I was travelling this weekend, and attended Mass at a random parish in Manhattan Beach. The priest said something about "blessing of the animals," but I was still taken aback when I walked out of the church and saw eighty people on the steps with dogs on leashes and cats in carriers.

I noted with dismay that said people had only elected to have their larger mammals blessed; nary a goldfish or gerbil in sight. Surely there are divine consequences for having an un-hallowed hamster.