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Published Saturday, October 11, 2008 in Religion

People of faith celebrate St. Francis' legacy

By Religion Staff

The Newnan Times-Herald

Churches in Coweta County -- and around the country -- were overrun with feathers and fur on Oct. 4, as children, families and other congregants celebratde St. Francis Day with a Blessing of the Animals worship service.

Services were held last weekend at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church, St. Paul's Episcopal Church and Moreland United Methodist Church. Hopewell United Methodist Church at Tyrone also held a service.

"These services allow people of faith to recognize the importance of the non-human members of their families and their blessedness to God," said Jordan Blevins, assistant director of the Eco-Justice Programs of the National Council of Churches.

Blessing of the Animals Services on Oct. 4 recognize the ideals of St. Francis of Assisi, who wrote a Canticle of the Creatures, an ode to God's living things. "All praise to you, Oh Lord, for all these brother and sister creatures," states the canticle.

"A Blessing of the Animals service reminds us of the values St. Francis held," said Blevins. "In the biblical story of Noah and the Ark, it is clear that God provided for the blessing of animals in the same way that God did people. There are threats to God's creation present in our world today, particularly regarding the well being of endangered species."

As congregations are celebrating St. Francis Day, some church leaders are working to protect endangered species against a variety of threats including the environmental waivers to the Border Fence and proposed rule changes to regulation.

According to Defenders of Wildlife, many endangered species including the Sonoran pronghorn , the bighorn sheep and the jaguar could become extinct under the border fence waivers. The proposed rule changes to the Endangered Species Act, which would change the ways impacts on species are determined, would weaken protection for endangered species, according to the National Wildlife Federation.

Members of the faith community have called on Congress to stop the border fence waivers, and the National Council of Churches provided a letter to Congress encouraging stopping the proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act.