Religious orders adopted some of these animals, and some of the animals seem to have adopted their order!
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Did you know it’s been incredibly common throughout history for convents, monasteries, and various members of religious life to keep pets?
Not all religious orders allow pets, of course, but there is certainly a long and rich tradition of “monastery pets.”
Our favorite example is the famous Pangur Bán, a cat whom a 9th-century Irish monk immortalized in a poem by the same name. He wrote:
I and Pangur Bán my cat,
‘Tis a like task we are at:
Hunting mice is his delight,
Hunting words I sit all night.
This tradition is alive and well today, as religious orders all over the world still keep pets. The orders adopted some of these animals, and some of the animals seem to have adopted their order!
Here are 5 of the many religious orders that keep animals.
If you know of any others we missed, please let us know in the comments!
1Norbertine Canonesses of Bethlehem Priory of St. Joseph in Tehachapi, CA
Animals lovers would feel they were in heaven at this priory. The sisters support their monastery through a dog breeding and training program, plus a monastery farm that has sheep and cows. Check out their website for photos of the adorable puppies.
While visitors are welcome to join the sisters for Mass, it’s unclear whether you’re allowed to visit the animals and farm. We’ll update this article if we get more information about visiting!
2Mercedarian Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in Baton Rouge, LA
The Mercedarian Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament trained a therapy dog named Gia, a Bernedoodle, to visit students at Sacred Heart of Jesus School.
The order has always had dogs since its founding in 1910. The order’s sisters in Cleveland helped raise a Shih Tzu therapy dog named Ava. And the sisters also trained a little Cockapoo named Albee.
3St. Benedict’s Abbey in Atchison, KS
This religious community has a dog named Pambo. Enjoy this cute video of Pambo “saying grace” before meals! The caption reads in part, “Does your dog know how to say Grace? Abbot James is excited to share that Pambo does!”
4Franciscan Congregation of Divine Mercy in Marshfield, WI
At Merciful Heart of Jesus Farm, a community of Franciscan sisters keep a barn full of horses and other animals. The sisters provide animal therapy, along with prayer, classes, and spiritual direction, to children and adults. Here’s our conversation with the community’s founder.
5Holy Resurrection Monastery in St. Nazianz, WI
Leny Silina Helmig
The monks at this Eastern Catholic Monastery have a most unusual pet: a peacock! The peacock, whom they named Alberto, decided to make his home on the grounds two weeks after the monks moved in.
There is something extraordinary about this unexpected addition to the monastic community. Peacocks are used in art as symbols of the Resurrection — very fitting for a monastery by that name!
