More than 400 animals have descended on the college campus to celebrate our shared love of God's creatures.

This year's Blessing of the Animals event was once again a beautiful homage to all the animals in our lives and an important opportunity for our college community to give thanks for the variety of farmyard friends and household pets who inspire our love and affection every day.

On Friday 27 September the campus was brimming with sheep, rabbits, guinea pigs, hens, budgies and lizards, who found themselves mingling with assorted cats, dogs, horses and cows in the queue for their annual blessing.

This cherished annual custom – undertaken in remembrance of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of all creatures great and small – continued to prove a major highlight in our college calendar and a wonderful chance to see the college grounds transform into a proverbial zoological garden.

This year’s blessing was conducted by Pastor Jon Goessling and Pastor André Meyer who managed two bustling queues for more than an hour. They were joined by our talented senior music students who provided instrumental accompaniment to proceedings and entertained families throughout the morning.

The college was also fortunate to host The Farm Barn in Hahndorf who set up a small petting zoo on the oval and enabled our students to engage with a range of baby farmyard animals throughout the blessing ceremony. The petting zoo was a particular hit with our senior students who fed the baby cows until the bell went.

The college continues to be grateful to Pastor Jon Goessling for introducing this sacred and beloved custom to the cultural life of the college more than ten years ago, and for hosting the college’s inaugural blessing back in 2013 with only 30 animals.

“The annual Blessing of the Animals event at Tatachilla has become an unwitting gateway for students to see God in nature, with animals acting as the language of love and community. There is nothing so intuitive and profound as the love we have for the animals in our lives: it is Godly and transformative.” 
– Pastor Jon Goessling