and
Roman Catholic
+ Christian Stewardship of Creation +
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from the
Office of Educational Services
The Orthodox Church in America
The Melkite Eparchy of Newton, Patriarchate of Antioch
Today we hear much talk about saving the earth. Do we really need to save the earth? Saving the earth is not an exaggeration when we consider the crisis facing ecology that has implications for all humankind; .flooding due to global warming that threatens vast areas of coastland, irreplaceable forests vanishing by the acre every second and great rivers that no longer reach the sea because their water is taken for irrigation, industry, or to water lawns.
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The abuse of modern man of his position in the creation and of the Creators order to him “to have dominion over the earth” (Gen 1,28) has led to the edge of destruction either in the form of natural pollution which endangers all living beings or in the form of extinction of specie of the animal and plant world. Scientists are warning us now of the danger, and speak of phenomena which threaten the life of our planet, such as the “greenhouse effect” whose first indications have already been noted.
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In all of this destruction of our creation, have we lost sight of our noble vocation to participate in God’s creative action in the world? Unfortunately, today, under the influence of extreme rationalism and self centeredness, we have lost the sense of sacredness of creation and act as rude violators of creation.. Instead of the ascetic spirit of our Eastern Church regarding our role as caretakers of creation, we have been caught up in an atmosphere that violates nature for the satisfaction, not of basic human needs, but of our endless and increasing desires encouraged by the prevailing philosophy of the consumer society.
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The global environment is squeezed on two sides by over-consumption and waste by the affluent and by the pressing needs of the poor, often forced to deplete their land for the sake of food or fuel. Equitable sharing with other people does not only involve using less of finite resources, it also precludes enjoying conveniences for which others are having to pay the hidden environmental price of living with the toxins used in their manufacture and pollution caused by their use and disposal.
We worship as a community, not as individuals, our liturgical ethos is also one of sharing. We stand before God together and we hold in common the earthly blessings that He has given to all creatures. St John Chrysostom reminds us “not to share our wealth with the poor is theft from the poor and deprivation of their means of life. We do not possess our own wealth but theirs.”
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According to Christian teaching, the moral relationship of humanity to nature is included in these words: “Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground. . . I give you every seed bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. “l(Gen 1:28-29)
Through these words humanity is given a relative authority to rule over nature throughout the cosmos. The whole of creation, the heaven and earth were made our subjects to serve and work for us.
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“ The creatures of God minister not to God, nor to angels, nor to themselves, but only to man.” Prof. N. Zabolotsky. It is becoming more and more apparent that humanity, both individually and collectively, no longer perceives the natural order as a sign and a sacrament of God but rather as an object of exploitation.
It is too easy to place responsibility and blame collectively on agencies and authorities, but we stand before God as individuals that have been charged with the “Priesthood of Creation” and will be held accountable for our mandate.
We must be more fully conscious of our duty as Priests and Caretakers of Creation. Creation “groans and labors in all its parts”(Romans 8:22) and is now beginning to protest at its treatment by human beings.
We cannot infinitely, and at our pleasure, exploit the natural sources of energy.
The price of this superior attitude will be our self-destruction. The ethos of the Church means reverence for matter – the world around us, other creatures and or own bodies.
A Eucharistic ethos means, using natural resources with thankfulness – offering them back to God.
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There is no one that is not guilty of disrespecting nature, for to respect nature is to recognize that all creatures and objects have a unique place in God’s creation.
When we become sensitive to God’s world around us, we grow more conscious also of God’s world within us. We cannot expect to leave no trace on our environment. We have to choose to either make it reflect greed and ugliness. or to use it in such a way that its beauty shows God’s handiwork through ours.
Beginning to see nature as a work of God, we begin to see our own place as human beings within nature. The true appreciation of any object is to discover the extraordinary in the ordinary.
It is time to thank our Maker for the great gift of Creation and to teach the ethos of our church regarding creation. We caution all the faithful to admonish themselves and their children to respect and protect the natural environment and to pray for those entrusted with the responsibility of governing the nations to take the necessary measures for the protection and preservation of the natural creation.
As parents and teachers we cannot remain unmoved. We need to address what constitutes a fundamental dogma of our faith that the world was created by God the Father, who is confessed in the Creed to be “maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.”
In the words of Dimitri Staniloae, The role of humanity as the priesthood of creation we are able to reshape and alter the world. We put the seal of this understanding and of our intelligent work onto creation. “The world is not only a gift, but a task for man”(Staniloae
Catechetical Resource: The Earth is the Lord’s, Orthodox Church in America, OCA, (available through the Office of Educational Services/TBS)
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From the magazine "Theodromia"
from: http://www.impantokratoros.gr
After his creation man is given dominion over all the animals "over the fish of the sea and over the foul of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth (Gen 1:28).The dominion over the animals extends in their naming when God brought all the animals in front of him to give them their name: "...and brought them unto Adam to call them and whatever Adam called every living thing, that was its name" (Gen 2:19).Thus man has authority over the animals as on all creation, being a creation "in the image of God". The animals looked on man as a crown of the complete creation, for this they not only submitted to him but lived in harmony between themselves.
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The fall of the first created did not only have a radical change in the relationship with God but also between man and creation. Having darkened the "image" and lacking the divine grace, man now is confronted with hostility by the dumb animals "the beasts and all the animals of the earth seeing him denuded of the former divine glory, ignore him and immediately became harsh towards him". The result being that some animals he feared and other animals feared him.
After the fall the whole creation waits, like man, for its liberation from the fetters of sin, "for we know that the whole creation groans and suffers in pain until now" (Rom 8:22), the whole creation suffers- thus the animals as well- together with the suffering man.
In Genesis we also see the decision of God to destroy man "for them being of the flesh" but as He spares the just Noah and his family so also He takes care of the animals "for You took care of the animals in the Ark"
In the Deuteronomy it is noted that one of the main reasons for observing the Sabbath is due to the need for the animals to rest. In the preamble psalm (103) the caring of animals is mentioned, "they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst" (Ps 103:11). For the thirst" as to Joel "and the animals of the valley he cared when the water discharges dried up". Where as at the second coming of Christ, "...I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and the fowls of heaven and with the creeping things of the ground....." (Hosea 2:18)
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In many instances in the Old Testament we see the pre-fall relationship of man with the animals, where an explicit promise is given to the Prophet Elijah, that he will be provided care for his feeding, "......and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there" (1Kings 17:4). We see the raven is a bird by nature despised bird - that does not even care for its young - carrying meat and bread to the prophet.
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Jonah remains three days in the belly of the whale ("mark of Jonah") symbolizing the three day burial and resurrection of the Lord. Later, in Babylonian detention of Daniel, he remained unhurt in the den of the lions: "They placed him in the lions pit and he remained there for six days", on which the Apostle Paul later said, "the mouths of the lions were sealed".
Later when Christ was getting ready to preach the world, after the 40 day fast, we see Him living in the midst the beasts of the desert: "And He was there in the wilderness for forty days tempted of Satan and was with the wild beasts and the angels ministered unto Him" (Mark 1:13). In the miracle of the healing of the demonic, Christ orders the demons and they enter the swine, in impure animals, which then fell into the lake. This is proof that animals can be infested with demons.
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The promise of Jesus to His disciples is that He will protect them from dangers, and He will give them authority ".....to tread on serpents and scorpions .......and nothing shall by any means hurt you" (Luke 10:19).
When however they saw him remain unaffected, "they changed by saying that it is his God" Here we see the fulfillment of the promise "and snakes they will take up" and secondly the miracle results in the changing of the minds of the Melitians.
The cases are limitless of martyrs that are thrown as feed to the wild beasts and not only they are not hurt by them, but with their attitude they show (licking the head or wounds) they submit to the martyrs demonstrating through this that God "turns the beasts to submission, preserving them according to the image and likeness spotless". From these miracles it is worth describing briefly some indicative cases from the collection of the saints. The saints Trophimos and Dorymedon are given as feed to a wild bear and because they remain unhurt, they are thrown to a leopard and then to a lion. Because even the lion did not bother them, the beast tamer started prodding it to attack them, the lion lunged at him and torn him apart.
In the case of saint Golindouch not only the martyr remained unhurt by the dragon inside the pit, but the beast became tame and was resting on her. Similarly Saint John in a shaft of a dry well, was protected from scorpions and serpents. Saint Alexander, bishop of Jerusalem was condemned to be torn apart by the beasts, however after his prayer, some of them worshipped him by bowing their heads and others were licking his wounds.
Impressive is the case of Saint Hypatius who killed in a spectacular way a huge snake that had entered in the castle of the emperor Constans. He placed his rod in the mouth of the beast and it followed him to the marketplace where he burnt it in a huge pyre.
Saint Koprios as a baby was fed by a goat which "grazed with the other goats and when it was time to breastfeed' the baby, it descended from the mountain and having breastfed' the child it returned to her usual grazing. The same Saint was ascending the mountain with a laden donkey which was then wounded by a bear, he then got hold of the bear, loaded it with the wood and told it "you'll perform the service of the donkey until it recovers....".
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In the case of Saint Makarios the Roman, the lions became the cause to feel his sinfulness: every day two lions would come to his cell and keep him company. One night he was tempted by a thought of the flesh and considered it a great sin, because the lions would not come close to him for ten days.
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Well known is also the case of the lion and Saint Gerasimus the Jordanite, where the beast "was forced to carry water, while in many depictions it drags the donkey from the bridle (reins) and brings it to the Saint as a hunt quarry only to be falsely accused that it had killed it.
The care of the beasts however does not stop in serving a Saint, but continues to the taking care of the relics, as shown in the case of Saints Philomonas and Apollonius: Their relics were placed in bags and were cast into the sea where a large dolphin "took" the bags on its back and brought them to the coast of Alexandria.
In the life of Saint Martinus, bishop of Lougdoynoy, there is this happy story that shows the love of the animals towards the Saints: in the area of Nitria, an ascetic lived on wild herbs but did not know how to select the good from the poisonous, with the result that he would suffer with convulsions. This way he stopped eating for seven days and was on the verge of dying. Then an ibex (type of deer). Approached him and dropped him a bag of vegetables. The beast with its mouth selected the good from the poisonous herbs. This way the ascetic taking this as an example of what to eat, he was saved from death.
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"a merciful heart is the fuel of all the creation.....and of the fowl and of the animals......for this to the benefit of the dumb animals..... blesses tearfully every hour. For this reason, flooded by the love for God and man, the saints have great reserves of love, that they pray also for the animals and in fact heal them, either because they suffer and feel compassion for them, or because they are useful to people while getting rid of the risks that hurt people.
In Saint Mark the ascetic a hyena visited him and brought her blind cub and acted as if she begged the Saint to cure it. The Saint having prayed spat in the eyes of the cub which was then healed. Few days later the hyena brought him a pelt of a large ram. The ascetic took it after making sure that the hyena understood she should not harm the sheep of the poor.
Many times the healing of the suffering animal was nothing more than from a pathological organic disease, but an animal could also be tormented by demons as we see in the Synarxis of Saint Martin of Tourins: "he met a cow that was tormented by a demon and was goring people with her horns. When the Saint approached, he lifted his hand and ordered the animal to stop. He sees the demon sitting on the back of the animal. "Go unclean from the animal and cease tormenting the innocent animal. When it was freed, the cow fell at the feet of the saint. He then ordered it to rejoin the herd, stronger than the sheep.
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One of the common scourge of the plants and trees are the locust. Our Church then reads prayers of Saint Tryphon that has done a specific miracle with the locust. Similar case with harmful animals is also the following: Monk Joannikios once went to the island of Thasos. The island was infested with poisonous snakes that caused death. The people of Thasos, begged the ascetic to save them from the scourge. He prayed and immediately the snakes started coming out of their nests and head for the sea where they drowned.
The lion that benefitted from Saint Gerasimus volunteered to serve him by "hauling water". From the life of Saint Martinus, again, we have the following: "an ascetic accepted a visit from a female wolf which he treated with whatever he had. Once while absent the wolf entered his cell and ate a piece of bread. The following days the animal did not come.
This saddened the ascetic who then made it the object of his prayers. The seventh day the wolf came and sat at a distance in a way that one could detect displeasure,' with eyes looking down from deep shame, obviously asking to be forgiven...... The ascetic caressed her giving her joy..... Thus, as the biographer notes, the wolf renders service (companionship), feeling the wrongfulness of stealing, recalling and having a sense of forgiveness that was granted her...."
Something similar is also the previous example of the ascetic Mark with the hyena that gave him the sheepskin as a gift for the care she received and the healing of her cub.
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Another lion helped the elder Zosimus to bury the relics of holy Mary of Egypt: "Immediately when the lion was told the required size of trench, it did so (dug it) and then buried the body".
Holy Artemon of Laodecia was followed by two deer and six donkeys. When he was captured, he told the animals to report it to bishop Sisinius - who was surprised when a female deer told him of the arrest of Artemon. While the Saint was being tortured by being skewered over a fire, the deer would lick his burns and then said to the torturer: "know impious one that two big birds will grab you and will drop you in the boiler" as it happened. Also at the martyrdom of Saint Eutyhius the animals would speak.
Similar is the case of the wild mules which dragged the corpse of Saint martyr Zoticus, the orphan feeder, to the emperor Constantius. "Even when they were flogged violently by the torturers, the human voice invokes everybody to their triumph over the king's atrocities and lack of reason, calling him blind and insensitive".
This amazing phenomenon of talking animals is not foreign in the Old Testament where we have the conversation of Eve with the snake and the donkey of Valaam. Even as these two cases in the Old Testament, subsequently those in the New Testament are given different explanations. Through all these cases, the explanations given confirm the Jewish teaching that all the animals had the grace of speech in paradise until the expulsion of the first created there from.
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Others, denying the historical validity of the Bible, consider such narrations as myths. More powerful is the explanation of Holy Chrysostom in his 16th speech on Genesis where he explains the conversation between Eve and the snake, through which it is apparently applicable to all the other similar stories in both the Old and New Testaments. "But perhaps someone may wonder and wish to know if the beast took part in the conversation. May this not be so, for always following the scripture it is necessary to consider that while the saying were of the devil...... the beast was used as a specific tool.......".
According to this explanation by Saint Chrysostom it is not this animal but God Himself who gives us the message or the devil, as was with Eve and the snake.
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a) Saint Seraphim of Sarov: in the life of the saint it is said that he was served by a bear which had as a "Deaconate" to "serve" the saint's visitors: sometimes he would send the bear for some "need". "Instead of scaring people, Misa, it is better you go and bring me something good....". The bear would return holding in her front paws a cob of honey".
b) In the collections of elder Hadzigeorgis, it is said that the elder made the sign of the cross on the wild boar that was destroying his garden and it remained motionless. He then took it by the ear and closed it in the stable under a "rule". Three hours later he freed it telling it that if it stepped back he would receive a double "rule". So it happened.
c) Saint Arsenius the Cappadocian never mounted animals because he did not wish to burden them.
d) From the life of elder Paisius we see that wild birds would approach him and feed from him. When some enlightened one told him that he believed in some power but not in Christ the Saint replied, "you are more stupid than the lizard". To the great surprise of the man, the elder asked the lizard if Christ existed and the lizard replied by moving its head affirmatively. Another characteristic with the elder Paisius that reminds us of the prophet Elijah, is the following: "On the Sunday of the blind, being sick, exhausted and hungry he went out to the garden somewhat unhappy because he had nothing to eat. He looked at the sea and saw a large bird rising to the sky, such as a hawk or an eagle that held in its talons a large fish. As it arrived over his cell, it let go of the fish which then dropped in front of his feet. The elder prayed, cooked it and then ate it".
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In the martyrdom of Saint Mamanta it is mentioned that they threw him to the wild beasts, which however stood beside him, joyfully wagging their tails. In agiography, the saint is depicted sometimes riding a lion and other times holding defensively a little doe.
Apparently, from other cases, as well as from Saint Tryphon - protector of gardens- we see that some distinction is made between the wild animals: The saints, even though they generally love the animals, they send away or kill the damaging ones (birds, snakes, locusts) when they become the cause of hardship and suffering of man. The centre of love is God, then man and then the animals, in a relationship based on whether they benefit or harm man, who when benefiting glorifies God.
In particular we see some characteristic excerpts from the blessing of Saint Modesto: "....hearken to this supplication and remove all deadly disease and hurt from the animals (horses, donkeys, mules, sheep, goats, bees and the rest of the animals) that are useful in the lives of your servants...., pity all the suffering animals ..... their suffering and their grief miserably they announce ..... that your servants abundantly enjoy..... being fully self sufficient and having left over in every good work and glorify You, the provider of every thing good".
Also, in the similar blessing of Saint Mananta we read, " ... the envy of the devil has befallen the flocks and cattle ....and results in evil......that they may be cured from all evil and in remembrance after this period for the glory of God". Accordingly, in the prayer of silk that You may oversee on the worm...... protect from all poisons and entrapment. Grant the working one that it may not be burdened vainly but enable it to richly fulfill this blessing". In the prayer for the animals, the Church implores the blessing of the animals as were the flocks of Abraham and ends by saying: "Keep them healthy and brawny...... and guard them oh Lord with Your holy angels". Finally in a corresponding blessing on drought, " ...... look after the stricture of the birds, the boom of the beasts .... the seeds of the earth scatter for the sustenance of people and animals....".
Concerning the above prayers we can make the following observations: Firstly, the Church prays -through the saints who composed the prayers- for the good health of the animals and the increase of the fruit of the earth, so that man be self sufficient in necessary goods, but this should not be self serving but "so that there should be left over in all goods" and "glorify" "in remembrance of this time, for the glory of God". Three are therefore the reasons for the well being of the animals a) so that man may be adequately supplied and not suffer, b) to do good works and c) to glorify the name of God.
Secondly the reason that animals suffer - as was already said- it could be due to some demonic activity: "the devil's envy", "protect against all poison and entrapment" and thirdly what is truly impressive and is the punch line of the prayer is on the diseases of the cattle: "guard them oh Lord with the holy angels".
In our contemporary, western style urban society, man has drifted away from his natural environment, thus the relationship between man and animal has been disturbed. Phenomena, such as excessive animal loving - such as adoption, hospitalization, inheritance and officially burying dead animals- consist in outrageous transformation of the normal relationship between humans and animals. All this is evidently the result of loneliness of contemporary man. However, is it possible that an ethical problem has been created by this precedence of affection? Towards whom should this love be manifested? Towards man or animals? Is it possible some extreme forms of animal love ("the animal has soul") take us way back to animal worship? Dog, bird, crocodile worship etc of ancient Egypt?
When the Elder Paisius was asked on the relationship of man with the animals, his reply, despite his known love for the animals, was that the love of man must first be exhausted for man and if there is left over to be directed at the animals. However, while there is this sickly form of zoophilia (excessive love of animals) introduced from the West, we see in parallel another one, also of western origin manifestation towards the environment and the animals. In our days the continuing clashes in Serbia, despite the hypocritical disregard by the Westerners for human life, we become observers of their cynical disregard for the environment with the destruction of flora and fauna of the bombed out areas. It was ascertained that the deer and wild birds migrated en masse from the bombed out areas, why, perhaps because they felt that the intervention occurred for peaceful purposes!
After the fall, when the "according to the image" had darkened and the grace was removed, the relationship of man with all the creation became disturbed and the relationship between man and animal became hostile.
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Despite everything the care of the Father Creator did not stop, since He cared for them in the Ark (For You also cared for the animals in the Ark). In the Old Testament we have seen the saints and the just were protected unharmed by the wild animals (Daniel in the lion pit, Jonah in the belly of the whale, Prophet Elijah and the crow) In the New Testament we have cases of martyrs who were protected from wild beasts,saints healing wild animals, which not only served them but mourned for the death of saints. In parallel our Church prays for the animals - not however independently- but for the welfare of animals for the benefit of man but also for the glory of God (so that You be glorified").
Besides it was ascertained that the relationship of saints with the animals is not far fetched and fairy tales, as many believe in our time but a tangible reality that continues to our days, as is apparent from the lives of contemporary saints and elders. Even though the answer for the happy relationship, that mostly could sound strange and unreal in our ears, has been exposed in many ways within this small reality and judged expedient - as punch line - to repeat the answer of Abba Paul to the specific question: " They asked Abba Paul who was catching with his hand horned serpents, scorpions and snakes. Tell us what did you do to receive this gift? Forgive me fathers. If someone attains purity, everything submit to him, as for Adam when he was in Paradise, before he disobeyed the commandment of God".
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During a trawl through the archives of the Dominicans’ publication, New Blackfriars, this article was found in the 1929 issue (or Blackfriars, as it was then), the year the founding members of our society first met. By Walter Gumbley OP
Animals play a very prominent part in the lives of the saints and, for this reason, they have, if useful, been placed under the protection of or, if harmful, under the ban of some chosen patron saint. But in charity we must add that the only animal apparently without a heavenly friend is the snake, whose stout enemies are St Paul, bitten by a viper in Malta, and St Patrick, who chased all serpents out of Ireland. Another Irish saint, a hermit named Sauman, is invoked against poisonous reptiles, because some time in the seventh century he cured the Duke of Gascony’s daughter when bitten by an adder.
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Rats and mice, who live in a world of enemies, find saints amongst their friends, particularly Blessed [Saint, since 1964] Martin de Porres (+1635), a Dominican Tertiary, who lived in the great convent of Lima. He used to feed the rats and mice at the end of the garden, but forbade them to enter the building; and he was, we are told, obeyed. He used to say that these little creatures would do no harm if they were fed daily as human beings are. Accordingly, though he was their friend, he is invoked against their depredations. Bd Martin, if he cannot be considered as the best-known animal-lover amongst the saints, deserves to rank as their most practical friend. He made a little hospital for lost dogs and cats and all sorts of suffering animals till his patients outgrew their accommodation, whereupon he persuaded his wealthy sister to give them lodging in her house, whither he repaired daily to doctor them. Lest we should receive the impression that the saint spent all his time in such duties, we should remember that Bd Martin founded hospitals for the poor, and rejoiced to do all the hard and unpleasant work that he could find in the convent in addition to his own fixed labours. Of Bd Bernard of Corleone (+1667), a Capuchin lay brother, we read that he had an extraordinary compassion for all animals in pain and, as these were brought to him in great numbers, he used to say the Our Father, lead them three times round the cross in the churchyard, and then send them away cured. In all this he was a true disciple of his beloved father, St Francis, the ardent lover of every creature but, if we embarked on stories of his tenderness for animals, this essay would have to become a book.
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St Philip Neri is another saint well known for his affection for dumb creatures, especially dogs and cats. His cat at San Girolamo was known to all Rome, and he used to humble the noblest of his disciples by sending them to take her food.
This love of animals for which the saints were noted undoubtedly gave them their astonishing power over the most wild and savage beasts, for their very gentleness filled the nervous creatures with confidence. The lion, if not the king, certainly the most terrifying of beasts, plays an honourable part in hagiography, which is full of anecdotes concerning him. We find two lions usefully employed in helping St Anthony to dig a grave for his friend, St Paul the Hermit; another makes friends with no less a person than a Doctor of the Church, because St Jerome helped him get rid of a nasty thorn. St Ambasius, an Ethiopian saint, is said in Coptic legends, to have ridden a lion, but this amazing story is put quite in the shade by a legend in the Greek Church, which tells of a lioness who, having refused to devour St Aphrodisius, a martyr in Cilicia, stood upon her hind legs in the midst of the arena and preached to the people, converting many.
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A similar fantastic story is told of a snake who spoke to St Phocas, who is numbered with St Paul and St Patrick as defender against venomous serpents.* The wolf and the weasel
The most thrilling story of a saint and a wild animal is undoubtedly the delightful tale of St Francis and the wild wolf of Gubbio, so well known to all the readers of the Little Flowers, but another charming anecdote is told in the corresponding Dominican book, Lives of the Brethren, wherein it is related of Bd Jordan of Saxony that one day, passing through a wood, he called a weasel from its lair in order to admire its beauty. The fierce little beast at once trotted out and allowed the saint to caress it, and then retired with his blessing. Accordingly in Christian art Bd Jordan is commonly represented fondling this small but ferocious animal.
The saints in their lifetime formed themselves into a society for the protection of animals from cruelty. Hares flew for refuge to Saints Cuthbert, Anselm, Francis, and Philip; St Patrick saved a doe and a fawn, whilst both Saints Hubert and Eustace spared the wonderful deer with a cross between its horns. Many saints, too, earned their living in tending sheep and cattle, some of them being amongst the most venerated saints in the calendar. Thus amongst shepherds we have St Patrick and St Pius V, both of whom learned to rule the flock of Christ in an early noviciate spent in looking after sheep.
St Bobo or (in French) St Beuvon, a nobleman of Provence, who in the eighth century fought valiantly against the Saracens, has the patronage of cattle assigned to him, perhaps by way of a pun, as his name means ox. He is invoked against diseases of cattle, especially the murrain, as rife in the Middle Ages as the foot and mouth plague of our present day. St Bobo has as helpers in this extensive patronage St Hermeland, Abbot of Aindre, near Nantes, who died in 720 and is the Breton patron of cows; St Engelmar, a German hermit (d.1100), and St Winthir, an Englishman of the eighth century, who settled at Neuhaussen, where he died, and is patron of the parish church. Winthir is also patron saint of mule-drivers, having been one himself.
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The horse is protected by St George, St Lewis [Louis] IX of France, St Eusebius, and St Eloy (Eligius). Probably the first-named two owe their patronage to the fact that, in art, they are usually mounted., St George, in particular, on a particularly mettlesome beast. St Eusibius, a Roman priest, who died in 371, has a beautiful church dedicated to him in which horses used to be blessed; and St Eloy, a most celebrated French saint, who died as Bishop of Noyon in 659, was formerly a goldsmith and, according to an amazing legend, a blacksmith to whom one day a possessed horse was brought to be shod. Finding no other way possible, Eloy cut off its leg, shod the severed member, and then miraculously replaced it. We read of St Mordeyrn, a Welshman, that he was called the Sovereign of the Sea, because he rode over to Bardsey Island without his horse’s hoofs being wetted. Pigs and donkeys
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The care of pigs is assigned to St Anthony the Great, St Wendelin, a hermit of the sixth century; also patron of shepherds, St Oda (died about 720), aunt of St Hubert. Her nephew, St Hubert, is the well-known patron of deer, and also protector against dog-bite, in which protection he is associated with St Edren of Pembroke, father of St Mordeyrn, the friend of horses mentioned above. The grass in his churchyard was formerly applied to those suffering from hydrophobia. St Walburga, too, is patron against this calamity.
Dogs, however, as is only to be expected, are the common companions of saints, notably of Saints Philip and Roch [see also page 29]. The latter perhaps the most renowned patron in all sickness, is always depicted with the faithful dog that licked his wounds when he was shunned and an outcast. A sheep-dog guarded the body of the martyr, St Dulas, which had been thrown into a ditch. Donkeys do not seem to have a regularly chosen patron, but St Anthony the Great is patron against the depredations of animals, because, one day, finding some wild asses in his little garden eating his corn and vegetables, he gently took hold of one of the beautiful creatures and said: ‘Why do you eat what you have not sown, and why do you injure one who has never done you any harm? Go in the name of God and return no more.’ From that time they troubled his garden no more. That most celebrated bishop, St Germanus of Auxerre, surely deserves to rank as the patron of the donkey, seeing that he so preferred his own humble beast to the splendid horse offered him by the Empress Placida, that, though it was in a dying condition, he raised it again to perfect health. Winged creatures
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The winged creation, too, has its patrons and friends amongst the saints, notably St Francis of Assisi, who preached to his beloved birds. St Agricolus, Bishop of Avignon, in the seventh century, is the patron of storks. [...] Saints Ambrose and Bernard are patrons of bee-keepers, the former because a swarm of bees settled on his mouth when he was a babe in the cradle, and the latter because of his ‘honeyed’ words, which gained him the title of Mellifluous or Honeyed Doctor. Against the ravages of locusts St Gregory, Cardinal Bishop of Ostra (d. 1257), and St Robert, Cistercian abbot of Mataplan in Spain (d. 1185), are invoked as protectors, while Saint Tryphon, Martyr, a gooseherd, beheaded under the Emperor Decius, A.D. 251, is invoked against poisonous insects. [...]
Stories such as those we have enumerated, though they may seem to a more prosaic generation wildly incredible, do however show a belief in the love of the saints for dumb animals, faith in their power over them, and lastly the great truth that animals are made for the glory of God and the benefit of mankind.
By Unknown Source:
"About twenty minutes before the first wave of the recent Tsunami hit, the elephants became extremely agitated and unruly. Four had just returned from a trip and their handler's had not yet chained them. In a desperate panic, the four elephants helped the other five tear free from their chains. They all then climbed a hill and started bellowing. Many people followed them up the hill. Then the waves hit."
"After the waves subsided, the elephants charged down from the hill, and started picking up children with their trunks and running them back up the hill. When all the children were taken care of, they started helping the adults."
"God's elephants" rescued forty-two people that day. Then, they returned to the beach and carried up four dead bodies, including one of a child. Not until the task was done did they allow their handlers to mount them. Then, with handlers atop, they began moving wreckage.
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So remember, whatever God makes, He cherishes. Including elephants, sparrows, and you.
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Especially you!
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This is something I have never seen before, or ever even heard of. This woman lives in a Hummingbird fly zone. As they migrated, about 20 of them were in her yard. She took the little red dish, filled it with sugar water and this is the result. The woman is Abagail Alfano of Pine, Louisiana - she has been studying them daily and one morning put the cup from the feeder, with water in it, in her hand; as they had gotten used to her s tanding by the feeder they came over to her hand. She says in touching they are as light as a feather. Abagail also said, 'if she had known her husband was taking pictures she would have put on makeup.'
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Debby Cantlon, who plans to release Finnegan
, the young squirrel, back into the wild, bottle-fed the infant squirrel after it was brought to her house.
When Cantlon took in the tiny creature and began caring for him, she found herself with an unlikely nurse's aide: her pregnant Papillion, Mademoiselle Giselle.
Finnegan was resting in a nest in a cage just days before Giselle was due to deliver her puppies.
Cantlon and her husband watched as the dog dragged the squirrel's cage twice to her own bedside before she gave birth.
Cantlon was concerned, yet ultimately decided to allow the squirrel out and the inter-species
bonding began.
>
Finnegan rides a puppy mosh pit of sorts, burrowing in for warmth after feeding, eventually working his way beneath his new litter mates.
Two days after giving birth, mama dog Giselle allowed Finnegan to nurse; family photos and a
videotape show her encouraging him to suckle alongside her litter of five pups.
Now, Finnegan mostly uses a bottle, but still snuggles with his 'siblings', rolling atop their
bodies, and sinking in deeply for a nap.
Finnegan and his new litter mates, five Papillion puppies, get along together as if they were meant to.
Finnegan naps after feeding.
Finnegan makes himself at home with his new litter mates, nuzzling nose-to-nose for a nap after feeding.
Keep loving everyone,
even the squirrelly ones!
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This dog was born on Christmas Eve in the year 2002. He was born with 3 legs - 2 healthy hind legs and 1 abnormal front leg which need to be amputated. He of course could not walk when he was born. Even his mother did not want him.
His first owner also did not think that he can survive. Therefore, he was thinking of 'putting him to sleep'.
By this time, his present owner, Jude Stringfellow, met him and wanted to take care of him.
She is determined to teach and train this dog to walk by himself. Therefore she named him 'Faith'
In the beginning, she put Faith on a surfing board to let him feel the movements. Later she used peanut butter on a spoon as a lure and reward for him to stand up and jump around. Even the other dog at home also helped to encourage him to walk. Amazingly, only after 6 months, like a miracle, Faith learned to balance on his 2 hind legs and jumped to move forward. After further training in the snow, he now can walk like a human being.
Faith loves to walk around now. No matter wh ere he goes, he just attracts all the people around him.
He is now becoming famous on the international scene. He has appeared on various newspapers and TV shows.
There is even one book entitled 'With a little faith' being published about him. He was even considered to appear in one of Harry Potter movies.
His present owner Jude Stringfellew has given up her teaching post and plans to take him around the world to preach that even without a perfect body, one can have a perfect soul'.
His present owner Jude Stringfellew has given up her teaching post and plans to take him around the world to preach that even without a perfect body, one can have a perfect soul'.
In life there are always undesirable things. Perhaps one will feel better if one changes the point of view from another direction.
I hope this message will bring fresh new ways of thinking to everyone and that everyone can appreciate and be thankful for each beautiful day that follows. Faith is the continual demonstration of the Strength of Life
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Mahatma Gandhi said, "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." Animals feel pain and fear like we do, but they are often helpless victims because they can't say what happened to them. In fact, some people choose to abuse animals instead of people for this very reason! If we wish to create a humane society, we must stop cruelty against those who are most vulnerable-like animals.
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Cruelty toward animals does more than cause other living, feeling beings to experience pain and fear. Like the death of a canary in a coal mine, violence toward animals can be an indicator that people are also in danger. Someone who commits animal abuse may have serious psychological problems. Studies have found that many people convicted of violent crimes had a history of animal cruelty. Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, Andrew Cunanan, David "Son of Sam" Berkowitz, and Albert "Boston Strangler" DeSalvo were cruel to animals before they started hurting people. Adults are not the only ones whose cruelty to animals can be a sign of deeper troubles. Many murderous children and teenagers-such as Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold of Columbine High School-also have histories of animal cruelty.
Animals in homes with family violence are also often victims of violence. One study found that animals were abused in 88 percent of the homes in which a child was abused. Another study found that 83 percent of families reported for animal abuse also had children at high risk of abuse or neglect. Although most of the abuse toward the animals came from the parents, about a quarter of abused children abuse animals.
What Can You Do About It? "Animal cruelty is a national problem," says ASPCA Supervisory Special Investigator Annemarie Lucas. "Violence towards animals crosses all racial and socioeconomic lines and reaches from coast to coast." No matter where you live, there is a lot you can do to stop animal cruelty.
One of the most powerful tools we have for preventing cruelty to animals is education. It is important to plant the seeds of kindness in children early, and to nurture their development as the child grows. Children not only need to learn what they shouldn't do, but also what they can and should do. When children see that their pets are happy and loving, it will make the child feel good, too. This in turn will help the children care for their pets' feelings.
However, since people don't always realize that they are being cruel, adults need education, too. If you are not a teacher, please urge your local schools to integrate humane education into their curricula. If you are a teacher, bring humane education into your classroom. To help you, your local shelter may have outreach programs, education materials, camps, etc. You can also find plenty of humane ideas and activities on our children's website, ASPCA Animaland, and our site for educators, librarians and parents, ASPCA Education.
Every child is unique, and adults should use caution and careful thought when discussing cruelty with children. In general, children under four simply should not be exposed to cruelty. Two-year-olds can begin to learn that their actions make others-including animals-happy and sad. With two- and three-year-olds, discuss their own experiences and how they would feel if they were treated the way they treat their pets or other animals in their immediate lives. Help them relate not only the ways they would feel hurt, but also the ways they would feel happy.
With all children under six or so, you may wish to help guide their hands so they can learn how to pet and hold their animal companions. Children do not have fine control over their movements and impulses—they will want to treat their pets with love, but will need a little help from you to do it correctly.
Children who are between about four and six often begin to understand basic moral concepts, such as fairness. These children can learn to be kind to animals because the animals "deserve" it. Children may discuss injuries they have had themselves, but do not introduce discussions about other types of injuries. Try to limit discussions of animal cruelty to the simple fact that animals can be hurt; do not describe how they can be hurt (e.g., starvation, physical abuse, etc.).
With most children who are six to ten years old, you can begin to discuss why someone might be mean to an animal-as long as you make sure the child always keeps in mind that it is wrong to hurt animals. In addition, do not let discussions of animal cruelty satisfy the morbid curiosity some children of this age may have. Children of this age often form some of their earliest memories and impressions about the state of the world beyond their families. It is very important that adults filter what these children perceive! Even if children witness violence as a "bad example" or as a way NOT to act, they are still witnessing violence, and can be strongly affected by it.
Many children between 10 and 14 are exploring their self-image and reflecting upon their relationships with others. Studies indicate that children of this age are still strongly affected by violence, so discussions about animal cruelty should still be kept free of details about the violence. Nonetheless, the issue can be raised directly—if delicately—with most of these children. Adults should make it clear that they do not condone violence in their own thoughts and behavior. Children of this age are finely attuned to the words and actions of adults, and still rely on them as role models.
Parents, teachers, and trusted adults can also discuss with 10- to 14-year-olds how they would act if their peers or friends treated animals cruelly. By couching the advice in terms of what you would do if you were in a given situation, you can help children overcome peer pressure and follow what they know is right. These children may encounter others abusing animals—knowing that they are in the right and will be supported for standing up to it is very important at this age of strong peer pressure.
Again, with all children-even older teens-keep in mind the importance of modeling appropriate behaviors. Our children do emulate us, even if they wouldn't admit it. If we treat animals cruelly or as unfeeling machines, our children will probably think that this is right or, at least, normal. The more a child identifies with an adult, the greater an impact that person will have on the child-in both good ways and bad ways.
Children who know of animal cruelty should tell an adult about it. Make sure children know who they can trust—such as parents, teachers, police officers, etc.—and nurture their trust so they can tell you.
There is a bridge connecting Heaven and Earth. It is called The Rainbow Bridge because of its many colors. Just this side of the Rainbow Bridge there is a land of Meadows, hills and valleys with lush green grass. There is always food and water and warm spring weather. The old and frail are made young again. There is only one thing missing. They are not with their sprcial person who loved them on Earth. when one suddenly stops playing and looks up! The nose twitches! The eyes are staring! And this one suddenly runs from the group. and when you and your special friend meet. and you look once more into the eyes of your trusting pet. never again to be separated. + + + Author Unknown |
For an in-depth explanation of animal cruelty written especially for older kids, please visit the Real Issues section at ASPCA Animaland, the website for kids who love animals.
DeViney, E., Dickert, J., & Lockwood, R. (1983). The care of pets within child abusing families. International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems, 3, 321-329.
Ascione, F. R., Weber, C. V., & Wood, D. S. (1997). Animal welfare and domestic violence: Final report. Logan, Utah: Utah State University.
Further Reading:
Ascione, F. R., & Arkow, P. (Eds.). (1999). Child abuse, domestic violence, and animal abuse: Linking the circles of compassion for prevention and intervention. West Lafayette, Indiana: Purdue University Press.
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