Both of us are sleepy, having just come from an early morning assignment in Antipolo. As Jun fiddles with his camera, I wait and listen to what seems to be the end of the 11 a.m. Mass.
It is a special day. At 12 noon, there will be Mass and the blessing of pets. The Philippine Animal Welfare Society, which has been actively involved in the event each year, has set up a table in a conspicuous place. PAWS members are busy writing down the names of pets and their owners who have come to church to be blessed by Fr. Arnie Bohme, OCD.
I spot Nita Lichauco, PAWS president, together with Oscar Lei, Cris De Los Reyes and other PAWS members making sure this year’s blessing of the pets turns out well.
"We are going to have three dogs join the offertory procession," shares Nita. She is excited because although most of the pets are dogs, she assures me that there will be cats, birds, a turtle and even a giant snake.
Iam eager to see the pets. One by one, humans walk in with dogs in the lead, various pets in their arms or in cages. A little boy arrives with his turtle in a plastic carrier. Hands down, it is a dog-day noon. "Maganda this year," says Cris. "This is the first time there are Askals (native dogs)."
PAWS, after all, is actively pursuing one of its objectives, which is to get people more acquainted with and definitely more proud of our native dogs.
"The turnout of pets and their humans gets bigger every year. We hope that soon, every parish in the Philippines will have its own blessing of the animals," says an excited Oscar Lei.
I understand him, purr-fectly.
"We should respect all creatures. We should respect their rights," Fr. Bohme stresses in his homily, which he especially prepared for the occasion. The blessing of the animals actually coincides with the yearly celebration of the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, famous animal lover.
What a wonderful and reassuring sight to see humans and their pets in church actively participating in the celebration. Some pet owners with big dogs choose to sit at the back pews with their K9 companions. What makes the event memorable is that the rest of the faithful do not mind the presence of animals.
After the Mass, people stay to watch more than 100 pets (mostly dogs of different breeds and sizes, cats, a Persian kitten, a cockatoo, a turtle, a giant snake and even a chick) walk down the aisle with their proud owners in tow. They are blessed by the ever-patient Fr. Bohme who makes sure he gives a special blessing to each of the animals.
"There are always more dogs in the blessing because it is easier to take dogs to church as they are normally more used to being around people," Oscar explains the huge turnout of canines.
There is no rushing out of the church at the end of the Mass as most people are wont to do on a Sunday, especially with grumbling stomachs at 1 p.m. On this particular Sunday, most of the parishioners wait and watch with excitement as pets walk down the aisle for their blessing.
Why, even the choir and organ player stay to sing Make Me a Channel of Your Peace during the procession.
Some of the dogs get a little impatient and start barking, while the rest remain calm and allow curious onlookers, mostly children, to give them a pat on the head.
A sure sign that there is still hope for this doggone world.