Jhonny's invisible dog, adopted by priest Luiz Paulo in Barretos, Brazil, became a true star of parish and network. At each mass he comes in a garment resembling an altar boy's robe and circulates between the faithful, collecting caresses instead of donations. The story of "cãoroinha" shows that sometimes it is the animal that best attracts people back to the church.
Dog altar boy in Barretos
In the parish of Santa Ana e São Joaquim in Barretos, São Paulo, Masses have for some time had an unusual "lithurgical assistant" – Jhonny's dog. The animal moves freely between the altar, confessional and benches, seeking contact with people and making the atmosphere of the service more warm and free.
Fr Luiz Paulo Soares admits that Jhonny can be late, sometimes he leaves a little bit early, but practically every mass is present and the faithful have already gotten used to seeing him. For many of them his presence is a "blessing" because the dog passes from person to person, as if giving out his own "dog blessing".
How the dog became "cãoroinha"
Jhonny went to the priest like many other dogs without a home – he was skinny and neglected when he first appeared at one of the chapels in the city. A priest who has been driving homeless animal food in his car for years, fed him, and the dog just jumped in the car and never left the car, symbolically choosing a new caretaker.
In time, it turned out that Jhonny loves to accompany the priest also during pastoral work. As soon as the bell is heard for mass, the dog interrupts his daily wanderings around and runs straight to the church – as if he had the most important point of the day recorded in the calendar.
Dress like an altar boy and a new tradition
To emphasize the unique role of the dog, the parishioners and the priest prepared him a special outfit resembling an altar boy's robe. It was then that the affectionate nickname "cãoroinha" was born – a combination of the Portuguese word "cão" (dog) and "coroinha" (minister).
The animal has become such an important part of the community that the faithful ask about it every time it is exceptionally absent from mass. For children and people who go to church less often, the dog-minstrant is an additional motivation to appear on Sunday on the liturgy.
Priest Luiz Paulo and his love for animals
Jhonny is not the only four-legged priest to care for – the priest still takes care of about 15 Dogswhich had previously been abandoned on the street. He has a habit of driving in a karma car, stopping with homeless animals and seeking safe shelter, which became part of his daily mission.
Such an approach fits into a broader trend in the Brazilian Church, where human responsibility for the creation and respect for animals is increasingly spoken of. The clergy stories that save dogs and cats regularly gain popularity on social media, building a picture of the Church closer to ordinary people and their daily concerns.
