Catholic children in Blackfen were delighted when a furry friend joined them for Mass on Sunday.
Our Lady of the Rosary Church celebrated Palm Sunday with a real life donkey in their 9am service, to remember Jesus’ famous journey.
The new priest Father Steve Fisher saw a packed congregation for the unique service at the Burnt Oak Lane church.
Father Steve
Father Fisher said: "We have decided to use a real donkey this year in our procession in order to make the events more meaningful and real to our young children.
"I am very keen that we do more to involve our young people in the life of the Church, after all they are it’s future, and this is a good way of educating them that our Faith is not stuffy and ‘neat and tidy’, but rather reflects humankind in all its brokenness and messiness.
"To quote Pope Francis: the Church needs to have the smell of the sheep!"
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