Mission Statement

We embrace and celebrate our companion animals who reflect God’s universal language of love and joy. We seek to raise awareness about the role they play in God’s mission, embodying God’s love and our call to stewardship of creation. We aim to create a safe space to pray for animals; provide pastoral care; resource the wider church and encourage outreach through online ministry.

Our aim is to create beautiful resources that communities and individuals can use to celebrate, give thanks for, bless and grieve the lives of companion animals. Our Ministry Task Group continues to work in collaboration with community members to bring this ministry to life.

Our recorded service video library is growing:

Below are some PowerPoint resources available for download including:

A Blessing of New Animals
Short Memorial service to mourn animals
Memoral Prayers for Animals (Long version)

Scroll down to see or ministry values and other tools we use, as well as the resource guide we are building.

Downloads

Upcoming Events

Multiple Dates

Companion Animal Ministry Workshop

Sunday, February 2, 2025

11:00AM - 12:00PM

Zoom - Open Space link

Working on our Companion Animal Ministry together

Prayer and praise with our animal friends

Thursday, March 13, 2025

6:00PM - 7:00PM

Zoom - Worship Link

A monthly service of celebration, vigil, and remembrance for our furry, feathered, scaled and finned family

News

Christmas cards from ASWA

A note from Rev'd Sam

The Rev'd Jamee Callard

Memorial Prayers for Animals Now Uploaded!

Created and recorded by our Companion Animal Ministry team during the Season of Creation 2024

The Rev'd Jamee Callard

Prayer for Sick Animals Service now uploaded!

A short liturgy of prayer which we recorded together is now on our YouTube channel

The Rev'd Jamee Callard

Ministry Values

Companion animals are part of our community online.

We give thanks for them, include them in our gatherings, and share about their place in our spiritual lives. We pray for them, see to their welfare and make connections with animals as a focus.

Animals are an expression of God’s love and remind us of our mission and vocation to care for creation with faithful stewardship.

From companion animals we receive: unconditional love, peace, joy, inspiration, comfort, care, patience and understanding.

We embrace the opportunity to minister to people through ministry with companion animals at each stage of life.

In giving animals’ mutual love and respect, we encounter God in the love that animals’ gift to us.

Our relationship with God and animals give us second chances in the universal language of love and forgiveness.

We advocate for the welfare of creation by raising our voice as a Church for those who can’t speak for themselves.

Both in and out of Church community animals are at the centre of our lives and we celebrate our animals as members of our Holy Hermits Online family.

Commitment prayer

Developed by our community for this ministry in 2022

Creator God, we give thanks for your call to develop a Companion Animal Ministry at Holy Hermits Online. 

We ask for your grace to guide us, as we build this ministry together. 

Holy Spirit we ask your presence to be with us as we continue to develop resources together in this new season. 

Provide us with wisdom and with compassion and with a sense of fun as we celebrate our companion animals and live this mission to outreach. 

Alongside Holy Hermit St. Francis, we ask you Lord Jesus Christ, to enliven us in this ministry space. 

Amen.

Companion Animal Bereavement

Resources for mourning, remembering, honouring and grieving our animals when they go to God ahead of us

Memorial Prayers for Companion Animals videos

Recorded in our HHO space 2024

Book: It's Not Putting Me Down It's Lifting Me Up

A Guilt-Free Guide to End of Life Decisions for Pets By Kate McGahan

Book: Only Gone From Your Sight

Jack McAfghan's Little Guide to Pet Loss and Grief By Kate McGahan

Book: The Grief Recovery Handbook for Pet Loss

By Russell Friedman, Cole James, John W. James

Book: Animal Rites

By Andrew Linzey - 14 new liturgies which are animal friendly and animal-inclusive.

Pets In Peace

Pets in Peace the first pet crematorium in Australia to be accredited providing peace of mind that furry family members will be looked after at cremation. A team of pet lovers who all share the same strong values and ethics.

RSPCA Pets at Rest

Saying goodbye, in the most memorable way. Cremation services - a range of beautiful memorial keepsakes. Simply select your pet cremation service and we’ll lovingly carry out your requests.

AWL Pet Cremation

A professional, dignified and compassionate cremation service for beloved companions. Door-to-door service ensures with pick up from either home or veterinarian, treated with utmost care and respect at all times.

Mary Valley Pet Cremation

When the time comes, we will be there for you. Call us for dignified collection, respectful and individual cremations.

Grief, it's Complicated.....10% of the Time

A Video Talk by Susan Delaney with TEDxUCD

Beyond The Rainbow Bridge (PET LOSS SONG)

- Trina Belamide

Working Animals we pray for

Please join us in upholding all working animals in prayer as well as these organizations who train, employ and responsibly retire them.

Australian Defence Force, Air Force, working dogs

Air Force has been training working dogs for more than 60 years. Since its inception in 2003, the breeding program has produced more than 1000 pups, with about half of them graduating.

Animals and Humans healing together

Groups that rescue animals and provide them with work to offer healing to humans through mutual enrichment programs

Riding For The Disabled Association Aus (RDAA)

A a voluntary, nonprofit organisation which provides opportunities for anyone with a disability to enjoy safe, healthy, therapeutic, horse-related activities in Australia.

Healing Hooves

Rehabilitating and offering a forever home to horses who have suffered trauma, neglect or disability. Retraining them for Therapy work while training Volunteers to care for the horses and understand their world.

Hope Reins

Rescues horses then fosters them to work with people in need giving connection between horse and human. Aiming for people and horses to feel whole again; loved, connected, worthwhile and accepted.

Care for Veterinary Industry Workers and Volunteers

We are committed to building pastoral care resources and support for those who often suffer mental health crisis as part of their work in the animal care industry.

Sophie's Legacy - We're Only Human Pledge Campaign

A National Education Campaign to honour Sophie and help stem the shocking suicide rate among veterinarians in Australia.

Resource Guide

Groups, agencies, programs and tools we have pooled together. Many of these rescue organizations invite donations to help further their work. A lot are QLD based where majority of our ministry-task group reside but we have some others listed too.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Queensland (RSPCA Qld)

Leading animal welfare charity, dedicated to improving the lives of all domestic, farmed and native animals throughout Queensland

The Animal Welfare League

Providing homeless companion animals a safe and caring environment through innovative rehoming strategies as well as other advocacy programs.

Death Row Unchained

Saving abused, neglected and abandoned animals who have no options. Offering animal therapeutic programs for disability, mental health and survivors.

Little Oak

We provide a place of sanctuary for farmed animals in need.

Greyhound Adoption Program QLD

The Greyhound Adoption Program is run by the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission and is dedicated to finding homes for greyhounds that have retired from racing.

Rescue Craft Co.

Rescue Craft Collective is a community group of creatives doing our bit to help. Our aim is to HELP YOU sew up the pouches that the wildlife centers desperately need.

Currumbin Wildlife Hospital

Currumbin Wildlife Hospital is one of the busiest wildlife hospitals in the world. Its mission is to treat, rehabilitate and release Australian wildlife.

RSPCA Wildlife Hospital

RSPCA Queensland has the largest and busiest Wildlife Hospital in the state, providing care to over 27,000 native animals every year.

Dingo Den

Dedicated to saving the wild-hearted we exist to save the lives of dingoes, empower wildlife carers, and prevent the extinction of Australia's vulnerable fauna and flora.

Koala Rescue QLD

Saving Koalas Statewide

Sea World QLD

Sea World Rescue Team's pioneering work in marine animal rescues results in rehabilitating and saving many sick, injured and stranded animals in the wild.

Bat Conservation and Rescue Qld

Striving to help people understand the importance of all bat species, to provide a prompt and humane rescue service, to raise orphans and to rehabilitate injured bats before returning them to the wild.