Catholic Islander editor Fr. Charles Crespo blesses a student’s pet chicken while a girl and her dog wait in the background. The event was the annual blessing of pets on October 2, at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral School on the island of St Thomas, US Virgin Islands. It commemorated the October 4 feast day of St Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals, nature and the environment. Students were invited to bring their pet dogs, cats, turtles, guinea pigs, hamsters, birds, fish, rabbits and chickens for a blessing. Unfortunately no snakes or lizards were allowed this year.