Y
Yes
Guest
Sanctus Bells have been a huge political football at my parish for at least a decade. The “lay liturgists” (LOL!) detest them and actually talked one of our former pastors to have them locked-up (hidden actually) in our parish museum. In defiance I bought a nice set just waiting for the day I could ring them.
While waiting for a new pastor we were blessed with a new parochial vicar who focuses on the Spanish-speaking members of our parish. I noticed that the servers who attended him rang a very small/inexpensive bell during Mass. One Sunday morning I was preparing to serve Mass for him and I asked if I could ring the bells during Mass. He said of course, after he blessed them! With the Book of Blessings in one hand and a holy water aspergillium in the other he bestowed upon them a most elaborate blessing.
The non-Spanish speaking members of the parish were pleasantly stunned to hear the bells – a few even became glassy eyed. On the other hand the lay liturgists’ heads were a very distinct shade of dark pink and they appeared if they could explode at any moment.
Our new pastor (a good man) prefers the bells not be rung at the Masses he celebrates and I respect that – he’s not militant and other priests are free to choose whether or not they are rung. People rountinely comment on how much they love the bells.
P.S. I told our parochial vicar about the bells being in the museum and he rescued them…
While waiting for a new pastor we were blessed with a new parochial vicar who focuses on the Spanish-speaking members of our parish. I noticed that the servers who attended him rang a very small/inexpensive bell during Mass. One Sunday morning I was preparing to serve Mass for him and I asked if I could ring the bells during Mass. He said of course, after he blessed them! With the Book of Blessings in one hand and a holy water aspergillium in the other he bestowed upon them a most elaborate blessing.
The non-Spanish speaking members of the parish were pleasantly stunned to hear the bells – a few even became glassy eyed. On the other hand the lay liturgists’ heads were a very distinct shade of dark pink and they appeared if they could explode at any moment.
Our new pastor (a good man) prefers the bells not be rung at the Masses he celebrates and I respect that – he’s not militant and other priests are free to choose whether or not they are rung. People rountinely comment on how much they love the bells.
P.S. I told our parochial vicar about the bells being in the museum and he rescued them…