Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Dennis Villarojo blesses pets and their owners after a Mass to celebrate the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, who is the patron of ecology. The celebration was held in the Archdiocesan Shrine of San Roque in Barangay Mambaling in Cebu City on Saturday (Oct. 6).
Bishop Villarojo tells pet owners: Caring for pets should be translated to caring for env’t
For Roger Matas, his pet dogs are sources of happiness and friends that relieve his stress.
Matas, who is a new pet lover, said that he was not keen with dogs before.
Now at the age 65, the lay minister of Barangay Mambaling in Cebu City, has started to love their two dogs and treated them as part of their family.
Matas was among the 80 individuals who attended the Mass held at the Archdiocesan Shrine of San Roque in Barangay Mambaling in Cebu City on Saturday in celebration of the feast of St. Francis of Assisi — the patron for ecology.
St. Francis was an Italian monk from the 12th century who was known for his love of the environment and animals.
Just like the saint, the parishioners showed their interest to animals by bringing their pets to attend the 2 p.m. Mass.
Another parishioner Genara Primor, 45, brought her two native chickens with her to the church.
For the past ten years, Primor said every first Friday of the Mass she would offer a chicken to the priest.
While, Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Dennis Villarojo, in his homily, said a responsible animal owner should also take care of the environment.
“Ang pag-amping sa mananap atong i-translate sa pag-amping sa kalikupan (One’s care for animals should be translated to one’s care for the environment),” he said.
Villarojo also pointed out that responsible owners should be mindful in the proper way of disposing the waste of their pets which would not affect the environment.
Matas, for his part, said it would be their responsibility to make sure that their animals would not cause inconvenience to others.
“Dili nimo pasipad-an ang iro ug imo sad ampingan nga dili makahasol sa atong mga silingan (Don’t abuse the dog, care for it and make sure that it will not inconvenience your neighbors),” Matas said.
He also reminded the faithful not to be too affectionate with their animals.
“He reminded pet owners to give their pets enough affection but not too much that you treat them like persons. Our relationship with our pets should only be one with enough affection,” he said in Cebuano
After the Mass, Bishop Villarojo blessed the pets and their owners by sprinkling holy water on them.