Many people would like to pick up every defenceless animal they see on the street. But this is not possible and we can only pray to St Francis of Assisi for the animals, to protect them and to defend them every day.
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When we walk down the street and come across a defenceless animal, our hearts break because we can’t take it home.
It is very difficult to understand how heartless people can leave a small animal out in the open.
Many of us wish we had the power to reverse the roles and make it the people who are left to their fate.
What would life be like if it were humans in captivity, to be closely observed, to satisfy animal curiosity?
What would it be like if humans could feel the fear and terror that some animals feel when threatened with imminent death?
It is very sad that people cannot have good feelings towards animals when they are also God’s creatures.
Have you noticed that children are natural animal lovers?
It is very difficult for a child not to be moved by a helpless animal.
And when did we adults lose this ability to love?
That is why the kingdom of heaven belongs to children.
What to do in this situation
The most humane thing to do is to give them the minimum of help.
Give them food if you can, and if you can’t, take them home because they’re already full.
Find a place nearby where they can get the help they need.
We cannot be satisfied with just praying to St Francis of Assisi for the animals.
It is also up to us to do our part.
The Bible says in Proverbs 12:10, “A righteous man cares for his animals, but the heart of the wicked is cruel”.
You can expand on this information in this link on how the Catholic Bible is divided.
In addition, animals were created to give us humans satisfaction and companionship.
Nowadays, many animals are used to provide therapy for children who need it.
Dolphins are one of the most common animals used to treat children.
The mothers of these children also pray to St Francis of Assisi for the animals.
That they will provide them with all the care they need.
Who is St Francis of Assisi?
Giovanni di Pietro Bernardone, better known as St Francis of Assisi, was born on 5 July 1182.
He was born into a very wealthy family and had a very worldly youth.
After a battle in his town, young Giovanni was imprisoned.
And all the time he was in prison he suffered a terrible illness that changed his life.
It was the life he led in prison that led him to renounce the vain life he had led up to his imprisonment.
He renounced his father’s inheritance and devoted himself to a simple life.
His work consisted of caring for lepers, outlaws and animals.
And to earn a little money, he worked in the ruins left by the war.
According to historians, St Francis had a vision that told him to repair the church in the town.
So he used his father’s money for the repairs.
But his father was very angry with him and withdrew all his support the same day.
A few years later he had another vision that he should go out into the world with the gospel.
And so he did.
Thanks to him, Christian spirituality was revived in the 13th century.
Such was his devotion that Francis travelled to the Holy Land to try to evangelise the Muslims.
Although he stayed for eight years, he was unsuccessful.
He returned to his homeland to continue spreading the Gospel wherever he went.
Birth of a tradition
It is believed that the tradition of erecting a crib to commemorate the birth of the Child Jesus is due to this saint.
According to tradition, when Francis returned to his native land, he set out to gather the villagers to commemorate the birth of Jesus.
He set out to gather the people of his village to remember the birth of Jesus.
Legend has it that he himself built a replica of the manger in Bethlehem and gathered the people around it.
There, in the same place, he preached his midnight sermon and everyone remembered God’s work.
It was in 1224 that Francis of Assisi experienced a terrible pain.
Some of those present saw the wounds of the crucifixion.
Two years of agony and pain followed this episode.
He finally died on 3 October.
In 1980, Pope John Paul II proclaimed him the patron saint of ecologists.
And since that day, many believers pray to St Francis of Assisi for animals.
His remains now lie in the basilica that bears his name.
He is still venerated there today.
Find out who else Catholics worship at this link and how many dogmas the Catholic Church has.
prayer to saint francis of assisi for animals
Blessed are you, my God
Heavenly Father
who created the heavens and the earth
and the animals on the fifth and sixth day of creation.
Thank you, blessed Father
For you created the fish of the sea
The birds of the air and the animals of the earth.
Blessed Father, who gave him the gift of seeing all animals
As his brothers and sisters
We ask you to bless our pet
(Say the animal’s name)
For the love you have for it as your creature.
I give you glory and honour for your creation.
Amen.
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