Last winter, like many pet owners, I experienced the profound grief of losing a beloved animal companion. Hobette, my cat, a stray who wandered into our lives one frigid day 16 years prior, succumbed to kidney failure. His passing brought a familiar ache, a reminder of the deep bonds we form with creatures so different yet so similar to ourselves.
Sixteen years ago, Hobette, a shivering, emaciated stray, appeared at our doorstep on a brutally cold winter day, desperately seeking food and affection. My wife and I immediately knew, “We need to take him in.” It wasn’t a question, but a certainty.
Our immediate compassion for Hobette stemmed, I believe, from the innate understanding that he, like us, was capable of experiencing pain and suffering. We didn’t see him as an inanimate object, a mere tool to be left exposed to the elements. Welcoming him into our home felt like the only ethical and truly human response.
Years before Hobette graced our lives, I had found guidance in the teachings of St. Francis of Assisi. This revered saint, whose soul was deeply enriched by his profound love for animals, helped me to comprehend the very essence of animal souls.
St. Francis, the patron saint of peace, embodied a gentle and sincere spirit, reflecting a vision of harmonious coexistence between humans and animals. His prayer, “Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy,” encapsulates his overarching philosophy, extending to all living beings.
St. Francis offered compelling reasons to recognize a self, a soul, behind the eyes of animals. History provides us with the documented account of the Wolf of Gubbio, a powerful illustration of his unique connection with the animal kingdom.
For years, a fearsome wolf terrorized the Italian city of Gubbio, preying on both humans and livestock. St. Francis, understanding that the wolf’s aggression stemmed from hunger, approached the creature not with hostility, but with compassion. He communicated to the wolf that the townspeople would provide sustenance for him throughout his life, on the condition that the wolf would cease harming humans and animals. Historical accounts agree that the wolf, seemingly understanding and accepting the saint’s proposition, bowed his head in agreement. For the remainder of his days, the Wolf of Gubbio honored this pact, relying on the townspeople for food and becoming a symbol of peace, until his natural death.
This remarkable story and St. Francis’s broader philosophy are increasingly relevant today. Humanity is in a continuous process of re-evaluating its relationship with animals. We are beginning to truly understand our interconnectedness within the web of life, recognizing that all creatures, “furred, feathered, and finned,” are part of a divine creation.
Animals serve as teachers, messengers, and tangible reflections of divine principles in our physical world. To disregard the significance of our relationships with them is to neglect fundamental human needs and responsibilities. Can we truly address the needs of the underprivileged, the hungry, the poor, the homeless, the lonely, or bridge cultural divides if we perceive animals merely as machines, as the philosopher Descartes once proposed?
A growing number of people are acknowledging the profound links we share with animals in terms of communication, intelligence, and emotional depth. We are recognizing that animals possess sophisticated cognitive abilities and a rich emotional spectrum. They are capable of experiencing pain, grief, joy, and anger, differing from us not in kind, but in degree of complexity.
Modern scientific research from ethologists, ecologists, and theologians increasingly corroborates St. Francis’s intuitive understanding of animal sentience. Studies reveal that dolphins communicate using ultrasonic sounds far beyond the human auditory range. Wolves demonstrate complex strategic thinking in coordinated hunts, assigning roles and adapting plans based on pack consensus. Even insects, seemingly simple creatures, construct elaborate shelters and exhibit complex social structures based on genetically encoded knowledge.
These contemporary acknowledgements are fostering greater sensitivity and compassion towards animals in two significant ways. Firstly, we are beginning to grant animals their rightful place in the tapestry of creation, recognizing their intrinsic value beyond their utility to humans. Secondly, we are shifting our self-perception, moving away from anthropocentric views and embracing our role as stewards, responsible for the care and well-being of all living creatures.
My sixteen years with Hobette were a testament to this evolving understanding. Our bond transcended typical human relationships. As a writer, I often found him by my side, leaping onto my desk to offer silent companionship. At mealtimes, he would patiently wait, hoping for a shared morsel. In the quiet of the evening, he would snuggle beside me in bed as I read.
His anticipation of my return home was always heartwarming. He would perch on the sofa, watching from the window, recognizing my car’s approach. Upon seeing me, he would eagerly greet me, a joyful ritual that always included following me to my office to “supervise” my checking of messages, nudging my arm with affection.
Hobette, in his own quiet way, rekindled a sense of childlike wonder in me, an innocence that adult life often obscures. More profoundly, his presence was a constant, living affirmation of the soul that resided behind his feline eyes. No philosophical argument was needed; his capacity to communicate, express emotions, and experience the full spectrum of feelings was undeniable.
It is not a sin to acknowledge past negligence in our treatment of animals, in perceiving them as mere possessions or pets, devoid of deeper significance. However, to continue in this disregard, to refuse to recognize their sentience and worth, that would indeed be a transgression against compassion and understanding – a transgression St. Francis of Assisi dedicated his life to prevent.
