Sanctus Bells: should they be brought back?

[scylla]

Bringing back Sanctus bells probably won’t change this assumed situation either.

No, just doing one thing does not change everything. It is a step in the right direction of rediscovering the Catholic faith.

There are many things which point to Christ in the Eucharist, Catechesis, reverence, the actions of the Priest, kneeling, etc.
Sometimes changing one thing does little or a lot to help or hurt.

Those who want to deny the Presence of Christ know this and seek every way to undermine the use of reminders that Christ is present. If you can change traditions you can change peoples belief and ultimately the hope is to change the requirement to believe.

God Bless
Scylla

 

[mercygate]

I believe the point was to call attention to the particular point in the mass while it was in Latin and people were not all able to follow along. Therefore, it is not necessary in the vernacular since we all should be well aware of this point in the mass unless we are just daydreaming. I personally find the bells startling and they break my concentration.

I find that even the most attentive of us may occasionally wander a little, and the bells call my full attention back to the sacreness of the moment.

The Latin argument is, for my money, a quibble that does not carry the point.

 

[KarenElissa]

My NO parish has them. We don’t use them at regular weekday Masses, no altar servers, but at all the weekend Masses and Holy Day Masses they are used. I like them and miss them during the week.

 

[mercygate]

I don’t understand how this can be, since the bells are rung at predictable points in the Mass.

Surely, wouldn’t crying babies would be considered more startling?

Now, how obvious is THAT? But sometimes, they do sort of jangle ya! (heh heh)

 

[wifenmommy]

:extrahappy: We have two sets at our parish that are rung at every Mass!! I love 'em!!!

 

[Spiller]

Now, how obvious is THAT? But sometimes, they do sort of jangle ya! (heh heh)

You’re also not a priestly celebrant of the Mass. It’s tough to imagine the level of concentration some priests have at these points in the Mass. I can really see how they would startle some…

 

[Spiller]

My NO parish has them. We don’t use them at regular weekday Masses, no altar servers, but at all the weekend Masses and Holy Day Masses they are used. I like them and miss them during the week.

Wot is a “NO parish?” You mean your Catholic parish?

 

[AJV]

Every Catholic church I’ve been to has had Sanctus “bell” (which includes bells, gongs, switches with ting-tong, and piano ‘bell’ tunes). Even the most liberal! The first time I came to know that there were parishes without bells was through the Internet. I was watching EWTN some years back, and it was a Mass from the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. I kept waiting for the bell when the celebrant elevated the Species. It was quite odd without them.

 

[DL82]

All the Catholic Churches I’ve been to still use them, at least for the Sunday mass and other major celebrations.

 

[Spiller]

Every Catholic church I’ve been to has had Sanctus “bell” (which includes bells, gongs, switches with ting-tong, and piano ‘bell’ tunes). Even the most liberal! The first time I came to know that there were parishes without bells was through the Internet. I was watching EWTN some years back, and it was a Mass from the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. I kept waiting for the bell when the celebrant elevated the Species. It was quite odd without them.

That has finally changed…

 

[bpbasilphx]

The main purpose of the Sanctus bell (which is ideally a single bell and not the cluster of several) was to signal the bellringer to ring the tower bell at the appropriate time to let people who couldn’t be a church know what was going on in the Liturgy.

 

[Spiller]

The main purpose of the Sanctus bell (which is ideally a single bell and not the cluster of several) was to signal the bellringer to ring the tower bell at the appropriate time to let people who couldn’t be a church know what was going on in the Liturgy.

Nope.

First, you are right – historically a sanctus bell was a large tower bell – in the main tower (where the bell-ringer could monitor the Mass by sight) and later, atop the rood screen. It’s primary purpose has always been to create a thankful noise to God. It’s secondary reason is to let those know that something miraculous inside the Church is taking place.

As more and more people were able to attend Mass, the sanctus bell went from the bell loft to a mounting on or near the rood screen. It finally ended-up in many cases as either a wall-mounted or hand-held bell.

Using hand-held bell(s) to signal the bell-ringer up in the tower or bell loft might have happened, but it would have been isolated cases.

 

[twf]

Most parishes I’ve been to have had and used sanctus bells. It always disappoints me when I don’t hear them.

 

[acadian]

My previous pastor used the sanctus bells and I liked hearing them.

Our new pastor does not use them, and for a while I was disappointed. However, it is still the Mass. What happens is still a miracle, and I do not need the bells to call my attention to it.

If bells ring, great. If there are no bells, that’s fine, too.

 

[MusicMan]

If the purpose of the bells is to alert the Faithful to moment of the Eucharistic Miracle occurring, then I’d argue that having the Mass in the vernacular eliminates the need to have the bells.

If the purpose of the bells is to make a joyful and thankful noise to God for the Miracle of the Eucharist, then they should be rung loudly and boisterously at every consecration.

 

[Guitar]

They never went away as far as I’m aware. Never been to a Mass where they weren’t used unless it was a weekday or nuptial Mass where the priest had no acolyte or servers.

 

[Colmcille]

If the purpose of the bells is to alert the Faithful to moment of the Eucharistic Miracle occurring, then I’d argue that having the Mass in the vernacular eliminates the need to have the bells.

If the purpose of the bells is to make a joyful and thankful noise to God for the Miracle of the Eucharist, then they should be rung loudly and boisterously at every consecration.

MusicMan, Amen my friend! (ah-men, not the trendy ay-men). A few years ago I was on a Sunday morning walk (we had attended Saturday evening mass) with my (our) young son and we heard some far off church bells that rang to signal the beginning of services at a Christian Reformed church at least five or six miles away. It was beautiful music and a clear signal of an important event. (We’re kind of out in the boonies above the 45th parallel.) Our parish had just abandoned the bells recently and I was deeply saddened at the short-sighted action by the nouveau-empowered. I told the young 'un that there was a Scientific American article a few years back about the development of the bell in ancient China and how important it has been throughout history for various causes and functions. We, the people are all different with different gifts and different frailties, etc. Some people cannot sense all that the “average” person can. The bell is a good way to alert those who, for any of various reasons are not aware of an event or impending event. I had a short discussion about losing the Sanctus bells with our DRE/CCD person and had to listen to a lot of hogwash and horsefeathers about the bishop’s recommendations about modernizing, blah, blah, blah. We are becoming less educated, less refined, less civilized Catholics because of throwing out meaningful traditions with the bathwater. I was overjoyed that a Presbyterian congregation was singing “Faith Of Our Fathers” and sat in wooden pews; dismayed at a Catholic Church “yanking all the pews and replacing them with chairs (no kneelers)”, and singing a bunch of Sesame Street-like songs to saloon-style piano music. Bring back the bells! Colmcille

 

[maherite1977]

Our twinned Parishes use Sanctus bells all the time. We are two very traditional Polish Parishes. Both of our churches have a pair of Sanctus bells with two different pitches to them. We ring them at least four times a Mass - when the priest places his hands over the gifts, at the elevations, and at the consumption of the Precious Blood by the priest. We also like to use them a fifth time at the beginning of the Sanctus on Holy Days of Obligation and special feasts in the Parishes.

What is really cool is that the last set of bells - when rung at the consumption of the Precious Blood - give an indication to the EMHC’s that it is time for them to approach the altar to receive the Precious Body and Blood.

During the Sacred Triduum, specifically on Holy Thursday, we replace our bells, after using them for the last time at the Gloria, with wooden clackers that are “clacked” in sets of threes at the elevations and in the procession of the Blessed Sacrament to the tomb of Jesus. I love the fact that we totally get rid of the bells during Holy Thursday and Good Friday - reminding us that Jesus died a sad, terrible death for our sins. The bells are joyful and the absence of them is definitely noticed - as it should be. It is a great sound when they return on Holy Saturday during the Gloria.

Tradition is awesome - especially when you get to appreciate it!

 

[Colmcille]

Our twinned Parishes use Sanctus bells all the time. We are two very traditional Polish Parishes. Both of our churches have a pair of Sanctus bells with two different pitches to them. We ring them at least four times a Mass - when the priest places his hands over the gifts, at the elevations, and at the consumption of the Precious Blood by the priest. We also like to use them a fifth time at the beginning of the Sanctus on Holy Days of Obligation and special feasts in the Parishes.

What is really cool is that the last set of bells - when rung at the consumption of the Precious Blood - give an indication to the EMHC’s that it is time for them to approach the altar to receive the Precious Body and Blood.

During the Sacred Triduum, specifically on Holy Thursday, we replace our bells, after using them for the last time at the Gloria, with wooden clackers that are “clacked” in sets of threes at the elevations and in the procession of the Blessed Sacrament to the tomb of Jesus. I love the fact that we totally get rid of the bells during Holy Thursday and Good Friday - reminding us that Jesus died a sad, terrible death for our sins. The bells are joyful and the absence of them is definitely noticed - as it should be. It is a great sound when they return on Holy Saturday during the Gloria.

Tradition is awesome - especially when you get to appreciate it!

What a great posting! Thank you and God bless you and yours!!! Colmcille

 

[hasikelee]

In my experience, most “Ordinary Form” parishes did away with sanctus bells years (decades) ago, and most Catholics under 20 or 30 may have never even heard them or know what they are.

Do you think sanctus bells should be re-instituted and used regularly? Why or why not?

Here’s an excellent resource on the topic:

geocities.com/sanctusbells/

I absolutely love them. They are used at every Mass in our parish. Something about them has conditioned extreme emotions of goodness for me.