Why do we put up with fake stuff?

[lak611]

Training bell-ringers is one of the most beloved traditions at my parish. It’s not strenuous to ring bells. A lot of real bells are also automated these days…

Many candles have been burned 24/7 in my parish church for well over 100 years. While permits are often needed for open flames from the local FD, I don’t know of a single FD that would refuse to grant a license to a Catholic parish – particularly if the pastor called the FD.

If people learned how to treat candles there would be a lot less clean-up. (In my best Frazier Crane voice) using a proper snuffer ensures wax won’t be splashed everywhere.

I watched a woman light the sanctuary candles the other day. She was using matches. She dropped each match in the wax-collector – perfectly visible to the faithful. Talk about disrespect for the sanctuary. I’m not sure about the background of that lady, but that’s simply crude.

EVERYONE loves bells!

My parish has real bells, but no bell ringers are necessary. The bells are automated. We got the bell system installed about 10 years ago. They had envelopes in the pews for donations to fix the bells. People donated because everyone loves bells.

We have real candles too. I used to be EMHC at the evening Mass (we do not have daily Mass in the evening any more). Before Mass, I would light the candles (with the little wick on the long handle that also has a snuffer–don’t know the name for it) because we had no altar servers at the evening Mass. Nobody saw me use matches. I lit the wick with the match in the sacristy before coming out to light the candles. I also extinguished the candles after Mass using the snuffer. There was no mess.

 

[Cavaille-Coll]

Is it really a question of parish wealth? We have a very small parish without a lot of money, but I’ve never seen “fake” bells, candles and the like. Sounds weird, electric candles? God help you. Tim

Google the websites of Schulmerich, Verdin, Maas-Rowe, Chime-Master, Van Bergen, or similar companies and listen to the sounds of their electronic systems. Most of them use CD’s or digital samples of real bells, but THEY"RE STILL FAKE! However, one must differentiate between electronic bells, which broadcast bell sounds through speakers, and electrified bells, which are real bells swung or struck by an electric motor or solenoid instead of by a hand-pulled rope. The latter are still real bells.

 

[CatholicCajun]

A few years back we had electric “candles” our priest at the time said it had something to do with the fire marshall and insurance, although, the surrounding parishes still had their regular candles, so I don’t know what to tell you.

 

[lak611]

However, one must differentiate between electronic bells, which broadcast bell sounds through speakers, and electrified bells, which are real bells swung or struck by an electric motor or solenoid instead of by a hand-pulled rope. The latter are still real bells.

We have electrified bells at my parish. The bells are struck by a solenoid, but they are real bells. We do not have speakers broadcasting bell sounds.