As the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi approaches, it’s become traditional to devote this column in the week leading up to Oct. 4 to the great mystic.

Last year, in keeping with the fact that it was the 800th anniversary of the founding of the Franciscan order, At Issue focused on Francis’ role in the renewal of the Church. More usually, though, the entry relates to his role as patron of the environment, protector of creatures great and small, and includes an appeal for contributions to animal shelters.

Whenever possible, it begins with the story of a rescue. A favorite entry, for instance, focused on the rescue of a wily and very loud-mouthed rooster who had been dumped, like many other hapless domestic critters, in the park on Lake Carasaljo in Lakewood where I live.

The rooster was watched over by a number of lakeside home owners who feared his early demise by way of predators – animal or human – and sought help from the folks at Popcorn Park Zoo in Lacey Township who came one night, plucked him out of his adopted roost and brought him to live in their sanctuary.

This year, the “Franciscan” entry begins with the rescues of two critters by Monitor staff members. I took in “Boo,” a tiny, frightened white rabbit who turned up on the Tuesday of Easter Week on the campus the Pastoral Center shares with Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville.

Just this past week, photo and online editor of The Monitor, Scott Alessi and his wife, Kathleen, rescued a tiny kitten they found living in a hole behind their house. Named “Marble” for her speckled grey and brown coat, she’s gotten her kitten shots and settled in nicely.

These are two animal tales with happy endings. Suffice it to say, far from all of them are.

As a cute, young kitten, Marble might have been adopted if she made it to a shelter but it’s great she found a home before entering the adoption circuit endured by so many animals.

Its unlikely Boo, obviously stunted and sporting a cauliflower nose that rivals any prize fighter’s, would have been so lucky.

Terribly battered and scarred by the time he sought refuge (and food) in the have-a-heart trap provided by Notre Dame High School staff, he was in such bad condition that people in the waiting room on his first trip to the vet became upset just looking at him.

Well, over time, his fur grew back but he’ll never be a beauty. If he made it to a shelter, most likely he’d have to live out his life there.

Figures this year from the Associated Humane Societies show that upwards of five million cats, dogs and other species such as rabbits, birds and reptiles, will wind up in shelters where, thanks to these hard economic times, the resources are more strained than ever.

Rationally speaking, our family knows that the two feline and 2 rabbit rescues – who live with us – cannot be added to. We’re frankly out of space, time and funds in that department. As the saying goes in our house now, “This Ark is full.”

But, like the Alessis, who contributed extra blankets to their local animal shelter even before they adopted Marble, we routinely bring soft old blankets and towels to a shelter in Ocean County along with sale pet food.

Since adopting Holly, our first rescue rabbit, and now, Boo, we always make sure to include rabbit pellets, hay and cardboard boxes and paper towel tubes which bunnies love to chew.

Many of the folks we know also bring gently used household items and clothing to shelter thrift shops where funds from their sales can go into the budget.

With so many parishes hosting pet blessings in honor of St. Francis Day, it’s great to see that some are once again this year, taking up similar collections for area shelters to mark St. Francis Day.

For a list of them, click here or call your own parish to see if there’s a collection going on.