Also gone is the staff for the 23-year-old

The blessing of the animals is a long-time Catholic tradition celebrated on January 17. On this day, Mexican Catholic congregations and priests welcome pups, cats and the occasional parrot on the feast day of St. Anthony the Abbot, considered the patron saint of animals.A few parishioners dress up their beloved pets with sweaters or scarves. But all pray to God and their four-legged friends’ patron to keep them healthy and safe.

Karla Flores feels as if Lana, her 11-year-old dog, was a true blessing. Someone abandoned her as a newborn outside her home on Dec. 12, when millions of Mexican Catholics celebrate“We found her next to her mom and little brothers inside a box,” Flores said. “We rescued them and gave up most of them for adoption, but we kept her and her mom.”Recently, Lana has been depressed and sick, Flores said, so a blessing felt in order.

Rocky, a black, poodle-looking dog, came with owner Naydelin Aguilar. He was a gift from her mother during the pandemic, she said, and will forever feel grateful for the joy he’s brought into her life.“We have faced tough situations,” Aguilar said. “But he’s been like a light for us during the storms we have endured, and this will be his fifth year as part of our family.”

The Rev. José Antonio Carballo, rector of the cathedral, addressed the pets waiting attentively and calmly in their owners’ arms during his service.

“We ask the Lord to bless them, so he can preserve them and care for them, since they bring company and encouragement to their caretakers,” Carballo said.“HIV disparities are not inevitable,” Dr. Robyn Neblett Fanfair, director of the CDC’s Division of HIV Prevention, said in a statement. She noted the systemic, cultural and economic inequities — such as racism, language differences and medical mistrust.

Fernando Hermida stands for a portrait against the skyline of Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Laura Bargfeld)Fernando Hermida stands for a portrait against the skyline of Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Laura Bargfeld)

And though the CDC provides some funds for minority groups, Latino health policy advocates want the federal government to declare a public health emergency in hopes of directing more money to Latino communities, saying current efforts aren’t enough.“Our invisibility is no longer tolerable,” said Vincent Guilamo-Ramos,