Celebrating Barley's Birthday: A Journey of Unconditional Love

by Fr. John Granato  |  02/09/2025  |  Words from Fr. John

My Dear Friends,

Today is my little Barley’s 12th birthday. I know that not everyone is a dog person. I myself was bit three times in my life by dogs, and I was terrified of other dogs in the neighborhood and in my parishes. But the dogs we had growing up in Watertown were very special, and many dogs that belonged to friends of mine were also wonderful to be around. For most of my life, I was a medium to large dog lover and was not really a fan of the little ones.

It was not until my first assignment in Brunswick, Maine, that I first fell in love with a little dog, a female Yorkie named Bailey. Like all dogs, Bailey could tell who was a special person and who was a person to avoid. She knew immediately that I could not only be trusted but also caring and loving. It was because of Bailey that when I decided to bring a dog home I went for a Yorkie. I brought Barley home in July when he was five months old, and he has been a blessing ever since.

Dogs are known to give unconditional love, and Barley has shown me over these last 11 ½ years that this is a true statement. Every assignment I have had since I brought Barley home has been more enjoyable for me because I have him with me in the office during the days and in my home when the office closes. And Barley has had a way of endearing himself to my office staffs and other parishioners throughout these last 11 ½ years.

Barley definitely has his quirks and can be stubborn, especially when it comes to food and when he focuses on flies and bugs and mice in the rectory. God created man and woman in the Garden of Eden because it is not good for man to be alone, but priests in our Catholic faith take a vow of celibacy, thereby being denied (sacrificing for the sake of Christ) the good of marriage. I may be alone when it comes to (a lack of) a wife, but I have a wonderful companion in Barley.

Happy birthday, Barley!!