When God Gives Us Dogs

I became interested in the relationship between God and dogs when I began to pray for those suffering from Coronavirus. My husband and I have lived with these lovely animals throughout our thirty-year marriage. Our dogs have stayed by the side of sick family members, scared off intruders, and loved us even in our less pleasant moments. I think of these animals as great companions gifted by God. Imagine my delight in finding evidence that God thinks so, too.

St. Roch

The Archdiocese of Minneapolis and St. Paul is offering the opportunity to be notified when priests go out to give last rights to individuals suffering from COVID-19. You can sign up for text or email. They ask us to pray for the patients, their loved ones, the medical team, and the priests. Each text and email concludes with “Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us. St. Roch, pray for us.”

The first time I read one of their texts, I wondered, “Who is St. Roch?” It turns out that among other things, he is the patron saint of dogs. I love his story and share it with anyone who will listen.

St. Roch lived during an age of Bubonic Plague. Both of his parents died when he was about 20 years old. Before dying, his father left him words that he lived by:

Before all things, devote yourself to the service of God, and meditate diligently on the sufferings of our Divine Lord. Be the stay of the widow, the orphan, and all those in misfortune. Above all, keep yourself from avarice, the source of very many sins. Be eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame, be a father to the poor, and know that by employing the property which I leave you in works of mercy, you will be blessed by God and man.

Roch found himself with wealth and the governorship of Montpellier, France. He passed the governorship to his uncle and gave his wealth to the poor. Then, dressed in pilgrims’ clothing, he started his trek towards Rome.

On his way, he passed through a town suffering an epidemic of the plague. Trusting the Lord, Roch prayed and made the sign of the cross on the foreheads of the sick. As townspeople were cured immediately and in large numbers, they praised God. When Saint Roch continued his journey, he encountered more victims of the plague and healed them in the same way.

Ultimately this saint joined the ranks of the sick. He left the town and roamed through the woods, not wanting to be a bother. He prayed to not die alone. God responded. He, of course, sent the perfect companion: a dog.

There is a lot more to the story. If you are interested, check out the St. Roch Parish website.

St. Bosco

St. Roch was not the only saint gifted with dogs. You might be familiar with Saint John Bosco, a priest in the 1800s. St. Bosco founded the Salesian Order to care for and teach poor and abandoned boys. Bosco also established a charitable organization, the Society of St. Francis de Sales, that still exists today. There is much more to say about this saint. If you are interested, the Salesians of Don Bosco gives quite a bit of information.

Many know of St. John’s prophetic dreams. One of his best-known is referred to as the Prophecy of the Two Columns. In addition to his dreams and charitable works, he is known for his dog, Grigio.

At the time of their first meeting, Bosco lived in Turin, Italy. As he was walking late one night through a rough part of the city, a large gray dog approached. The dog appeared friendly and walked by Bosco’s side until they reached the gates of the Oratory where he lived. Then he left, only to appear again whenever Bosco needed to be out late at night. After a time, St. John named him Grigio, meaning “the gray one.”

This was a violent time in Turin. Bosco had already been attacked more than once by the time Grigio approached him. Grigio provided safety. In his diaries, St. John tells of four separate incidents where this dog protected him. I will share one of them here.

In the words of the saint:

Around the end of November of 1854, one dark, rainy night, I was returning home from the city…At a certain point, I realized that two men were walking a short distance in front of me. When I quickened my steps, they quickened theirs; when I slowed down, they slowed down. I then tried to retrace my steps but it was too late; suddenly, taking two leaps towards me, they quietly threw a dark cloak over my face. I struggled to free myself, but it was useless. One was trying to gag me. I tried to shout, but in vain.

You can guess what happened. An angry Grigio appeared on the scene. He leaped on the man with the cloak, forcing him to drop it. He bit the second man and brought him to the ground while the first man attempted to run away. Grigio then ran after the first man, knocked him down as well. He stood over him, growling until the men begged Bosco to call off his dog.

After the men agreed to let St. John go his way unhindered, he called Grigio to his side. The gray one then accompanied him to his home.

There are plenty of stories of saints and animals, but I would like to close by talking about a domestic dog in Scripture.

Dogs in the Bible

In the Bible, canines are usually described in unpleasant terms. There is one book, though, that speaks of a dog as a companion animal: the Book of Tobit.

After reminding readers that Tobit is not in the Protestant Bible, Kate O’Hare gives this description:

That’s a shame, because it’s a wonderful story. Tobit’s son Tobiah (or Tobias) sets off on a quest, in the company of an angel disguised as a human named Azarias — and a dog. In the end, he marries the girl, saves his father and escapes annihilation.

Dang, it doesn’t get better than that.

The dog only appears a couple of times. When Tobit sends his son and the angel on a journey, Tobit 6:2 (NABRE) tells us “the dog followed.” We see this loyal companion again as Tobit’s son makes his way home. According to Tobit 11:4, “And the dog ran along behind them.”

How important can a dog be if he only appears twice? Of course, it only makes sense that if this dog was at the beginning and end of the journey, he was still there, following his people, the entire time.

I like Kate O’Hare’s conclusion:

Tobit speaks to me of faithfulness — of Tobit to God, Tobiah to Tobit, Tobiah and Sarah to God and each other, Raphael to God and to Tobiah and Tobit, and the dog to them all. It speaks of trust in God even in the face of terrible trials.

Maybe that is why the dog was included in the Book of Tobit. He demonstrates faithfulness to everyone. Even when we do not see him, we can be confident he is by the side of his people. Indeed, St. John Bosco’s dog showed the same quality. Whenever Bosco needed Grigio, he was there, in obedience and fidelity to God and St. John. This is also true of St. Roch’s dog. Though only appearing briefly in Roch’s story, this dog played an important part. Following where God sent him, he ultimately saved the saint’s life.

I like to think I was following God’s lead (like any good and obedient dog) when I committed to praying for those with Coronavirus and their loved ones and caretakers. I did not expect it to give me new insight into the ways dogs can be of service to God, leading me to consider my own trust and obedience. Now looking at my own dog is a reminder to be faithful to God, my family, and everyone around me.