By day, Fr. Michael Lenz is the ultimate pinch-hitter, substituting for pastors in Roman and Byzantine-rite churches within a 60-mile radius of Greater Pittsburgh. “When I have to do both in one weekend, I get a little confused” because of the difference in liturgies, he admits. “But I enjoy it immensely.” By night, Mike is the ultimate dog-walker, a faithful volunteer at Pittsburgh’s largest no-kill shelter, Animal Friends. “It fulfills the need for me to have a dog in my life,” says Mike, whose growing-up years were graced with the presence of a yellow Lab mix named Corky. Most dogs that end up at Animal Friends are castoffs; some were cruelly abused. All of them benefit from Mike’s patience, his understanding and his gentle affirmation. “The dogs do more for me than I do for them,” he says. “They help me relax; it gives me a nice outlet.” As any animal lover will attest, “They all have their own personalities,” some of which so endear themselves to him that “when they’re adopted, I go through a grieving process. I miss them terribly.” Mike’s favorites, of course, are the Labs, but “I have deep respect for all the dogs,” he says. “I’m always in awe of how wonderful God is that he created these animals. I see God’s goodness in them.”