Father João Paulo Araujo Gomes is probably the kindest and most inspiring priest you’ve ever heard of. He is the head of the parish of Santana in the city of Gravata in Brazil and has dedicated his life to saving homeless dogs. The Father gathers stray dogs and makes them a part of his service in order to help them find forever homes. Father João’s heart and doors of his church are always open for dogs.
Dogs are human’s best friends. They give us unconditional love and it’s only fair to pay them back. Even if you’re not a believer in God, if you believe in compassion and kindness, you’ll slowly make the world a better place.
The Father brings his furry friends to the service so they’ll be noticed. The kind priest makes sure the dogs are in the center of attention. Sometimes the dogs sit all the way through the service and sometimes they want some petting. The father never says no to belly rubs.
“They will always be able to enter, sleep, eat, drink their water and find shelter and protection, for this house is of God and they are of God,”says Father João Paulo.
The Father not only gives a home to the dogs, but helps any other dog in need. He provides food, care and medical treatment for any stray dog. His small act of kindness made a huge difference in these dogs lives.
Thanks to Father João Paulo actions, the number of stray dogs in Gravata has reduced substantially. Many dogs have found loving homes and even the priest himself adopted 3 dogs.
“I helped several dogs with serious health problems. Some of them I brought to the parish house and they were later adopted. Three of them stayed with me. Today, they are my children and sleep in my bed,” explains Father João Paulo.
The story about Father João Paulo has gone viral on Facebook and he received tons of positive comments. People admired and blessed his kind heart and called him a true hero.
Photos credit: Padre João Paulo