The U.S. will get worse in the future.
That is to say, if the U.S. even HAS a future. At this rate, the
wrath of God hangs low on the horizon. If it were not for the
valid Masses being offered and the prayers of the Faithful, this
country would be
done for. Let history be our teacher.
How many novus ordo churches even have bells anymore?
I guess we can thank god for that.
Interesting note.. Some of the older towns still have them, but never ring them.
To the Protestant s credit , in the old towns around me, They play the bell music thru their towers. Lights up the whole town . Such peacfull sounds.
As a child in the 60's I recall hearing bells from church towers,
mostly protestant, and they rang various melodies. The only
places where I've heard
the real thing has been in Vatican
city at St. Peter's and at the plaza of St. Mark's in Venice.
I think the sound of the Venice bells is more impressive
somehow. Something about the way Venizia does things, I
guess. But to think that church towers all over Europe used
to do that -- it's one of the principle casualties of the two
world wars, methinks.
How about the Traditional Chapels ,, how many can you name that ring them at the Consecration, or before or after Mass. How many more would come to the doors, to find the true Mass, if they did ring them. Some thoughts.
Time was, when bells were a natural thing, they would ring for Mass a few
minutes in advance, and they would ring for the consecration, and they
would ring 3 times a day for the Angelus (or Regina Coeli), and they would
ring for a special, joyous occasion like a wedding, or an ordination. At
monasteries and convents they rang for the Divine Office, almost every
3 hours every day.
And they would ring for someone's death:
Ask not for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
(the worldly E. Hemingway, 1940, borrowed a line from John Donne 316 years prior):
There was a contention as far as a suit (in which piety and dignity, religion and estimation, were mingled) which of the religious orders should ring to prayers first in the morning; and it was determined that they should ring first that rose earliest. If we understand aright the dignity of this bell that tolls for our evening prayer, we would be glad to make it ours by rising early, in that application, that it might be ours as well as his whose indeed it is. The bell doth toll for him that thinks it doth; and though it intermit again, yet from that minute that that occasion wrought upon him, he is united to God. Who casts not up his eye to the sun when it rises? But who takes off his eye from a comet when that breaks out? Who bends not his ear to any bell which upon any occasion rings? But who can remove it from that bell which is passing a piece of himself out of this world? * No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were. Any man's death diminishes me because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee. . . .
(from Meditation 17 by John Donne, A.D. 1624)
* From Wikipedia (more literal transcription here):
"No man is an Island, intire of it selfe; every man is a peece of the Continent, a part of the maine; if a Clod bee washed away by the Sea, Europe is the lesse, as well as if a Promontorie were, as well as if a Mannor of thy friends or of thine owne were; any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankinde; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee."