A small gathering of families arrived on a mild Saturday morning at Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Newkirk, animals in tow.
It was Oct. 5, the date for the annual Blessing of the Pets, particularly fitting for this parish, named for the patron saint of animals. Father Carson Krittenbrink and Deacon Bill Horinek performed the blessings on a variety of animals.
“We had at least a dozen people there and a multitude of pets – dogs and cats, and we had a goat and rabbits,” Deacon Horinek said. “It was a nice day, and Father Carson said a nice prayer and blessing over all the animals.”
Previous years included much larger animals, such as cattle, livestock show projects of 4-H and FFA parishioners. Many parishioners have some level of connection to animals, especially livestock.
“With Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church being somewhat of a rural pariah, I feel it is fitting our patron saint is Saint Francis of Assisi because of the rural setting and the animals that are connected with agriculture,” Horinek said.
The patron saint’s feast day continued into Sunday, where a potluck feast was shared, and an agricultural spirit continued outside the gym, with pumpkins, straw bales and corn for the kids to enjoy.
The celebration was so much bigger, however, as it was also a recognition of the parish’s anniversary, and a reason to celebrate everything that made the church important as they have served the faithful for 130 years.
Saint Francis of Assisi had celebrated Mass in several places across the community from its beginning, starting in parishioners’ homes before the first church was moved to Eighth and Magnolia. A second church stood in the 400 Block of South Main Street. The current church is located at Ninth and Academy.
The feast day celebration is an annual event, yet more planning went into this anniversary, spearheaded by the outreach committee, a group of volunteers committed to making it happen. The group included Kelsey Vap, Michelle Vap, Kayla Bernsten, Kally Smith and Anna Hendrickson.
“We started about a month (prior), contacting people to get everything going,” Kelsey Vap said. “We want everyone to come to make it friendly for all ages, and we want to bring everyone together to celebrate our patron saint and have community togetherness.”
Mass ended at 11 a.m., but before the celebration began, a different celebration was recognized, that of the lives of the unborn.
“Father Carson did a blessing to the stone of the unborn outside of church,” Deacon Horinek said. “The stone is a memorial to the unborn. I think it was very nice to have the blessing coincide with the feast days and celebration of the church.”
The school gym featured a festive atmosphere, as a long buffet of dishes was highlighted by the late morning sun, including meats like fried chicken, salads and a variety of desserts. Older generations were encouraged to eat first, but it wasn’t long before the entire congregation began filling plates with the food.
While many were regular church parishioners, some came from elsewhere to celebrate the special weekend, including those from founding families, including the Horinek, Schieber, Vap, Voegele and Leven families.
“It’s pretty amazing because we’re just a small little blip in the passing of time, and all the people who have received baptism and marriage are all the things that have been part of people’s lives,” Vap said.
Everett Brazil, III is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.
Photo: Youth members at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Newkirk painted pumpkins on Oct. 5 during the St. Francis Feast Day and 130th anniversary celebration. Photo Everett Brazil, III/Sooner Catholic.