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Manney
Guest
Is it wrong if the altar bells are not used at the moment of Consecration ("…which will be given up for you.")?
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Led_Zeppelin75
Guest
I personally do not like it. It can be used though.
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AnnieD
Guest
Our server’s always rang the bells at Consecration, but our new priest made them quit doing it. From what I have read, the ringing of the bells alerts the faithful that transubstantiation has taken place and that the body and blood of our Lord is truly present on the altar. It’s a long standing tradition. The bells are rung in the Basillica in Rome. It adds to the reverence and solemnity of the Mass.
Having said that, it is not an abuse to not ring them, it is left up to the discretion of the Priest. I really miss the ringing of the bells.
Annie
Having said that, it is not an abuse to not ring them, it is left up to the discretion of the Priest. I really miss the ringing of the bells.
Annie
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Franciscum
Guest
From GIRM #150:
"A little before the consecration, when appropriate, a server rings a bell as a signal to the faithful. According to local custom, the server also rings the bell as the priest shows the host and then the chalice."
So no, the ringing of Sanctus Bells during the Novus Ordo Mass is not mandatory. The original reasons for ringing Sanctus bells during the Mass were twofold:
1.) To make a glorious sound to the Lord (cf. Psalm 98.4)
2.) To alert those unable to attend the Mass that something supernatural was taking place on the altar and that they should show the proper reverence (the original Sanctus bells were large, tower-hung bells.)
The ancilliary benefit of centering people’s attention on the altar is a very distant third. Many who do not want the bells rung note this as the only reasons for the bells (which they suggest is now not needed as the celebrant faces the faithful) and this is utterly false and misleading.
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space_ghost
Guest
i love the bells… i always miss them when i am in a church that doesn’t use them… old fashioned i guess
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Franciscum
Guest
space ghost:
The ringing of Sanctus bells during the Mass is a very clear reminder of our heritage and the heritage of the Mass, and that upsets a great many people, although the tide seems to be turning.
The use (or non-use) of Sanctus bells is often a point of huge controversy in many parishes. Some confused souls believe their use is uneeded, retrogressive or worse, disallowed by the Church.i love the bells… i always miss them when i am in a church that doesn’t use them… old fashioned i guess
The ringing of Sanctus bells during the Mass is a very clear reminder of our heritage and the heritage of the Mass, and that upsets a great many people, although the tide seems to be turning.
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Deacon_Tony560
Guest
The history of the bells had some practical purpose. In the Latin Mass, many people would say their rosary and other prayers during Mass. The bells were rung to alert people to look up at the altar, because Jesus was appearing: Body,Blood,Soul,and Divinity. We still use them in my parish for Sunday Mass, but we hope the people are following the Mass.
May God bless you,
Deacon Tony SFO
May God bless you,
Deacon Tony SFO
M
Manney
Guest
Thank you for answering.
In one sense, I’m thankful it doesn’t make the Mass Illicit, but it really doesn’t feel like a Mass without the bells.
In one sense, I’m thankful it doesn’t make the Mass Illicit, but it really doesn’t feel like a Mass without the bells.
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Franciscum
Guest
Deacon Tony560:
Even with the Mass in the vernacular today, I would guess more people knew when the consecration took place back then when compared to today – bells or no bells.
At best that was a tertiary use for the Sanctus bells.
Even with the Mass in the vernacular today, I would guess more people knew when the consecration took place back then when compared to today – bells or no bells.
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katolik
Guest
Actually the Consecration occurs when the priest says
“This is my Body” and "This is the Chalice of My Blood, of the new and eternal covenant:Mystery of Faith,which is give up for you and for many for the remission of sins.
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GULaw
Guest
Um…I think Consecration occurs when the priest blesses the elements and asks the Father that they become the Body and Blood of Christ.
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Matty_Jo
Guest
My parish doesn’t use the bells, although I would like them to since most of the other churches I visit use them.
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Fergal
Guest
We have restored the triple ring for the elevations. Met a bit of opposition from two of our Priests but now it is the norm. There is a single ring at the imposition of hands over the gifts. They are three distinct rings in honour of the Holy Trinity.
There is a tradition of a single ring when the Priest received the Precious Blood. Maybe next year we will reintroduce this. What think ye???
What bugs me is that the laity are in a habit of taking the bells from the sanctuary when they anticipate that there may not be a server present i.e. 7.30am Mass. Once or twice the servers have been left bell-less whilst a lay member of the congregation takes it to his / her seat and rings it.
I thought it was the functioin of a server alone to ring the bells. Should this be corrected or is it ok to allow the laity to take the bells from the sanctuary and ring them??? Any ideas on how to dissuade the laity from doing so???
There is a tradition of a single ring when the Priest received the Precious Blood. Maybe next year we will reintroduce this. What think ye???
What bugs me is that the laity are in a habit of taking the bells from the sanctuary when they anticipate that there may not be a server present i.e. 7.30am Mass. Once or twice the servers have been left bell-less whilst a lay member of the congregation takes it to his / her seat and rings it.
I thought it was the functioin of a server alone to ring the bells. Should this be corrected or is it ok to allow the laity to take the bells from the sanctuary and ring them??? Any ideas on how to dissuade the laity from doing so???
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Franciscum
Guest
The single ring at the epiclesis is correct. The three rings at both elevations is debatible. The Church neither suggests nor prohibits this tradition – whose origin is really unknown, although the Holy Trinity theory is a leading one. EWTN uses a single long ring at both elevations. That’s good enough for me.We have restored the triple ring for the elevations. Met a bit of opposition from two of our Priests but now it is the norm. There is a single ring at the imposition of hands over the gifts. They are three distinct rings in honour of the Holy Trinity.
There is a tradition of a single ring when the Priest received the Precious Blood. Maybe next year we will reintroduce this. What think ye???
What bugs me is that the laity are in a habit of taking the bells from the sanctuary when they anticipate that there may not be a server present i.e. 7.30am Mass. Once or twice the servers have been left bell-less whilst a lay member of the congregation takes it to his / her seat and rings it.
The single ring at the point where the celebrant consumes the Precious Blood is not allowed for in the current GIRM. However, because it is part of the Tridentine Mass, and because the practice was not specifically abrogated by the new GIRM, it can still be employed from what I understand.
The bells should be rung from the sanctuary (or belfry) or not at all…
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Fergus
Guest
Bell at the Priest’s Communion?
This was deliberately removed from the Roman Mass in 1969. The Communion Rite had been significantly revised and the bell ringing was out of place. The Communion song begins during the priest’s communion anyway, so the bell would clash.
In the old form of the Roman Mass, the priest received Communion first, the bell was rung, and he THEN turned around with a particle of the host and said “This is the Lamb of God” as a further invitation to Communion and proceeded to distribute Communion to people. Thus, if people approached the altar rails at the communion bell, they were in place to receive when the priest said “This is the Lamb of God” etc.
Nowadays, then, this bell is not only defunct, but an interference in the way the order of Mass SHOULD proceed according to the legitimate authority.
This was deliberately removed from the Roman Mass in 1969. The Communion Rite had been significantly revised and the bell ringing was out of place. The Communion song begins during the priest’s communion anyway, so the bell would clash.
In the old form of the Roman Mass, the priest received Communion first, the bell was rung, and he THEN turned around with a particle of the host and said “This is the Lamb of God” as a further invitation to Communion and proceeded to distribute Communion to people. Thus, if people approached the altar rails at the communion bell, they were in place to receive when the priest said “This is the Lamb of God” etc.
Nowadays, then, this bell is not only defunct, but an interference in the way the order of Mass SHOULD proceed according to the legitimate authority.
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Franciscum
Guest
The Reverend Father John Trigilio PhD, ThD, disagrees with you:
Bell ringing during Communion?
Question from Bell Guy on 05-07-2004:
Why does the altar server give the sanctus bells a short ring as the priest celebrant consumes the Precious Blood on the televised EWTN daily Masses? I have never seen that in the current GIRM, and wondered if it was an unauthorized additon to the Mass?
Answer by Fr. John Trigilio on 06-22-2004:
The Sanctus Bells are rung when the Priest consumed the Precious Blood in the Tridentine Mass. The custom may be continued in the Novus Ordo since it is not explicitly forbidden nor suppressed. The GIRM and IGMR mention ringing bells at the Consecration but neither forbid the custom or tradition for ringing them at the Priest’s communion.
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Evan
Guest
The eastern and western church believe that the transubstantiation (consecration?) occur at different times. Since the Spirit has never revealed this, there is no definitive teaching on when it occurs.
At the epiclesis (sp?) or the words of institution.
The problem I see at the words of institution is that there are two actions and the body/blood of Christ is either present or not, not just the body or just the blood, but fully present under either form. So, would the bread be transubstantiated at one point and the wine at another?
I encourage ringing at all three times because we don’t know when the miracle occurs.
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