Today (October 4th) is the feast day of Saint Francis He is one of those rare saints who has managed to capture the attention and admiration of the entire world. His life has inspired people of all ages and the appeal of this saint, cuts across national boundaries and religious differences. He initially lived a life of wealth and luxury. He had everything money could buy but Francis wasn’t happy. And in his early twenties he started giving all his wealth away and Francis did a huge turn in his life.

He is most famous for his respect towards God, his simple life and his tender love and attention to all creation. Francis had little time for excess, waste and greed. He always stood up for the poor and downtrodden. Pope Francis had no hesitation in taking the name of Francis when he was made Pope. He said he was inspired by his life of simplicity.

His love of animals has been well documented. He was the inspiration for the first crib at Christmas and we all know what a beautiful tradition that has become. We all know the difference a pet can make in peoples lives. So if you have a pet, make sure you give them a treat today in honour of St Francis! Later today between 6-7pm in Carrigaline Church, Co.Cork we are going to be blessing pets to mark this special day.