Shaw St. Francis marks feast day
with blessing of animals By Fabvienen Taylor
SHAW — “We have a lot more people here this year and more animals,” said Grace Venuti, 92, as groups of people with their pets greeted each other in the yard on the side of Grady Robinson’s farmhouse.
It was the second year for the outdoor Mass and blessing of animals on the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, Saturday, Oct. 3. It was also the one-year anniversary of the pastor and associate pastor, Divine Word Fathers Thomas Mullally and Tarsisus Puling.
The outdoor Mass and blessing of pets is a tradition St. Francis parishioners will add to the ones already in place — home-cooked Italiain foods and desserts, home-grown flowers for the church’s altars, and having the same organist for Mass for over 40 years, according to Florence Ouzts, pastoral minister since 2004, who was preceded by Barbara Reginelli.
Ouzts said, “This is a faith community where you truly feel the presence of Christ when you walk into the church. You see young and old people who have tremendous faith. We have people in their 90s who serve as cross bearers and lectors.
“You see them reaching out and welcoming newcomers into St. Francis. They are never in a hurry to leave and are really interested in you,” Ouzts said.
“We are so blessed to have Florence and before her Barbara,” said Sammy Short, who credits former pastor Father Peter Quinn and Fathers Anthony Quyet, Thomas Lalor and Don Derivaux for encouraging lay ministry training among parishioners.
“Lay ministry was already in progress when Father Derivaux retired so we really didn’t feel all the effects of the priest shortage other than we didn’t have Mass every Sunday,” she said.
With lay ministers and parishioners there were Communion services, visiting and cooking for the homebound, a telephone prayer ministry, ecumenical Lenten lunches and home-cooked full-meal repasts after funerals.
“We check on each other, we support each other, we care about each other and we welcome everyone,” said Short.
Ouzts said the parish is blessed to have Fathers Mullally and Puling. “It is amazing how much they do and our numbers are growing.
“There is something special here at St. Francis. There is a lot of giftedness yet to be tapped among the aged and the young. With our strong core of devoted, committed people, St. Francis will go on,” she said.
