Blessing of the Animals, Feast of St. Francis of Assisi

October 4 is the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, founder of the Franciscan order, 1181 - 1226.  His gentle nature and love of  God's creation has thought to have drawn animals to him in a peaceful and loving way. There are many legends, one which even tells of St. Francis subduing a wolf that was bothering the towns people of Gubbio, Italy. For more details of the story go to, http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Francis/stories.asp#wol

Many parishes offer a simple ceremony called the "Blessing of the Animals" on October 4 or a nearby date. Ann Ball, r.i.p., in her cookbook, Catholic Traditions in Cooking has recipe for "Doggie Delights"! For those of you who are dog lovers, the recipe is included at the bottom of this post. I have made it before myself for friends' dogs. I hope you will give it a try!

Doggie Treats

Doggie Delights found in Catholic Traditions in Cooking, p. 128.

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup yeast and garlic powder
• 1/2 cup oil
• 6 - 8 tablespoons of water
• 1/2 jar (1 1/4 ounces) sliced dried beef, chopped fine
• Make a stiff dough of the first four ingredients. Add the chopped dried beef. Roll between two pieces of waxed paper till thin, about 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into 1 1/2 inch squares with a sharp knife. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes until treats are hard. Cool and store in a closed container. Taste test yourself! Cats usually like them, too.
• *Yeast and garlic powder may be purchased at a health food store. This is an excellent source of vitamins and helps to repel fleas. 
• Yield about 2 dozen