The Blessing of the Pets, an annual ritual where owners come in with their pets—dogs, cats, birds, even fish—to be blessed by a parish priest is back. St. John the Evangelist Church at Ballard Estate, the tip of South Mumbai, will resume the practice after a Covid lockdown-induced hiatus of one year. The blessing will be held on October 10 this year.

Blessing guidelines

Fr Joe D’Souza, parish priest of the church and Port Chaplain, said, “I have been blessing pets for, I think, 24 years now, but last year naturally it did not take place. This time churches have reopened and we are going to have our first Mass on October 7. This is also good as it is just in time for Blessing of the Pets, which I will conduct on October 10. Though I have spread the word through WhatsApp to the parishioner base, I want more people to learn about this. Many may be under the mistaken impression that Blessing of the Pets will not be held this year as well, but we are going ahead.”