[Magdalen] Dog blessing query

[Grace Cangialosi]

I was a hospital chaplain for a number of years, and I never refused a request to baptize a stillborn or other dead baby or toddler. I always figured this was really for the parents, that it did no harm, and that God could sort it out.
I once called a local Jesuit priest at the request of the family of a man in the ICU who was already comatose. They wanted "last rites." He asked me a couple of questions, then came in and spent time in with the family. I waited outside the room and then walked out of the unit with him. He turned to me and said, " I guess you know I really wasn't supposed to do that."  I said yes, I knew, but it was obviously the right pastoral decision for the family--the bedside is no place for a theological discussion/argument. We then talked a bit about baptizing dead babies. It was a very lovely conversation. I love Jesuits!

> On Dec 31, 2016, at 2:10 PM, ME Michaud <michaudme at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> IANAP but if I were I think I'd thank the dog for years of faithful
> companionship,
> mention the fact that we see God's faithfulness so demonstrated,
> (yay creation!)
> and bless the person.
> 
> Years ago I knew a priest who was asked to baptize a stillborn baby.
> To his credit, he always refused to tell anyone what he did,
> whether he baptized or not.
> Because either way, somebody was going to argue with him, I suppose.
> -M