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Happy Feast of St. Francis

Praised be You my Lord with all Your creatures -Francis of Assisi 

(dogs encountered across Austria, swan in Hallstatt, Austria)

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Feast of St. Francis

St. Francis at the Corner PubApproaching the door, you can alreadyhear his generous laughter.He stands on the bar upside down for a momentto get a new perspective on things,a flash of polka-dotted boxersas his brown robe cascades over his head,sandaled toes wiggling in the air

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Monk in the World Guest Post: Natalie Gould

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Natalie Gould’s reflection A Wooden Cross from Assisi. In October 2000, I traveled to Assisi, Italy. During a two-and-a-half-mile walk through the

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9 Responses

  1. Thanks Suz! And Sue how wonderfully that you were intuitively connected to this feast. Although I have to admit that kind of thing happens to me quite a lot. ;-) I do love philosophy (majored in it in college) so I will have to check the title out!

  2. Last night I was reading a book called The Philosopher’s Dog by Raimond Gaita (a great read so far, especially if you love philosophy and animals mixed together :)

    The writer was recounting the last time he saw his pet cockatoo, and of course I burst into gales of tears. But then I couldn’t stop. By the end I was crying at God for all the animals who are suffering in the world (if I was an actor, this is what I would think of if I wanted to cry on cue).

    I feel a bit pathetic about that really. But now I realise yesterday was the Feast of St Francis here in Oz. I don’t feel quite so ridiculously moronic now :)

  3. Love those doggies! Good pictures of them, Christine! You really captured their uniqueness.

  5. Christine, I love these dogs, and all your beautiful animal photos (I’m remembering the sheep and donkey! the eagle, and loving pics of Tune).

  8. yes, I was missing Tune a LOT so I would soothe myself with other people’s dogs. :-) My macro lens helped me to be somewhat stealth about it! Animals are indeed holy vessels, certainly my Abbess brings me closer to God than most anything else.

  9. oh, i love it–another dog stalker :-) i have been seeing all over town signs for the blessing of the animals. haven’t decided yet if i may sneak into a service to be a part of the festivities.

    i always come back to dog is God spelled backwards…no coincidence in my mind!!! xoxoxoxo