“FOR he is the servant of the Living God, duly and daily serving him,” the poet Christopher Smart wrote in the 18th century of his cat, Jeoffry’s, relationship with the Almighty. And so it is with Zara, resident church cat at St John the Evangelist, in Bexley, who has found her vocation dispensing pastoral care in the church community. Zara, who lives at the vicarage, comforts the grieving, shares the joy of the just-betrothed, and attends choir practice with a critical ear, and is now a finalist in a national cat competition in recognition of her efforts.
“The idea of a cat being part of church life has been ingrained in me since childhood when I read the ‘Church Mice’ books,” the Team Vicar of Bexley, the Revd Edward Barlow, says. “Cats are a church institution — Mother Julian of Norwich was very famous for her cat, and Christopher Smart wrote all sorts of profound reflections about his cat drawing him closer to God, which feature prominently in Benjamin Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb.”
Fr Barlow and his wife, Kate, adopted Zara, now aged ten, when she was about one year old from a rescue shelter in County Durham, during Edward’s training at Cranmer Hall. “We walked into a room of cats, and Zara climbed on to Kate’s shoulder. She knew at once we were her people, and has been sitting on our shoulders ever since,” he says.
Kate BarlowZara and Elliot
His first ministry was in Chiswick, west London, but it’s at St John’s, Bexley, that Zara has truly embraced the part of church cat, as the vicarage is next door to the church. Fr Barlow often finds her waiting for him at the vestry door when he arrives to open up for the eight-o’clock service. “She enjoys heckling during my sermons and finding a comfy lap in the congregation to settle on,” he says. “She spends a lot of her day with the groups who use the church hall: Brownies, keep fit, yoga, karate, and the toddler group.” He describes it as “a packed timetable”.
Zara attends and contributes to church meetings, too: “On one occasion, the Bexley winter shelter trustees were puzzling over a big question when Zara marched in and sat on the centre of the table and meowed — she was very assertive and confident her answer was the correct one.”
A photo by Fr Barlow of Zara sitting in the font appears on the front of the information leaflet for people organising baptisms; and couples planning their weddings often request an appearance from Zara during photographs. It is at funerals, though, that her presence is most valued. “She provides real comfort,” he says. “There’s a bench outside the church where mourners often sit before a funeral, and she’ll be beside them, a soothing presence. Sometimes, people who have suffered a bereavement come into the church to contemplate for half an hour, and she’s there for them, too. She’s very intuitive in finding the people who need her.”
DURING the pandemic, church cats offered glimpses of light and levity. In May 2020, Leo, one of the Canterbury Cathedral cats, went “viral”, with a disappearing act under the then Dean’s cassock during an online service. A few months later, his colleague, Tiger, stole the headlines, dipping his paw into the breakfast milk jug. Parishioners in Bexley were similarly charmed by Zara, who perched on Fr Barlow’s shoulder during online services broadcast from St John’s.
Edward BarlowZara in the font
“Zara was a crowd-pleaser during online services, with viewing figures rising when she joined me,” he says. “Standing at the altar, giving sermons to an empty church, was much more fun with Zara on my shoulder. It was a case of keeping my focus on the camera, and letting Zara do her own thing, but also being aware of how close her tail got to the candles.”
Zara is especially close to the Barlows’ eight-year-old son, Elliot, who is autistic. “The best thing about Zara is her kindness,” Elliot says. “When she comes in the room, somehow all the bad things just dissolve.” Zara has been looking out for Elliot since before he was born, the family says, when she would sit on Kate’s baby bump.
“A lot of Elliot’s learning takes place at home, as his autism profile means the structures of school can be difficult, and Zara sits with him during his activities,” Fr Barlow says. “When he is anxious, she stays in the room, focused on him, until he’s calm. Elliot finds telling stories about our pets — we also have a rescue Norwegian Forest cat called Torch, and a Toy Poodle named Midnight — a useful tool in expressing emotions he’d bottle up otherwise, but, if ever there’s blame to be apportioned, Zara is exempt. Torch and Midnight may come out as the fall guys, but never Zara.”
Elliot became a member of the charity Cats Protection last Christmas, and, a few months later, read about the National Cat Awards. He nominated Zara, who is now a finalist in the Family Cats category, in recognition of her place in the Barlow and wider church family. If she wins in her category, she will be up against the victors in three other categories for the title of National Cat of the Year 2024.
To vote for Zara, visit: cats.org.uk/nca