Our new bell was blessed during Mass yesterday morning (Monday 12th August), with holy water, incense and the oil of Chrism, and dedicated to the honour of St Gabriel – the archangel who first announced the good news of salvation to Mary. After a successful days work, the bell rang the angelus for the first time at the start of Mass this morning (Tuesday 13th) which was offered for the intentions of all those who have supported our Centenary Appeal.
Earlier in the Summer Fr Matthew wrote a letter to parishioners to update progress on fundraising for the Centenary projects and give a rationale for the choice of a new bell as one of the ways we would mark our centenary: you can read that letter here. Since then, we have reached the point where 90% of the total cost of the two Centenary projects has been covered by legacies and special donations, with only 10% coming from regular parish funds.
The following article is due to appear in the Upminster Bulletin, to tell our local community what this signifies:
You may notice a new addition to the sounds of Upminster – the occasional chiming of a bell. From the outside, St Joseph’s Catholic Church on Champion Road looks like it has two bell turrets but until recently these have been empty. A church is meant to have a bell: the support of parishioners has enabled us to fill this gap to commemorate the centenary of our parish, along with the construction of a new prayer garden opened in March. What is it for? It is a reminder that the church is here, as a place where people gather for worship and as a sign of Christ’s continuing presence among us. It will chime for a couple of minutes before the weekend Masses as an invitation to join us in worship. Three times a day – 9.15am, midday and 6pm – it will chime in a distinctive pattern of three threes and a nine to accompany the prayer known as the Angelus. This reminds us of the moment when the Angel Gabriel announced the good news of human salvation to Mary. It will also chime twice in short succession during the celebration of Mass, when the bread and wine are offered at the altar to become the body and blood of Christ. The bell thus announces the good news of God’s love and his desire to share his life with us. If we notice it, perhaps it will prompt us to pause and consider this message.
If you wish to join in praying the Angelus, here are the words you can use: (Each group of three rings corresponds to a verse & response and a Hail Mary, and the nine rings go with the concluding prayer.)
The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary,
And she conceived by the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
Behold the handmaid of the Lord,
Be it done unto me according to Thy word.
Hail Mary…
And the Word was made flesh,
And dwelt among us.
Hail Mary…
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His passion and cross be brought to the glory of His resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord.
Amen.
