Bring back the bells!

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We use bells in weekday Masses and the gong and bells on Sundays. If there is no altar server then the sacristan rings the bells. My parish is so used to it that people don’t reflect that after the Sanctus and Agnus Dei we kneel if there are no bells heard so they keep on standing until enough people around them go down on the knees. I am sure that this is sometimes due to language issues and people coming from several of the Eastern church Divine Liturgies.
 
my parish has the altar servers use the bells all the time. I see no reason why not to use them.
 
I think SOME people think it’s too hard (or too much work) to train the altar servers, but it really isn’t
 
I agree. Why would it have become too difficult all of a sudden after having them do it for so many years?
 
Where I live and as far as I know, bells are eventually used to mark the passing of time.
Some churches don’t even have an actual bell and only use some sound system.
 
As they say, I love all the bells and whistles. They are subtle reminders are to what we are really doing and are beautiful. And then the incense!
 
My parish has always used the bells during the consecration. The ringing of the bells, when rung correctly, help me enter into a deeper sense of contemplation, as I know what is coming next. There’s almost more mindfulness when we ring the bells.
 
Every parish I’ve been to has bells, even the really small and simple ones. At worst they do nothing for me. However, normally they really help draw my attention to what’s going on. It also helps with Lent by replacing them with something less pleasant or removing them all together.

So I’m all for bells!
 
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FYI, the altar bell wasn’t used until the late 12th century and even then in Western Europe it’s use varied.

The larger bell in the belfry was rung at the Consecration, to inform those outside the church, of the event that the bread and wine was becoming the body and blood of Christ.

Believe it or not, there was a time when people paid to get a seat in the church and the wealthy got the best seats up front, being they were the benefactors in the building the church.

The poor had to stand in the back, and out the door if necessary.

Anyway, smaller churches which did not have a belfry, used a small bell inside.

I was at Masses at the Cathedral in France where they still rang the large bell in the belfry.

In fact, the Trappist Monastery I often attend, they ring their large bell in the belfry at the Consecration and also at Benediction when the priest raises the monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament,

Either way, it’s all good !

Jim
 
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I notice that when the Holy Father celebrates daily Mass in the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae bells are not used .
 
As an altar boy - I loved - lighting the candles before mass -
Then the water washing help of the Priests hands -
and the bells !

I’m astounded - when an older helper at mass -
shakes the bells with such rapidity of force.
Even now - with the age of cell phone tones -
the ringing of the bells should be done gracefully, angelically, reverently,
like a sweet smelling odor - heavenwards !
 
My pet peeve about how bells are used is when the alter server puts down the bells before they have died out normally. This produces a jarring stop to the sound and is very un-bell like. Just hold the thing off the floor for a few seconds after the ringing stops and let them fade away gradually.
 
2 of my kids were altar servers. One priest wanted the bells rung one way and the other priest, another way. So how fast, how long, and how it is “ended” can all be dictated by who the priest is at that mass, and his personal preference.
 
Bells, for sure! We have bells during Mass and another parish I occasionally visit has no bells but a “ding” sound coming from somewhere.
 
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7_Sorrows said:
My parish has never had bells. I like them.
I also like the bell rung before the priest enters.
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Yes. Our “side” entrants use one loud “ding” sounding like the hotel counter bell that Chester Goode and Festus Haggin pounded to wake up the snoring night clerk at The Dodge House on Gunsmoke. (In our case, it’s snoring parishioners…)

We have always used sanctus bells in one form or another. The parish started in the 60’s with a three dinger gong at the Epiclesis and both Elevations. We progressively moved on in the 80’s to the tiny cruise ship xylophone-thingy used to announce dinner, etc.: “cocktails are now being served on the Lido Deck…” ) Smart-aleck altar boys really abused those babies! mm-hmm. 😃 We are currently going with the more traditional shake-and-rattle variety.

Wonder what’s next!?
 
I love the bells. They were always used in my old parish in San Diego, and they’re always used in my new parish in Idaho.
 
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