Anthony F. Chiffolo

We Thank You, God, for These: Blessings and Prayers for Family Pets is a reflection on the joys of living with pets. Both devotional and inspirational, this book draws upon scripture and literature to provide a whole range of observances, from blessing newborn pets to commemorating our companions when they pass on.

Paperback, 224pp, illustrations, Paulist Press, 0-8091-4125-6, $16.95

"The authors powerfully showcase a deep, authentic love of pets. Their expression of the bond that exists between humans and their animal companions is a rich blessing to us all."
--Dr. Marty Becker, best-selling coauthor of Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul

"If you've ever had a pet, known a pet, or even BEEN a pet, you will treasure this feel-good collection of theology and humor. I laughed, I cried, I learned. Let's give these authors a big paw!"
--Bil Keane, creator of The Family Circus

"Using scripture, poetry, and narration from sources of diverse faith traditions, the authors have given us a resource that will appeal to people of varied faiths and beliefs."
--Betty J. Carmack, R.N., Ed.D., author of Grieving the Death of a Pet

"For enyone who has ever loved and lost a pet, this book is a 'must read.'"
--Edward C. Martin, Jr., Director, Hartsdale Canine Cemetery, Inc., "America's First Pet Cemetery"

"As a society, we value the company of animals, yet struggle to find an appropriate way to deal with the loss of an animal companion. ... The passages in this book will offer strength and consolation for anyone dealing with grief over the loss of a faithful companion."
--Douglas G. Aspros, D.V.M., Board of Directors, National Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners

"I too have lost pets that meant a great deal to me and my family. The moments spent grieving the loss of those pets always seemed unfulfilled. Now after reading these prayers, poems, and services, I am sure that those hard times, which will undoubtedly come, will take on a new meaning and fulfillment. Thank you for your inspired words!"
--Marc Muench, nature photographer

"...dealing with the death of a pet can be both the most traumatic and most growth-producing experiences in life. This compilation of prayers, poems, stories, and writings about beloved animals is destined to be a comfort to many."
--Lucy C. Daniels, Ph.D., writer and psychologist

"This exquisitely beautiful book is absolutely sui generis. It brings us closer into harmony with all God's creatures. Francis of Assisi would have loved this sweet book. He may even have inspired it."
--William O'Shaughnessy, Editorial Director, Whitney Radio, Westchester, NY

Have you seen the movie Marley and Me yet? If you have, or if you've read the book, you realize that at the end of the film there's a very touching graveside ceremony where the Grogans bid farewell to their longtime companion. It's a wonderful scene, with the three children each reading something they wrote and putting something into the grave with their beloved pet.

In our book We Thank You, God, for These, Rusty and I have presented several options for memorializing a family pet that has passed away. We have laid out ceremonies step by step, and we have also provided a compendium of readings suitable for many different types of companion animals. These ceremonies are written for both adults and children, for informal or formal settings. Many many readers have found them to be a great comfort in their time of loss.

As we have found, and as the Grogans realized, the passing of a pet is not an event to be ignored or trivialized. A memorial ceremony is a sacred event, whether for dogs or cats or even lizards and snakes, because the love we have for our pets is itself sacred.

Anthony F. Chiffolo and (The Rev. Dr.) Rayner W. Hesse, Jr., wrote this book in order to answer the needs of people who are grieving over the loss of their beloved pets. “I’ve performed hundreds of services at the Hartsdale Canine Cemetery,” says Father Hesse, “and after the ceremony, people usually ask me for a copy of the prayers and readings. I’ve accumulated quite a collection over the years. It was really time to gather everything together into a book.”

To do that, Father Hesse turned to his partner, who is a professional editor and has published a dozen books of his own. “Anthony knows how to put a book together, and he knows which publishers to approach and how to talk with them. And this was truly a joint effort, as we both wrote the text, including the blessings and prayers, and did the research to find the most appropriate readings.” They also enlisted the talents of Andrew Lattimore, one of the country’s foremost portrait painters, to illustrate the book with original charcoal drawings of their favorite pets.

We Thank You, God, for These is simultaneously a scriptural guide, a liturgical resource, and a reflection on the joys of living with animals as pets. Both devotional and inspirational, the book provides words of gladness to welcome a new pet to the family, words of blessing to celebrate our shared lives with our pets, words of prayer to help us care for our sick pets, and words of solace and condolence to ease our grief when pets die.

“In the Bible’s story of creation,” Hesse and Chiffolo write, “all creatures have a place and all are good and deserving of love. When God charged humankind with ‘dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth’ (Genesis 1:26b), God surely called us to treat our pets with the same love and compassion God models for us. One way of responding is to bless our pets and to pray for their well-being.”

With prayer and blessing services for all pet types, from dogs and cats and horses to fish and lizards and mice, We Thank You, God, for These will help us understand the spiritual basis for our relationships with all animals and the blessings God bestows upon us through our pets.