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Friar Jack Muses About His Visit to San Francisco At 10:30 a.m., Father Floyd Lotito, O.F.M., and I, wearing our Franciscan habits, began walking the three of four blocks from St. Boniface Church indowntown San Franciso to San Francisco City Hall. It was a bright, sunny day, and the beautiful towering dome with its gold trimmings gleaned in the distance. The sight made both of us friars conscious of our mission: to take the gentle message of St. Francis to the seat of power of the great American city named after Francis of Assisi. In a friendly ceremony in the mayor's office, Father Floyd presented to Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr., a copy of my children's book, "St. Francis in San Francisco." The mayor received the book graciously. Father Floyd, who has worked for 33 years among the poor and homeless of San Francisco's"Tenderloin" district, encouraged the mayor to be mindful of the city's poor. The mayor opened the book and read the inscription with care and attention: "For Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr., and the people of San Francisco--May the gracious and congenial spirit of St. Francis of Assisi, your patron and protector, always hover over your city!" The mayor paged through the book with a smile and said, "I will read this to the children." I expressed to the mayor the wish that the "book encourage the people of San Francisco to learn more about their patron saint." I also gave the mayor a plaque of the Peace Prayer of St. Francis, commenting that Francis' peacemaking spirit is much needed at this time of national crisis. The mayor, who had intended to be in Assisi, Italy, on October 4 to celebrate the feast of St. Francis with the citizens of that city (San Francisco and Assisi are sister cities), said he unfortunately had to cancel because of the tragic terrorist events of September 11. (The U.S. government had advised him it might not be good to travel at this time and risk being stranded in Europe.)
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SPIRITUAL BROTHERS
CELEBRATE ST. FRANCIS ALL MONTH LONG
A NEW BEGINNING: FAITH-FILLED FAMILIES
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CATHOLIC GREETINGS ADDS NEW CATEGORIES
PET BLESSING E-GREETING
WITCHES, GHOSTS AND MAGIC: CATHOLIC BELIEFS FOR TEENS
"ASK A FRANCISCAN"
Do you have questions about the faith? As always, please continue to submit your questions about the Catholic faith to "Ask a Franciscan."
FRIAR JACK'S CHOSEN SITE:
CONCLUSION OF FRIAR JACK'S MUSINGS: The mayor had words of praise for St. Francis, the patron of San Francisco. St. Francis, he said, had great respect for the preciousness of all life--a respect that extended even to animals and all other creatures. He also expressed appreciation for the children's book, St. Francis in San Francisco, which he had received from the hands of Father Floyd a few days earlier. After the mayor left the platform, Father Floyd started the blessing ceremony. With his hands extended, he prayed a general blessing over the animals gathered before him with their owners, followed by a prayer for any pets that were sick and in need of healing. You can find these prayers at http://www.AmericanCatholic.org/Features/Francis/animal.asp. Finally, Father Floyd descended the platform and began blessing the petsindividually and calling them each by name after the title of "Brother" or"Sister." Father Louie Vitale, O.F.M., pastor of St. Boniface, and Deacon Jim Meyer also mingled with the crowd, gently touching and blessing the animals. Witnessing the prayers and the animal-blessing ritual helped bring home to me the truth what we all form one blessed family with the rest of the created world.
You can find pictures of this year's San Francisco pet blessing
at
You'll find all of my back issues at my new Web address, Peace and all good!
Friar Jack Wintz, O.F.M.
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