Bless

Priests at Malate Church in Manila, Philippines, have blessed dogs and other pets in an annual ceremony marking the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. Owners brought their animals to the church grounds for the traditional blessing, which has drawn wide coverage from international outlets. The event highlights a popular Catholic tradition blending faith and affection for animals.

Living Faith Church Worldwide is holding its Showers of Blessing Service at Faith Tabernacle in Ota, Nigeria, dated 4 October 2026. The service, part of the church's regular worship programme, has drawn large attention online, with hundreds of thousands of people engaging with the broadcast and followers sharing messages of faith and blessing.

UNC Greensboro golfer Boyce Champion finished as runner-up at the Blessings Collegiate Invitational, one of college golf's early-season events. The strong individual result highlights Champion's form and gives the Spartans men's golf program a notable finish against a competitive collegiate field.

Pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell of 2819 Church delivered a full sermon titled 'In Christ: Blessed in Christ', teaching from Ephesians 1:3-6 on the spiritual blessings believers receive through Christ. The message has drawn significant attention online, with strong engagement from viewers responding to the gathering's teaching and the church's growing reach.

Catholics around the world are marking the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, held each year on 4 October. The day honours the 13th-century friar known for his devotion to poverty, humility and care for animals and nature. Many parishes hold blessings of pets, and the date is also linked to prayers for peace and environmental protection.

Bless, the son of actors Giovanna Ewbank and Bruno Gagliasso, is making his acting debut in Globo's new telenovela "A Nobreza do Amor". Brazilian entertainment outlets are covering the premiere, with Ewbank publicly celebrating her son's first step into television, writing that "now it's his turn". The boy's first role in a major network production has drawn wide attention given his famous parents.

Weekly US jobless claims have fallen to levels close to a 57-year low, while US employers announced fewer layoffs in September. The figures point to a labor market that remains unusually tight despite broader economic uncertainty, with fewer workers filing for unemployment benefits and companies cutting fewer jobs than expected.

The University of Alabama women's golf team claimed its second consecutive tournament victory, finishing first at the Blessings Collegiate Invitational. The win extends a strong run of form for the Crimson Tide, who are building momentum early in the season. Fans and followers of collegiate golf are celebrating the back-to-back titles.

One Blessed Acre Farm is celebrating the opening of a retail location in Fernbridge, California, according to the Times-Standard. The Farmstead marks a step for the local agricultural business in bringing its products directly to customers in the small Humboldt County community.

A church in Ocean Springs, Mississippi has held its 15th annual Blessing of the Animals, a tradition in which pets and other animals are blessed by clergy. The event marks another year of the long-running community gathering, which typically draws pet owners from the local area. Coverage so far is limited to regional reporting, with little additional detail available.

A British Columbia gardener spent Sunday morning cleaning the stream running through his pandemic-era pond, which has now fully naturalized. He says moss is both a blessing and a curse: welcome for the natural look, but fast-growing at this time of year. He is transplanting some of it to help naturalize a second, newer pool pond on the property.

Pet owners brought dogs, cats and other animals to a church in the Philippines, where priests performed blessings to mark the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the Catholic patron saint of animals. Wagging tails and jingling collars filled the pews as the annual tradition drew families seeking blessings for their pets, a warm image of faith blending with everyday devotion that has been picked up by international outlets.

Boston's historic Old North Church hosted its annual Blessing of the Animals, a tradition honoring St. Francis of Assisi in which pets and their owners gather for blessings. The event continues a long-running custom at the landmark church, drawing community members with dogs, cats and other animals to the North End for the ceremony.

The Alabama women's golf team held on to first place at the end of day two of the Blessings Collegiate Invitational. The program announced the update, noting the team will carry its lead into the final round of the collegiate tournament. Fans of Alabama athletics are following the team's position as it closes in on a potential tournament victory.

The UNCG men's golf team finished the opening round of the Blessings Collegiate Invitational in third place. The Spartans are in contention after day one of the tournament, and followers of the program are checking in on the leaderboard as the competition continues through the remaining rounds.

Episcopal churches are holding blessings of animals to mark the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the 13th-century saint known for his love of creation. The tradition, popular across Episcopal congregations, invites pet owners to bring animals for blessing services around October 4. Reports highlight services featuring dogs, cats and other pets as congregations honor the patron saint of animals and ecology.

A faith-based greeting quoting Psalm 118:24 — "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" — is circulating widely. The message is decorated with colourful emoji of angels, crosses, doves, churches and musicians, and ends with a call of "Amen." It is being shared as a daily devotional blessing, encouraging readers to rejoice and worship.

Business leaders in Plymouth, Michigan have joined forces to assemble 'Blessing Baskets' — packages of food and essentials intended for local families struggling with food insecurity. The initiative brings together local companies to support community members in need, and coverage of the effort highlights the role businesses can play in addressing hunger at the local level.

A church in Johnstown, Pennsylvania has held its annual blessing of pets, a ceremony in which animals are blessed and the bond between people and their companions is celebrated. The event is a longstanding local tradition, typically held around the feast of St Francis of Assisi, and draws pet owners from the community.

Churches around the world are marking the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, with traditional blessing ceremonies for pets. During these services, religious leaders say a short prayer and sprinkle the animals with holy water. The annual tradition draws pet owners seeking blessings for their cats, dogs and other animals each October.

A new review argues that while Mahershala Ali's long-gestating Marvel film Blade remains stalled, the actor has instead delivered a stronger picture. The critic frames the project he completed as a superior outcome to the troubled superhero production, praising Ali's performance and suggesting the delayed Blade may ultimately be a blessing for his career.

Churches are holding blessing of the animals ceremonies to mark the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and ecology. Photo galleries from services show pets brought by their owners to receive blessings, a tradition observed around the feast day in early October by congregations across many denominations.

The University of Alabama women's golf team holds the lead on the opening day of the Blessings Collegiate Invitational. The Crimson Tide sit atop the team leaderboard after the first round of the collegiate tournament, putting them in position to defend their advantage when play resumes. Fans are reacting to the strong early performance.

Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have taught that temple covenants bind members to Jesus Christ and bring blessings that extend across generations. In remarks published by Church News, they emphasized that making and keeping sacred temple ordinances strengthens individuals and families spiritually, linking members more closely to Christ and extending faith's influence to descendants.

Old North Church in Boston held its blessing of the animals on Sunday. The traditional service, often held around the feast day of St Francis of Assisi, invites pet owners to bring their animals to church for a blessing. The event drew attention as one of the city's best-known historic churches continued its long-running community tradition.

A church in Marion held its annual blessing of pets, an event where animals are brought by their owners to receive a blessing. The ceremony is part of a tradition honoring St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, typically held around his feast day in early October. Local coverage highlighted the congregation gathering with dogs, cats and other pets for the service.

The Blessing Teddy Bear Clinic held its 38th edition, using the event to teach children about the medical field. Kids take part in hands-on activities that introduce them to doctors, nurses and hospital care in a friendly, non-intimidating setting. The long-running clinic remains a popular community health education event for local families.