St. Joseph Church’s annual pet blessing to mark the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi drew dozens of families and their best friends to the Waipahu parish Oct. 4. La Salette Father Geronimo “Eric” Castro, the pastor of St. Joseph, led a procession of pets around the church and then sprinkled the animals with holy water during the brief prayer service. Most of the pets present were dogs, but a handful of cats and a bird also received blessings. (Photos by Celia K. Downes / Hawaii Catholic Herald)