Snippets and Tippets

St. Edward's Bells

Powerful

Q & A

The word ‘Rite‘ means forms of worship or liturgy. There was always a Western Rite and an Eastern Rite in the One Church prior to the 11th century split. As Western Catholics, we believe and accept the same holy Faith as that professed and believed by our Eastern Orthodox Catholic brethren. But we express that one holy Faith in the traditional Western manner, and especially by our restoration of the traditional Rite of the Western Church in the celebration of Holy Mass, a rite which is our true liturgical inheritance.

We are the Western Catholic Church but we do not follow the Church of Rome. This means that the healing of the eleventh century split between the Eastern and Western Churches has begun.

WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?

It also means that we are a true restoration of the Catholic Orthodox believing Church, the Church of our forebears. Although our unity of Faith with our Eastern Orthodox Catholic brethren is a reality, it will take time for this to be publicly acknowledged. We, Western Rite Orthodox Catholics, are comparatively small in numbers. We now extend to many parts of the world, with a membership of many thousands in our overseas dioceses, but our numbers here in this country are comparatively small.

Powerful

I read in an old church magazine a story about four men on an airplane- a pilot and his three passengers. One was a boy scout, one a priest, and on the head of a powerful nation.

Suddenly in mid-flight, the plane developed engine trouble. The pilot announced to the cabin, "Make preparations! The plane is going to crash. We have only three parachutes and there are four of us!" The pilot said, "I have a wife and new baby twins. I must survive!" With that, he grabs one of the parachutes and jumps from the plane. The powerful leader then jumps forward and grabs the second parachute announcing, "I am a great and powerful leader, and millions will suffer if I die!" and he jumps out of the plane.

Trying his best to project a calm and peaceful voice, the priest says to the boy scout, "Young man, I am not a very important man. In fact, I am retired. I have no family left, and no one would miss me. You are still young, and you have your whole life ahead of you. Go ahead; you take the parachute." The young boy scout, even calmer than the priest, looks at him and says, "There is nothing to worry about, Father, there is no problem. The world's most powerful man jumped out of the plane wearing my backpack!"

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St. Edward's Carillon Bells

Our church Carillon Bells ring everyday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. with Westminster Clock chimes on the hour with hymns after the Angelus and at other times. So many people over the years have told me what an inspiration our bells have been to them during times of stress and anxiety.

The beautiful traditional and Marian hymns our bells bring daily to our neighborhood are filled with angelic strains reminding us that the holy angels sing with us in our worship and praise. The bells of St. Edward's are the voice of our church in our local community and their tones do indeed "touch and search the hearts of young and old," as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once said.

Recently, I received a beautiful letter from someone who had been touched by our church bells and its message, which I would like to share with you:

To the lovely church whose chimes ring our with joy,

Dear Pastor & Congregation,

For several years, I have enjoyed and appreciated the church chimes, and in particular, the Christmas music that helps us recall the true spirit of the holiday.

I live nearby and whether I'm working in the yard, reading in the house, or walking past the church, when I hear the chimes, I am instantly relaxed, happy, and rekindled. I reframe my thoughts and am grateful for the moment.

So, my sincere thanks to you and your lovely church, that so willingly shares its joyful sound.

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