniste, who has been a pastor in St. Paul since December, beams as he shakes drops of holy water on his bowed head under the bright, warm October sun. spoke.
While the event was fun for Beniste and other participants, the priest also used the event to remind people that Haitians are “going through a very difficult time” in Springfield, Haiti, and elsewhere. reminded me.
The event invitation included a call for donations to the Haitian Community Help and Support Center in Springfield. Next year’s event in Concord is likely to be even broader in scope, scope and meaning.
“I want to make it bigger,” Beniste said of St. Paul’s annual animal blessing. “Next time we want to reach out to all the animal shelters and police departments. We can connect people wherever there are animals.”
This content is written and produced by Religion News Service and distributed by The Associated Press. RNS and AP partner on some religion news content. RNS is solely responsible for this story.
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