Bells at Mass

[drswagman]

At our church, they recently implemented a new change, namely, not ringing any bell’s throughout the liturgy, i.e at the time of consecration, at the elevation of the body and blood of Christ. This seem’s improper. Does the pastor or Bishop has the authority to make such changes with the mass? Are there not general guidelines to follow? How should we go about correcting this situation, we are from the Diocese of Erie and it may be coming from the Bishop?

 

[Corki]

The bells are optional. I love the bells and am very happy that my pastor returned them when he came. It’s unfortunate that they are being surpressed in your parish. I hope it’s not coming from the bishop.

 

[acadian]

When it happened at our parish, it was because we had a new pastor. When one of the altar servers asked him why we didn’t have bells any more (none of the rest of us were brave enough to ask), he simply said that using the bells was an option that he did not wish to exercise.

I missed the bells at first, but no longer. His consecration is so reverent, so solemn, so beautiful that it gives me goosebumps much of the time.

 

[PatriceA]

Our parish just recently decided to go back to ringing the bells, and I really appreciate it.

 

[japhy]

At our church, they recently implemented a new change, namely, not ringing any bell’s throughout the liturgy…

Perhaps the change took place at the beginning of Lent? That might be the reason…

You should ask your pastor about it, though. We can give guesses here, but we don’t know the reason for sure: your pastor does.

 

[thirdn6]

Sometimes to NOT have it is better than having it…

Tell me, folks, how can you become reverent during the consecration if what you hear is not ringings but KLOK… KLOK…KLOK, KLOK…KLOK…KLOK, …

I almost burst into laughter when I first heard it. “What the heck was that?” Ahhhh…:banghead:

 

[dachsiemom2]

I love the bells

A few months ago one of the alterboys started to ring the bells at the consecration and something broke - the bells individually went bouncing down the steps and across the front of the church.

 

[Georgia]

We once had a pastor who stopped the ringing of the bells, saying that he found the ringing to be a distraction.

I was happy to see their return with the new pastor.

 

[drswagman]

Thanks everyone. I guess I had hoped it wasn’t an option. We were just told that in the latin mass it was necessary because everyone could always folllow the mass, but now that it is in the vernacular it isn’t necessary. I obviously disagree.

 

[IrishAm]

I guess I had hoped it wasn’t an option.

Ouch. You would rather your parish was being disobedient? I’d much rather know my pastor was choosing an option I didn’t care for than disobeying the directives.

 

[japhy]

We were just told that in the latin mass it was necessary because everyone could[n’t] always folllow the mass, but now that it is in the vernacular it isn’t necessary. I obviously disagree.

I disagree too. The ringing of bells during the epiclesis and at the elevations of the Sacred Host and Chalice is a laudable custom which, in my opinion, should be retained. However, it is up to each celebrant to decide whether to include it or not.

 

[mariakatherine]

He very well may have just discontinued their use during Lent.

 

[CatholicZ09]

There is that possibility that the practice was discontinued during Lent. My parish did that one year.

The bells are optional, however as stated above. My parish started using them when a member of the parish council asked our pastor if he could use them during the Mass. He said he would, and we use them at every Mass. However, we have that problem with altar servers not ringing the bells hard enough, or ringing them the wrong way. I think the sacristan should tell them/show them how to ring it the right way so it sounds pleasant and loud. I know some people get aggravated if they aren’t rung the right way, or aren’t loud enough.

 

[Nicea325]

**

Thanks everyone. I guess I had hoped it wasn’t an option. We were just told that in the latin mass it was necessary because everyone could always folllow the mass, but now that it is in the vernacular it isn’t necessary. I obviously disagree.

**

I remember as an altar server having to ring the bells. But let us not get ahead of ourselves here. The Mass is about Jesus not the bells.

 

[SenorSalsa]

What I like about bells, is they are near impossible to mess up. Any kid old enough to serve can learn how to shake something. And at the same time, when done right, and with nice bells, they sound beautiful.

Also, bells aren’t entirely useless in a vernacular Mass. For example, I have taken to the custom of making a profound bow during consecration (while kneeling, I bow my head as far as possible without it hitting the pew in front of me). However, the elevation of the Eucharist was put into the Mass so that people could see and adore the consecrated Host and Chalice. So at this point, I look up. With bells, I simply look up when the bells ring (especially easy when done in the 1+1(or 3)+1 way, with the first at the bow, the second at the elevation, third at the genuflection). Without bells, I have to just time it right to make sure I look up before the priest lowers the host. This may seem like a nonproblem, but when some priests pause for 5 minutes before elevation, and others go right into it, its hard to judge sometimes.

However it has also been noted here that, even if your pastor did not get rid of this, the bells should stop being rung after Holy Thursday’s Gloria, at which time they may be replaced with a wooden clapper, until the Easter Vigil’s Gloria.