I awakened this morning unexpectedly thinking of a painful absence, the absence of the sounds of Church bells, which, when we were young, summoned us to to prayer and Mass. Not that we always appreciated this when young to be sure. But it was always there. It was just there, like the rising and setting of the sun. And in our better moments we knew it all had to to do with Jesus Christ, His redeeming Cross, His Teachings and Church.

In less lamentably secular times, church bells in Catholic cities, towns and villages across the globe typically rang at specific hours to both mark the time and to call the faithful to prayer. Now this increasing absence is another part of the Cross we have been called to carry in such a time as ours. So we try to remember and hear those bells in our hearts. Until better times, if God wills.

These were the traditional times for the Angelus prayer, a devotion commemorating the Incarnation of Jesus, and other prayers.

+Every hour+: Bells often rang on the hour to help regulate the daily schedule of the community 

+Before church services+: Bells would ring about 15 minutes before the start of Mass or other services to call people to worship 

The ringing of church bells served both practical and spiritual purposes, helping to structure the day and remind people of their faith

In our Catholic Faith, the hours when church bells rang were associated with specific canonical hours, which are times set aside for prayer. Some of the key hours, along with their Latin names are:

+Matins (Nocturns)+: Midnight or during the night

+ Lauds+: Early morning, around 3 AM to sunrise

+Prime+: First hour of daylight, around 6 AM

+Terce+ : Third hour of daylight, around 9 AM

– +Sext+ Sixth hour of daylight, around noon

+None+ : Ninth hour of daylight, around 3 PM

+Vespers+: Evening, around sunset, usually at 6 PM

+Compline+ : Night prayer, just before retiring for the night

And then it all began again, for prayer never ceases in Heaven. The ringing of bells helped signal these prayer times to the community. 

“Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”

I’m older now. And I very much miss the calls to prayer in the ringing of the Church’s bells.

Meanwhile in Europe and elsewhere the Muslim call to prayer five times a day is increasingly and bizarrely being approved by city councils and irresponsible myopic politicians.

+ Notre Dame Bells Ring Out In Paris For First Time Since 2019 Fire