HICKSVILLE—An intense “Christ Renews His Parish” retreat at Teresa Silliman’s parish, Hicksville St. Michael, deepened her need to grow in her faith and led her to start Secular Franciscan inquiry to see if she wanted to become a Third Order Franciscan.
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| Teresa Silliman and Zach (Photo courtesy of Robert Silliman) |
Aug. 28, 2005, Ms. Silliman, one of six, made her permanent profession as a Third Order Franciscan in the small but growing St. Michael the Archangel Fraternity.
Like her Third Order namesake, St. Francis, Ms. Silliman has a love of animals. She asked St. Michael pastor, Father Thomas Oedy, to do a blessing of animals for the St. Maximilian Kolbe Deanery and took her beloved dog, Zach, a 153-pound Newfoundland, to the ceremony.
Three years of obedience school; a temperament evaluation to measure his behavior around people in wheelchairs, with crutches and with special needs; and a special health record form from a veterinarian qualified Zach as a therapy dog. He is certified with a national agency.
Zach’s picture badge allows him to go to nursing homes, hospitals and libraries where children can read to him. Therapy dogs are now allowed to go into funeral homes, as well.
The response Ms. Silliman gets when she takes Zach to nursing homes and other places is very rewarding. The residents are excited to see them when they visit almost every weekend. The joy this big, loveable dog brings into their lives brightens their faces like lighted Christmas trees!
Zach and Ms. Silliman fill a small void in the nursing homes when they visit and it’s wonderful to hear residents talk about their lives and share news about their families.
Sometimes the news is not always good, but the residents talk while petting Zach, and the joy he brings them is visible. They always ask Zach if he’s been a good boy and ask about Abbey, a 2-year-old Newfoundland, who is also being trained to be a therapy dog.
Zach was officially made the St. Michael the Archangel’s Fraternity mascot Feb. 17. St. Francis must surely have been smiling from above. Now Zach and Ms. Silliman can both wear their Taus to the places they visit. When residents ask about the special medal Zach is wearing, Ms. Silliman says it will be a great opportunity to tell them about Zach, her Franciscan mascot, and about the Third Order Franciscans.
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