wfn.org | [ENS] Episcopal Church embraces all God's Creatures (Daybook)

["Matthew Davies" <mdavies@episcopalchurch.org>]

Daybook, from Episcopal News Service

May 2, 2005 -- Monday Mission

[FEAST: Faith, Environment, Action, Science, Technology]

Episcopal Church embraces all God's Creatures

Priest launches national animal-rights network

by Richelle Thompson

When trappers killed Franz, a beloved tiger cat, the Rev. Rebecca
Deinsen
looked for help.

That's when she discovered that there was little recourse against the
trappers, and frankly, that few people were interested in the issue.

"I started contacting animal rights' organizations, and they were the
only
ones who cared," said Deinsen, associate priest at St. John's,
Worthington.

"In the midst of all that, I discovered that there was a need here.
There
was no spiritual outlet for grieving the loss of pets even though all of
creation is a spiritual issue."

Deinsen began researching the issue of animal rights in the church and
became involved with the Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals,
based
in England. Through online chats and blogs, she found other people in
the
United States interested in the issue.

Together, they decided to launch a network of people in the U.S.
concerned
about animal rights and welfare.

"We prayed about it," Deinsen said. "And we e-mailed it."

Since the launch of The Episcopal Network for Animal Welfare
(http://www.franciscan-anglican.com/enaw) in the fall, "it's really
caught on. We thought we'd be lucky to get 12 members, but we're up to
more
than 50 now," she said.

Three churches in New York have pledged to be "animal friendly," which
requires a promise to support and uphold members engaged in animal
welfare
ministries; hold an "Animal Blessing" service annually; provide pastoral
care and prayer for members grieving the loss or illness of a pet; serve
vegetarian fare during Lent and provide vegetarian options at community
meals; and agree not to hold fundraisers that center upon the killing of
animals, such as pig roasts, sport hunting and lobster boils.

For a long time, Deinsen admitted, she believed there were more pressing
concerns in the world than animal welfare.

But being committed to animal rights doesn't exclude a commitment to
other
justice issues.

"It's an additional ministry. The fact that there are so few people who
care
about animals in creation makes the people who feel called really want
to
stand up and be a voice," Deinsen said. "Our goal is to raise awareness,
to
help people make more ethical choices and to provide ministries for
people
who have lost pets and are grieving. We want to be a place of support
for
people who feel alienated because they are vegetarian or because they're
passionate about animal rights."

 --- Richelle Thompson is director of communications for the Diocese of
Southern Ohio and editor of the Interchange.

------------

Staten Island Episcopal parish home to newly consecrated pet cemetery

by Daphne Mack

[ENS] The faithful gathered in song and prayer on Earth Day, April 22,
on
the grounds of the Church of Saint Andrew
(http://www.churchofstandrew-si.org/) in Richmondtown, Staten Island to
consecrate a special cemetery for pets.

"Pets are an important part of our lives, and this cemetery is one way
of
honoring what they have meant to us and to our families," said the Rev.
Michael Delaney, rector of the Church of Saint Andrew.

Throughout its almost three hundred year history, the Church of Saint
Andrew
has remained a strong and active faith community dedicated to prayer,
fellowship and community outreach.

"The Cemetery for All God's Creatures" is open to all faiths, said
Delaney.
It serves as a reminder that we are "stewards of all God's creation."

Area politicians, veterinarians and parishioners were present as Bishop
Vicar E. Don Taylor of the Diocese of New York opened the gate of the
850-plot cemetery.

"Let it be said that on this day, April 22, 2005 in the year of our Lord
Jesus Christ, that the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of New York
through
the mission and ministry of the Church of Saint Andrew in Richmondtown,
Staten Island, is a church where all of God's creatures are welcomed and
celebrated," said Taylor.

During the service the following pets were interred:

*Gizmo, one of St. Andrew's own church "mouser" cats.

*Merlin, Gizmo's litter mate.

*Fluffy and Rusty, dogs owned by a parishioner.

*Truth, the dog owned by the late Bishop Walter Dennis of the Episcopal
Diocese of New York.

Lynn and John Fodor, who were married at the Church and had their cats
Tai
and Simon interred, said, "It's a beautiful resting place for the
animals
where it's safe and very comforting."

Karen Kelly, administrative assistant at the Church said, "Each plot
cost
$500 which includes the headstone and can hold the cremains of four
pets."

She said there is also an additional $225 fee and that "so far about 40
plots have been purchased."

Prayers and liturgy for the service were adapted from We Thank You, God
for
These: Blessings and Prayers for Family Pets
(http://www.paulistpress.com/4125-6.html) by Anthony F. Chiffolo and the
Rev. Rayner W. Hesse, Jr., rector of St. John's Episcopal Church in New
Rochelle. Hesse said, "This is a very important ministry."

---Daphne Mack is staff writer for Episcopal News Service.

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