Father João Paulo Araujo Gomes has a very particular way of preparing for Sunday Mass.
Before parishioners arrive at the parish of Santa Ana, in Gravatá, Brazil, he has already made sure the dogs he rescued from the street are ready: he bathes them, feeds them, and takes them to the vet. Then he introduces them during Mass, hoping that someone in attendance will go home with a new companion.
It all began around 2019, when a group of volunteers came to the church selling cookies to fund a project to help stray dogs. The priest gave them a few minutes to promote them during Mass and ended up joining the cause himself. Today, he also runs a feeding station for stray dogs that operates seven days a week, and according to media outlets that have followed his story, dozens of animals have already found a family thanks to his initiative.
For those no one chooses, the promise is different. He is said to have promised that even if they don’t find a home, they will always have one at his church. In the text circulating about his story, he himself is said to have said that some of these dogs are now his children and sleep in his bed.
