A DOG’S LIFE IN THE DIOCESE

These pastoral pups are all about spreading love and joy to the faithful.

Mother Mary Louise Kane, PBVM, Superior of the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is also mother to little Maggie Joy, a 5-year-old King Charles Spaniel, who is loved by all of the convent's sisters. (Emily Benson photo)

The first time I met Milo was on a visit to St. Michael the Archangel in South Glens Falls. It was a rainy weekday, and I just made the mad dash from my car to the rectory building where the parish office was. I knocked, and opened the door to the parish greeter.

There was Milo: tail wagging, tongue tangling, and mouth panting like crazy. It was the kind of excitement only a dog could have for the umpteenth visitor of the day. Still, a new friend had arrived, so he didn’t care.

 Father Tony Childs, pastor, and parent to Milo, has always had dogs in his life. Subsequently, dogs have always been in the life of his parish.

Father Childs brings Ned to a blessing of the animals event at St. Michael the Archangel. “They’re wonderful companions,” he said. “They bring unfiltered love and happiness, and joy and companionship. All they want is to be petted and fed and cuddled.”

Pets are beloved members of any home, but especially the home of men and women religious. In the Albany Diocese, a handful of priests and women religious have four-legged friends waiting for them in the convent or rectory. Each a different shape, size and breed, all of them have found their way into the heart of their parish community.

'MASS-COTS’

Father Geoffrey Burke, pastor of Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Latham, has been a dog owner to Aberdeen (aka Abbey) — a Cairn Terrier — since she was a puppy.

“She is very much part of the parish community,” Father Burke told The Evangelist. “We have people who come visit her and take her on walks in the parking lot. We have a big open parking lot, so people will do their exercise runs and people will come in and say, ‘Can we take Abbey for a walk?’ and she goes out and gets her exercise as well.”

Father Tony gets in some playtime with Ned (left) and Milo. The routine is similar at St. Michael’s. Milo, a 4-year-old, half-Jack Russell Terrier and half-Chihuahua, is often visited by parishioners in the parish office.

“I call them the ‘Mass-cots,’ ” said Father Childs of Milo and the now-deceased Ned, a 9-year-old Jack Russell Terrier, “and I use them a lot in the homilies for a personal touch. When people come into the office to get Mass cards or whatever, (Ned and Milo were) right there at the front door to greet them and be playful.”

Mother Mary Louise Kane, PBVM, Superior of the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is also mother to little Maggie Joy, a 5-year-old King Charles Spaniel, who is as kind as she is cute.

“She’s been such a blessing to the community, and she’s been wonderful to the sisters,” said Mother Louise. “Maggie Joy is her full name. We tagged the ‘Joy’ name on because that’s what she brings to people.”

Maggie in Chapel with Mother Mary Louise.

 Maggie lives with the Sisters of the Presentation in their convent on the campus of St. Colman’s Home in Watervliet. Every morning before prayer, Maggie waits for all the sisters to get inside before joining Mother Louise under her chair in the chapel. She has her own spot in the sister’s dining area where she joins them for meals, and her favorite visitors include the milkman and nurse aide for two of the older sisters, who is known to sneak her some yummy biscuits.

“The milkman never talked to us before, but now he has to come in and they have to visit each other,” Mother Louise laughed. “She’s just opened his heart.”

Father Donald Rutherford, pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary in Watervliet and Vicar for Clergy for the Albany Diocese, is no stranger to pups. The pastor has been growing his own fleet of dogs at his home in Poestenkill, and is now up to six: Shelby (a Lhasa Apso), Winston and Copper (West Highland Terriers) and Wendell, Duncan and Lolli (Scottish Terriers). 

Father Rutherford gives Duncan a treat.

 
Lolli, who is the youngest of the bunch at just 8 months, got her name from the pastor’s friend, who suggested it because he’s such a sucker for dogs. Even he couldn’t deny it. 

Father Brian Kelly, pastor of St. Ambrose Church in Latham, grew up around dogs. His family always had golden retrievers (Killian, Casey and Molly) so big dogs were no mystery to him when he decided to adopt Hailey Grace, a then 8-week-old German Shepard from a breeder in Fort Plains. The parish has become home to Hailey, now almost 5.

“Hailey has been a blessing to me as a priest and in connecting with the parish,” Father Kelly said in an email. “She has become a central member of the community in the church and school, as each person looks for her after each Mass or during a community event. If Hailey isn’t around the first question by most is, ‘Where’s Hailey?’ ”

A sign of true companionship, dogs are there for the good and the bad. A hard time fell on Father Childs back in January when Ned died. Parishioners felt the loss aHailey greets parishioners at St. Ambrose Church in Latham.s well.

“They know how much of a toll it took; he was like a family member,” the pastor said. In the pet’s honor, one parishioner and another priest each made a donation to a local animal shelter in Ned’s name. “It was unexpected, but very much appreciated,” he said.

Father Burke sees ways his dog brings comfort to those in need, especially older parishioners. “She is almost like a therapy dog,” he said. “She is very loving, she’s very affectionate, but she will also sit next to people’s feet. She has a great sense that people need comfort.”

Abbey helps out Father Burke at the office.

 One time, when visiting a parishioner who was bedridden, Father Burke watched Abbey jump right into bed and take a nap on the parishioner’s lap.

“It really settled him down,” he said. “It was quite amazing. But I think lots of dogs do that for people, they’re very comforting.”

For priests too, having a pet can be a great emotional aid. Especially in rural areas, Father Childs said pets can “bring a special something” to the priesthood. 

“I don’t have children or anything, and I have a big family but I don’t see them that often up here, but Milo being part of the experience really makes it all the more worthwhile,” he said.   

There is something special about a pet that “makes us forget ourselves, and it makes us think of others,” added Mother Louise. “Every pet and every animal, even if it’s a turtle, there’s something that brings out positive vibrations in people. It brings out a smile and you hear enduring words. It’s just amazing."