We’re opening our doors to ‘all creatures great and small’, furry, feathered, and scaled visitors this October for a special Pet Service on Sunday 8 October at 2.00 pm.

The service will offer the chance to reflect, and attendees are encouraged to bring their well-behaved animals along to the Cathedral for a blessing. Attendees can bring a photograph if they feel they cannot bring their pet.

There will also be time to remember the pets we’ve had loved and lost and to thank God for them, because our pets are our family, and our grief is felt very strongly when our pets die. It is a wonderful opportunity to thank God for the gift of animals and for us to ask God’s blessing on all that he has made.

The Reverend Anita Rooney, Cathedral Curate, says, “This is a fun service with a heartfelt message. Pets can be incredibly important in our lives; they can offer comfort, companionship, and purpose. This was particularly evident in lockdown when our pets became particularly important to us. We’d really love to see people bring their pets in and we’ll embrace the chaos that may ensue!”