In remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi, whose feast day is Oct. 4, parishes around the diocese will hold special prayer services and other events, including the ever-popular pet blessing. This tradition, which finds pet owners bringing their animal companions to church grounds for a blessing and often a treat, recalls the love St. Francis expressed for all the creatures of creation.

The following parishes have announced special events to commemorate the Feast of St. Francis:

Pet Blessings

St. Agnes, Atlantic Highlands, Oct. 5, noon, 103 Center Avenue

St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Avon-by-the-Sea, Oct. 5, 10 a.m., 424 Lincoln Avenue, meet at the back of the church, all pets are welcome

St. Mary, Barnegat, Oct. 6, 12:45 p.m., at St. Mary of the Pines, Corner of McKinley Avenue and Bishop Lane, dogs should be on a leash

Sacred Heart, Bay Head, Oct. 5, noon, 751 Main Avenue

St. Barnabas, Bayville, Oct. 5, 5 p.m., 33 Woodland Road, after the 4 p.m. Mass

St. Rose, Belmar, Oct. 5, 10 a.m., 603 Seventh Avenue, in the church parking lot

St. Mary, Bordentown, Oct. 4, 6:30 p.m., 45 Crosswicks Street, front porch of the parish center

Ascension, Bradley Beach, Oct. 6, 1:15 p.m., 501 Brinley Avenue

St. Francis of Assisi, Brant Beach, Oct. 5, 10 a.m., 4700 Long Beach Boulevard, rain or shine

Visitation, Brick, Oct. 5, Noon, 730 Lynnwood Avenue, pets on leashes

St. Dominic, Brick, Oct. 6, 1 p.m., 250 Old Squan Road, immediately following the noon Mass

St. Katharine Drexel, Burlington, Sept. 29, 1:30 p.m., 502 High Street, in the parking lot of All Saints Church

St. Mary, Colts Neck, Oct. 4, 4:30 p.m., 1 Phalanx Road

Resurrection, Delran, Oct. 6, 2 p.m., 502 New Jersey Avenue, St. Casmir, Friary lawn, weather permitting St. Dorothea, Eatontown, Oct. 4, 5 p.m., 240 Broad Street
Our Lady of Sorrows/St. Anthony, Hamilton, Oct., 4, 6 p.m., 3816 East State Street Extension, in the Peace Garden outside, to the left of the church hall doors (rain date/time Oct. 5, 1 p.m.)

Nativity, Fair Haven, Oct. 5, 9 a.m., 180 Ridge Road

St. Catherine of Siena, Farmingdale, Oct. 4, 6 p.m., 31 Asbury Road, in the church parking lot, weather permitting

St. Pius X, Forked River, Oct. 6, 1:15 p.m., 300 Lacey Road, by the flag pole

St. Robert Bellarmine, Freehold, Oct. 5, noon, 61 Georgia Road, between the church and parish center at the St. Francis Garden, All are welcome

Our Lady Queen of Peace, Hainesport, Oct. 6, 1:30 p.m., 1603 Marne Highway, St. Francis Guild will collect monetary donations in support of the local no-kill animal shelter. Donations can be dropped off the day of the event in church or at the parish office through Oct. 27.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Highlands, Oct. 5, noon, 141 Navesink Avenue

St. Anthony of Padua, Hightstown, Oct. 6, 3 p.m., 251 Franklin Street

St. Catharine, Holmdel, Oct. 6, 2 p.m., 108 Middletown Road

St. Benedict, Holmdel, Oct 5, 10 a.m., 165 Bethany Road

St. Alphonsus, Hopewell, Oct. 4, 6 p.m. 54 East Prospect Street, families are invited to bring their pets to the Grotto in front of the church

St. Veronica, Howell, Oct. 4, 12:45 p.m., 4215 Highway 9 North, in front of the church

St. Aloysius, Jackson, Oct. 6, 2 p.m., 935 Bennetts Mills Road

St. Monica, Jackson, Oct. 5, 5:30 p.m., 679 West Veterans Highway

St. Ann, Keansburg, Oct. 6, 4 p.m., 311 Carr Avenue

St. John, Lakehurst, Oct. 6, 12:30 p.m., 619 Chestnut Street, behind the parish center in the Holy Family Prayer Garden

St. Ann, Lawrenceville, Oct. 4, 1:45 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., 1253 Lawrenceville Road, in the school yard

St. Leo the Great, Lincroft, Oct. 4, 1 p.m., 50 Hurley’s Lane, parish grounds, all pets welcome, keep the safety of the children in consideration, if unable to bring your pet bring a photo

Christ the King, Long Branch, Oct. 5, 5 p.m.

St. Michael, Long Branch, Oct. 5, 800 Ocean Avenue, after the 5 p.m. Mass

St. Denis, Manasquan, Oct. 6, 3 p.m., 90 Union Avenue

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Maple Shade, Oct. 6, 1:15 p.m., 236 East Main Street,

St. Mary of the Lakes, Medford, Oct. 6, 3 p.m., 40 Jackson Road, all animals must be on a leash or caged

Our Lady of Good Counsel, Moorestown, Oct. 5, 10 a.m., 42 West Main Street, immediately following the 9 a.m. Mass, church parking lot

Holy Innocents, Neptune, Oct. 4, 6 p.m., 3455 West Bangs Avenue, in front of the church

St. James, Pennington, Oct. 5, 10 a.m., 115 East Delaware Avenue

St. David the King, Princeton Jct., Oct. 6, 12:40 p.m., 1 New Village Road

St. James, Red Bank, Sept. 29, 2 p.m., 94 Broad Street

Holy Cross, Rumson, Oct, 3, 4 p.m., Oct., 5, 10 a.m., 30 Ward Avenue, pre-k yard, animals should be on leashes or in cages

St. Catharine of Siena, Seaside Park, Oct. 5, 5:30 p.m., after the 4:30 p.m. Mass, 50 East Street, meet at St. Catharine’s statue

Holy Eucharist, Tabernacle, Oct. 6, 1 p.m., 520 Medford Lakes Road, all animals, nothing dangerous, snakes in cages

St. George, Titusville, Oct. 6, 1 p.m., 1370 River Road, parking lot

St. Justin the Martyr, Toms River, Oct. 5, noon, 975 Fischer Boulevard, church parking lot near the statue of St. Francis

St. Joseph, Toms River, Oct. 5, 10 a.m., 685 Hooper Avenue, outside in front of St. Padre of Pio statue St. Luke, Toms River, Oct 6, 2 p.m., 1674 Old Freehold Road, pets must be either on a leash or in a cage

St. Maximilian Kolbe, Toms River, Oct. 4, 2 p.m., 130 St. Maximilian Lane, parking lot in front of church

St. Hedwig, Trenton, Oct. 6, 872 Brunswick Avenue, church parking lot

St. Jerome, West Long Branch, Oct. 5, 11 a.m., 254 Wall Street, rear parking lot

Corpus Christi, Willingboro, Oct. 5, 10 a.m., 63 Sylvan Lane, meet at the carport area

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Whiting, Sept. 29, 2 p.m., 30 Schoolhouse Road, meet at the statue between the church and Manchester Memorial Funeral Home

Assumption, Wrightstown, Oct. 6, 12:30 p.m., 28 Monmouth Road (Rt. 537), on the church grounds, all animals must be caged or leashed, none permitted inside the church.