Vietnamese Franciscans Mark St. Francis Feast with Blessing of Animals in Ho Chi Minh City

Dogs, cats, turtles, fish and birds gathered with their owners at a Franciscan friary in Ho Chi Minh City on October 4 as the local Church celebrated the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi with a Blessing of the Animals, highlighting Franciscan spirituality and care for creation.

The annual celebration was held at the Franciscan Friary in Thu Duc, on the eastern side of Vietnam’s largest city. It was only the second time the blessing had been organized in Vietnam, where the Catholic tradition remains relatively new compared with Europe and North America.

Heavy afternoon rain, common toward the end of southern Vietnam’s rainy season, did not prevent people from attending. From about 3:30 p.m., families with children, elderly people and pet owners gradually filled the friary grounds. Some participants were followers of other religions, reflecting the interfaith character of a city where different religious communities live alongside one another.

For safety, the animals were kept in cages or on leashes throughout the celebration.

This year’s gathering carried particular significance for the Franciscan family as the Order of Friars Minor marks 800 years since the death, or Transitus, of St. Francis in 1226. The anniversary concludes a series of Franciscan celebrations commemorating key events in the saint’s life and spirituality.

Pope Leo XIV has also proclaimed a Jubilee Year of St. Francis, running from Jan. 10, 2026, to Jan. 10, 2027.

Known as the “Poor Man of Assisi,” St. Francis is remembered for his profound love for creation. His spirituality inspired the Church’s tradition of blessing animals on his feast day and continues to influence Christian reflection on care for the environment. His Canticle of the Creatures, which praises God through creation, also provided the inspiration for Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’.

The celebration in Thu Duc was led by Fr. Joseph Vũ Liên Minh, OFM, head of the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation commission of the Order of Friars Minor’s Province of St. Francis in Vietnam.

At 4 p.m., participants first heard a reflection on St. Francis and his love for all creatures before beginning the rite of blessing with a hymn to the Holy Spirit.

Fr. Joseph recalled several animals mentioned in Scripture, including those preserved in Noah’s ark, the Passover lamb, the great fish associated with the prophet Jonah and the ravens that brought food to the prophet Elijah. He emphasized that animals, like the whole of creation, are included in God’s plan of salvation.

The assembly then heard the creation account from Genesis 1:1, 20-28 and sang Psalm 8. Prayers of the faithful expressed gratitude for animals that assist people in their work, provide companionship and, even in their smallest forms, point people toward the Creator’s love.

Following a prayer invoking the intercession of St. Francis, Fr. Joseph sprinkled holy water over the participants and their animals as the Taizé chant Laudate Dominum was sung.

The celebration also marked the conclusion of the 2026 Season of Creation, observed annually from Sept. 1 to October 4, the Feast of St. Francis.

Fr. Joseph reminded participants that the blessing was more than a gathering for pet owners. It was a call to recognize humanity’s responsibility to care for God’s creation.

Participants were encouraged to carry the spirit of Laudato Si’ beyond the Season of Creation through concrete actions such as reducing waste, conserving resources and caring for living creatures.

For the Vietnamese Catholic community, the gathering offered a simple expression of Franciscan spirituality: gratitude for creation, respect for every living creature and a renewed commitment to care for the common home.