The second episode of the new season of Doctor Who was fun, featuring the new Doctor and all, but it wasn’t quite as good as any of the previous season’s episodes. However, it did establish one thing: 5 billion years in the future on New Earth, cat-nuns are the healers.

So now I wants, wants, wants me a cat-nun to talk to, because they talk back in a very pleasant British accent, with sharp little pointy teeth they politely keep tucked behind their furry little lips. Oh, so cute! And they cure people too… although they also have some rather distressing lapses in medical ethics regarding research methodology.

They were not amused by the new Doctor’s antics (he was a little over the top, and the surviving cat-nuns all went to prison, boo hoo). Still, they were awfully cute and even adorably menacing in their “we know what’s best for our fully human patients, we are the healers” way.

In related “Holy CATS!” news, today was one of two “Blessing of the Animals” services at our two Episcopal parishes – I took Riley to St Nicholas, since we won’t be around for next week’s version at Holy Moly. Several other cats and dogs were in attendance; during prayers while it was relatively quiet, you could hear dogs panting, cats mewing, and allergy sufferers sniffling.

Riley was well behaved and at one point I felt brave enough to take him out of the carrier. He was freaked for a while, but suddenly (just as the homily turned to the topic of St Francis) he suddenly calmed down, relaxed, and started purring loudly. It was… very touching.

At the Eucharist, several people went up for bread and wine holding or bringing their pets; by that time, I’d decided Riley needed a break and he was tucked away in the carrier. All during the service, though, kids would come up and look in on him, and one little girl kept bringing him stuffed animals to keep him company. I had to admit that was really teh cuteness.

At the very end, the blessing happened – we were all invited to come forward with our pets or stuffed animals, and an assisting priest with no allergies did the actual praying-and-petting. Very nice. Then Father Steve, who is a dog man but allergic to cats, actually sprinkled holy water on each pet. Riley got the first dousing… fortunately, I was able to hold on to him!

Funny. So very funny.

I visited afterwards with a few people and came home so Riley could get out of the carrier and get a drink of water. His fur was still a little damp on the back where he got sprinkled. I know he’s thinking “What the HELL was that about??”