San Francisco church plans pet columbarium to hold ashes of 1,000 animals

Global Post ^ | July 26, 2013 19:12 | Kristin Deasy

[haffast]

PETALUMA, Calif. — Do all animals go to heaven? The National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi wants them well-positioned for the possibility by creating San Francisco's first pet columbarium, according to The San Francisco Chronicle.

Church leaders are currently raising funds for the 850-square-foot pet memorial space, the city's first "final resting place for the furry and feathered," as the Chronicle cutely put it.

The new columbarium, which organizers hope will be up and running by spring, will be able to hold the ashes of up to 1,000 animals, according to the Associated Press.

Cremation costs have not yet been decided, but SFGate said everything will go on display in a space reminiscent of the Roman catacombs.

snip

And if St. Francis doesn't mean much to you, that's OK too. Even non-Catholic pets (and their owners) will be welcomed at the shrine because, as the church's Reverend Harold Snider told the AP: "You don't have to be Christian or Catholic to love your pets and respect their memories."

Major donations are currently being sought.....

snip

[haffast]

Reverend Harold Snider, O.F.M., Cap. as Rector of The National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi, effective July 1, 2013.

Saint Francis Rest
Pet Columbarium and Hall of Honor
A Unique Facility Honoring God's Animal Kingdom and Those Who Care For and Protect It
http://www.shrinesf.org/Columbarium/SF-Columbarium.html

North Beach Church Hoping to House Dead Pets in Basement
By Joe Rosato Jr, NBC Bay Area
Saturday, June 22, 2013

"In a newly discovered grotto beneath the front steps of St. Francis of Assisi church, a San Francisco priest envisions building a columbarium to house the ashes of the dearly departed pets."
http://www.shrinesf.org/Columbarium/SF-Columbarium-News.html#

A new revenue stream. Smart.

[allendale]

California Catholics are as wacky as anyone in the land of fruit and nuts.

[Little Pig]

[DoughtyOne]

I thought columbarium was radioactive.

[haffast]

I thought columbarium was radioactive.

Glowing poodle ashes maybe?

I thought they meant collie bury him. Then I looked it up. There's a lot of words in a dictionary. I don't use many of them as you can probably tell.

[DoughtyOne]

I beleive the spell checker on the forum rejected that word.  Perhaps it was the spell check I have in my formater...  One of them did.  I had never heard of the word, and I have a fairly large vocabulary.  Heaven only knows why.

FOLKS, THOSE OF YOU WHO CAN, PLEASE CLICK HERE AND PENCIL IN YOUR DONATION TO HELP END THIS FREEPATHON.  THANK YOU!
...this is a general all purpose message, and should not be seen as targeting any individual I am responding to...

[Secret Agent Man]

it’s essentially a pet cemetery. not really a liberal, new or earth-shattering idea.

[CaliforniaNative]

A new “St. Francis” thrift store opened near me. The proceeds go to helping animals. It has become very popular... remember not to beat your donkey or God just might give it the power to speak. :)

[CaliforniaNative]

If being a good steward of animals and being blessed by creatures God gave us as companions makes people “whaky”...

[haffast]

Why beat a dead donkey?

If your ass’s ashes are in an urn under the front porch of your church, I don’t think it’s going to say much. But then again,”With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” ;)