I'd be interested to hear some views on praying for animals. Maybe some of
you noticed the near-miss ecological disaster last month at Donana national
park in Spain. Toxic chemicals escaped from a tank and poured into the
river which feeds one of the largest wetland habitats in Europe. It's home
to all kinds of rare and beautiful creatures as well as being a
stopping-off place for birds migrating to northern Europe. Because it's so
flat and widespread, the area couldn't have been flushed out and would
have been almost impossible to clean up. On the Sunday morning, before they
managed to construct an emergency earth wall round the perimeter, I wrote a
prayer for the birds and animals of Donana, for inclusion with the bidding
prayers. Having written it, I realised I'd never heard a prayer for animals
before at Sunday mass and wondered if there was some theological objection.
I know there used to be a tradition of blessing farm animals - maybe
because they provide milk, wool, eggs etc. for humans. But praying for the
safety and protection of wild creatures - why do we not do that more often?
Mary
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