Sanctus bells, a signal moment

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My copy of the New Oxford Review (July-August) came today, and there’s an article (p. 30 ff.) about the removal of the sanctus bells from the liturgy at a particular parish in the northeastern U.S.; the author of the article describes his attempts to determine the reasons for and significance of the change, and delves into the history of bells. I think he is stating that the bells help make explicit the distinction between the sacred and the secular, and have a long historical tradition. Do you agree with current trends in American liturgy, to de-emphasize bells in order to stress that all parts of the Mass are equal?
 
Our parish hasn’t used bells for years and I really miss them. I love to have bells, incense, and anything else that a King deserves. I personally feel the Catholic church in Åmerica has gone too far in taking the peoples attention off Jesus and putting it on themselves, the choir and any other thing that makes the people feel they did a wonderous job by just showing up. I felt more connected to the other people at mass years ago when everyone was more reverent and aware of the true presence of Jesus.
 
Do you agree with current trends in American liturgy, to de-emphasize bells in order to stress that all parts of the Mass are equal
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I don’t approve of deemphasizing the sanctus bells for any reason.

Are all parts of the Mass equal? All are necessary but I can’t think of the sign of peace being equal to the consecration.
 
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rosarywarrior:
Our parish hasn’t used bells for years and I really miss them. I love to have bells, incense, and anything else that a King deserves… I felt more connected to the other people at mass years ago when everyone was more reverent and aware of the true presence of Jesus.
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Do you want a reverent Mass? Well I’ll give you a reverent Mass if that is what you want.:yup:
These Masses are guarantteed to be reverent,trust me:
Washington
Archdiocese of Seattle
St.Joseph’s Chapel{Josephinium Residence}
1902 Second Avenue
Seattle
Mass at 9.30 AM[every Sunday] for more information go to www.unavoceww.com

Diocese of Yakima
Kennewick,WA
Church of St.Joseph
520 S.Garfield
Mass on the 1st,3rd,and 5th Sundays of the month at 4.00 PM

For more Traditional Latin Mass sites go to this website: www.unavoceww.com/mass.html
 
If you think about it the sanctus bells were used to signal to the laity when the important parts of the Mass were. This was because most people were doing their own private devotions during the Mass and couldn’t understand Latin. Since most of us don’t go to a Latin Mass and don’t carry out our own private devotions there doesn’t seem to be a real reason for having them. That being said it is ultimately up to the pastor as to whether he wants them or not. But if he doesn’t want them don’t argue with him, try to prove him wrong, or bad mouth him. The use of these bells doesn’t signify a devout or more Catholic parish. Contrary to what a lot of people around here seem to think.
 
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Mjohn1453:
If you think about it the sanctus bells were used to signal to the laity when the important parts of the Mass were. This was because most people were doing their own private devotions during the Mass and couldn’t understand Latin. Since most of us don’t go to a Latin Mass and don’t carry out our own private devotions there doesn’t seem to be a real reason for having them. That being said it is ultimately up to the pastor as to whether he wants them or not. But if he doesn’t want them don’t argue with him, try to prove him wrong, or bad mouth him. The use of these bells doesn’t signify a devout or more Catholic parish. Contrary to what a lot of people around here seem to think.
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I agree.

To many people the Sanctus bells are a beautiful tradition. But that is ALL the bells are. Their original purpose was to compensate for a problem that hopefully no longer exists. My old pastor actually thought that the bells signified a LACK of devotion to the Eucharist since they implied that people were incapable of knowing what was happening without them. (I think my pastor was probably over-reacting.)

Any discussions with the pastor regarding use of the bells should be based purely on aesthetics.
 
The use of these bells doesn’t signify a devout or more Catholic parish. Contrary to what a lot of people around here seem to think
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Where did anyone every say that? I don’t remember ever reading any post that said “sanctus bells signify a more devout and Catholic Parish”.

I do like them however because even if I don’t need them to tell me “hey it is the concecration time now, pay attention”, they do help serve to remind me at the elevation that this is the culmination of the entire Mass. They emphasize the solemnity of the moment " sanctus, sanctus, sanctus" and the profound joy that bell ringing brings to all occasions and reminds me to say thank you for this gift I am about to receive, you my Lord and My God.

Do I think that makes me more devout or more Catholic than you - of course not. It is just my personal preference that helps me be more connected.
 
We have them and I like them and we don’t even have a ‘traditional’ mass… I think I would miss them were I to attend a mass that didn’t have them.

dream wanderer
 
Ironically, I notice them more at masses where they are not used. I can’t help but hear them in my head! 🙂
 
As a former altar server, I always feel the need to ring the bells myself if I’m at a Mass that doesn’t use them. Interestingly, the Servitan parish I used to attend used wooden clappers instead of bells - I guess it must have something to do with poverty.

If the reason for getting rid of the bells, though, is to emphasize the equality of all parts of the Mass, then I say not only must we keep them, but we should make them louder. Christ doesn’t become present Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity during every part of the Mass. If someone tries to tell you otherwise, we have bigger problems than just disappearing bells.
 
I like the bells. They weren’t used in our church for several years but were brought back a couple of years ago. The priest that stopped using them said that they originated in the huge churches in Europe which were candle lit and had no sound systems. It really was difficult for people to follow the mass like we do today. They would utilize their own devotions and the bells would draw their attention at the appropriate time. It sounds irreverent by today’s standards but that’s the way it was. Even today, you might notice elderly people of european origen in church with their rosary, or reading during mass. This was their custom.
 
I agree with our eastern Catholic and Orthodox brothers that the church and divine liturgy / mass should be like heaven on earth.

For me a reverent, without being stuffy or pretentious mass with sanctus bells, incense, some latin in an older church with NO GUITARS or TAMBOURINES:) does it for me!

There probably is a bit of heaven with guitars and tambourines, but I won’t be visiting!🙂
 
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Patrick:
It really was difficult for people to follow the mass like we do today.
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This is false, the Mass was followed perfectly.
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Patrick:
They would utilize their own devotions
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They prayed the Mass devoutly, as is evident from prayer books pre-dating the Second Vatican Council.
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Patrick:
and the bells would draw their attention at the appropriate time. It sounds irreverent by today’s standards but that’s the way it was.
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Please don’t criticise the faith of Catholics who are either no longer present here, or who are not in the age category likely to be found using the Internet chat sites. Bells have a beautiful heritage and were by no means a way of waking up spiritually dead Catholics. What will you say to them in heaven, by the way, assuming the meeting occurs?
 
Most individuals, at some time, then and now, are prone to suffer distraction while at Mass for a whole cookbook of reasons.

The Sanctus bells, then and now can serve to bring us to the present moment and especially when that moment is when the Body and Blood of Christ are about to become manifest during the consecration.
 
Catholic Eagle:
Diocese of Yakima
Kennewick,WA
Church of St.Joseph
520 S.Garfield
Mass on the 1st,3rd,and 5th Sundays of the month at 4.00 PM

For more Traditional Latin Mass sites go to this website: www.unavoceww.com/mass.html

sigh I really hate to say this, but the Tridentine Mass community here in Kennewick is in need of a major overhaul. Each week, fewer and fewer parishioners are showing up (makes me nervous because our bishop has mandated that a certian number of people must attend to justify paying the gas bills of the priests who drive here from Toppenish to say Mass). We don’t have the resources to have High Masses or Solemn High Masses and the two priests that drive into town to celebrate Mass are doing their best, but are very old and although ordained before the Novus Ordo was promulgated, butcher the Latin quite badly in places and their English is hard to follow at times, too.

The man who serves the Tridentine Mass at St. Joseph’s, while well-intentioned, is pretty much a sedevacantist (I used to think he was SSPX and then he mentioned he goes to the CMRI churches near Spokane with his daughter when they can go), and there’s no music program to speak of because all we can have are low Masses. The clergy in residence at St. Joseph’s do not feel that the Indult Masses should be celebrated in the new church, so the Indult Masses are celebrated in the hollowed out shell that was the old church. All of the beautiful sanctuary appointments have been moved next door.

That said, the Novus Ordo community at St. Joseph’s is thriving and our Masses are becoming more and more orthodox every day! There’s even talk of allowing me to make some big changes to the music program, like training cantors to make sure that Gregorian Chant is used at Mass in my absence, and there’s talk of getting new hymnals! The new church is getting stained glass (it’s gonna be BEAUTIFUL! No modernist art here, thank you!) and statuary and… yeah. It’s gonna be great. Although I am in favor of phasing out the Indult Masses and reforming the Novus Ordo Missae, I don’t believe it’s time to let go of the Tridentine Indult at St. Joseph’s just yet. But there are a lot of forces at work that are trying to make that happen. Please pray for our Tridentine community!
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I think that the Consecration bells would especially appeal to children. I love them too but our priest doesn’t allow them. OTOH he has expressed concern over the fact that our children are not being properly cathecised to understand that the bread and wine are truly the Body and Blood of Our Lord. I think the bells can play a role, from the time the children are very tiny. It helps them to understand that something very important and mysterious is happening!
 
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krazykatlady:
I think that the Consecration bells would especially appeal to children.
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LOL you can say THAT again. On Tuesday night at Mass we had a younger child for a server and he rang the living crud out of those things, only to have one of the bells fly off. lol The children at my parish certainly realize that they signify that something very sacred is about to happen/is happening/happened and it really comes through when they have a chance to ring them.
 
sigh* I really hate to say this, but the Tridentine Mass community here in Kennewick is in need of a major overhaul. Each week, fewer and fewer parishioners are showing up (makes me nervous because our bishop has mandated that a certian number of people must attend to justify paying the gas bills of the priests who drive here from Toppenish to say Mass).
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I am sorry to hear that and hope the reason is that a lot of people are on vacations

Finding priests is becoming a problem though and I hope that more and more FFSP and Christ The King Seminaries can provide for future needs. Their seminaries are full however and so probably more are needed to train these priests. Pray.
 
we have the bells. they are rung @ both elevations of the Host and the Chalice.
 
I guess I would get used to them eventually but I always found the bells to be an annoyance. It’s like having an alarm go off while I’m trying to pray.
 
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