Catholics, do you hear the bells?

[AMcaptured]

We don't have bells anymore either but I still hear them in my head. I guess its sort of a subconscious pavlov's response....

 

[dmillerdmd]

We usually have them in our parish, but not during Lent. I'm not sure why, I'll ask our priest!

 

[Tracey1974]

My church growing up never did them but now that I have moved to PA, mine now does. It was surprising to me the first time I heard them because I had never heard them before growing up. I like them!

 

[twinklebug]

The main reason for the bells in the first place, was b/c Mass was said in Latin, with the priest facing tha altar. The bells rang when most imopratant part of mass was going on, it was a signal to those who didn't understand latin. I would imagine they have stopped in some churches b/c you can clearly see the priest holding up the Body of Christ.

Awww - you guys all spoiled my childhood belief that the bells were of the angels & saints all coming down to help the priest It's like... like... like finding out there's no easter bunny (please don't tell me this either!)

 

[lbgraves]

We usually have them in our parish, but not during Lent. I'm not sure why, I'll ask our priest!

It probably is for the same reason that the Gloria not being recited during Lent. I remember them being rung on Easter morning for the entire prayer. I always felt sorry for the kid who had to do that.

 

[MinnieM3]

I still hear the Latin, too.

Dominus vobiscum.
Et cum spiritu tuo.

Our parish still rings the bells.

All I could think of as a child was the priest was saying something about Nabisco and the number 2, 2, 0.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

From what I was told, the bells were rung to alert the parishioners that the Eucharist was being consecrated during the Latin Masses. Once the Masses were said in the vernacular, parishioners didn't need that signal anymore, however, tradition is hard to break, and many churches still continue this practice. My church stopped the bells in 2001, but I still hear them in my head, too.

We were also told that the American bishops had fought to keep the kneeling in American churches because Americans hold kneeling as a symbol of veneration. However, I believe the churches in Europe all stand from the Great Amen, and so we now also stand. In my church people also start from the back to the front to receive Communion.

Some of us kneel after the Eucharist has been returned to the tabernacle, and most sit.

 

[Pin Wizard]

I still hear them each time, and I miss them. Of course, there isn't much about Vatican II that I'm enthused about.

 

[joshsmom]

We haven't had bells for 3 years--when our new priest came on-board. He changed a lot and said we couldn't do the bells anymore because Vatican II said it was no longer "a necessity". I miss them but close my eyes and hear them as if they were there.

 

[swea_pea1]

We don't have them and yes, I still hear them in my head.

 

[candykisses]

All I could think of as a child was the priest was saying something about Nabisco and the number 2, 2, 0.

One morning our class went to mass. The boy in the pew behind me instead of saying, et cum spiritu tuo said, "Sally had a snotty nose." That was quickly followed by a firm slap from Sisiter Rosalia.

 

[drakethib]

I thought I was the only one who noticed the bells. FWIW I still hear them too.

 

[georgina]

No, I don't still hear them, but our church stopped them so long ago that I was pretty young. I usually am paying attention to what is going on at the altar, and make sure my kids are too, so I don't see the need for the bells.

 

[lizanne]

Growing up the altar boy would ring the bell three time for the host and three times for the chalice.

When I moved to this parish (28 yrs ago) there were no bells. Sometime around 1990 they started ringing the bell once for the host and once for the chalice and that's the way it is today.