Many of you readers may remember my sharing how much I love my rescue kitty Romeo.
I have blogged about him a few times - and invite anyone not familiar with him to go to the subject tab on the right side of my blog and look up Kitty - and get to know this sweet fella.
He really is the sweetest, most gentle and BEST CAT EVER.
Remember how we always lovingly refer to him as "Lumbar Kitty" because his favorite spot to lounge is behind me when I sit at the pc?
He is really fighting something tough and we sure would appreciate if you could send up some good thoughts and prayers for him.
He somehow scratched his eye and it very quickly became infected.
He is on 4 kinds of medicine - 2 antibiotics and 2 kinds of pain reliever.
He has to wear his Cone of Shame (family funny but not so funny now.)
He has to be given doses of artificial tears.
He had to get his eye scraped 2 times, ugh, ouch.
He is now at the vet again (DH took him for another follow up) for the 5th time this week.
They say if it doesn't get better soon he may have to go see a specialist and may actually lose his eye.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Blessing of Animals
by Kevin E. Mackin, O.F.M.
As autumn arrives, people in various places may notice something odd.
A procession of animals, everything from dogs and cats to hamsters and even horses, is led to churches for a special ceremony called the Blessing of Pets. This custom is conducted in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi’s love for all creatures.
Francis, whose
feast day is October 4th, loved the larks flying about his hilltop town. He and
his early brothers, staying in a small hovel, allowed themselves to be displaced
by a donkey.
Francis 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.” And
there was testimony in the cause for St. Clare of Assisi’s canonization that
referred to her little cat!
That there are today over 62 million cats in the U.S. attests to the
continuing affection we have for our furry, feathered or finned friends. We've
even had a cat called Socks in the White House. Other popular presidential pets
range from Abraham Lincoln’s Fido to Lyndon Johnson’s beagles, named Him and
Her.
For single householders, a pet can be a true companion. Many people arrive
home from work to find a furry friend overjoyed at their return. Many a senior
has a lap filled with a purring fellow creature.
The bond between person and pet is like no other relationship, because the
communication between fellow creatures is at its most basic. Eye-to-eye, a man
and his dog, or a woman and her cat, are two creatures of love.
No wonder people enjoy the opportunity to take their animal companions to
church for a special blessing. Church is the place where the bond of creation is
celebrated.
At Franciscan churches, a friar with brown robe and white cord often welcomes
each animal with a special prayer. The Blessing of Pets usually goes like this:
“Blessed are you, Lord God, maker of all living creatures. You called
forth fish in the sea, birds in the air and animals on the land. You inspired
St. Francis to call all of them his brothers and sisters. We ask you to bless
this pet. By the power of your love, enable it to live according to your plan.
May we always praise you for all your beauty in creation. Blessed are you, Lord
our God, in all your creatures! Amen.”
Thank you!
♥
~Michele
UPDATE REPORT AS 11/1/12:
Your prayers have REALLY HELPED! Our kitty Romeo is getting better! He doesn't have to lose his eye but he has lost some sight in it, and it is cloudy - but he IS showing some use of it, though limited - this is REALLT great news. Thank you all so much for your care and prayer!
Hugs,
Michele, her DH and Romeo most especially!
