Bring your pets to church, Haitian immigrant priest tells worshippers. 'I am not going to eat them.'
The Rev. Jean Beniste, a Haitian immigrant, blesses his dog and a photo of another pet as his daughter, Annelise, looks on. The Blessing of the Animals on the Feast of Saint Francis took place Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in the garden at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Concord, N.H., where Beniste serves as rector. Credit: AP/G. Jeffrey MacDonald
CONCORD, N.H. (RNS) — As pet lovers gathered in a church garden here Saturday (Oct. 5) with dogs and photographs for the annual Blessing of the Animals, they were greeted with an assurance unlike any in years past.
“I say: Bring your pet. Bring your dog and cat. I am a Haitian, and I am not going to eat them,” said the Rev. Jean Beniste, a Haitian immigrant and rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, minutes before the crowd of about 60 took their seats. “I will bless them. I will embrace them. I will embrace you. I will make community with you.”
It was the first of several laugh-triggering allusions that speakers made in reference to a Sept. 10 debate remark by former President Donald Trump, who falsely alleged that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, are “eating the pets of the people that live there.”
Such rumors, which spread like wildfire on social media, have been debunked. But advocates remain concerned about the effects of hostile rhetoric aimed at Haitians and other immigrants.
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Newsday Live Music Series: Long Island Idols Newsday Live presents a special evening of music and conversation with local singers who grabbed the national spotlight on shows like "The Voice," "America's Got Talent,""The X-Factor" and "American Idol." Newsday Senior Lifestyle Host Elisa DiStefano leads a discussion and audience Q&A as the singers discuss their TV experiences, careers and perform original songs.
