My lifelong parish is St. Anthony’s Catholic Church on the corner of 9th and Mitchell on Milwaukee’s south side. I still attend and usher Sunday Mass every week.

“St. Anthony’s was the second German-speaking Catholic parish on the south side of the city. It was founded in 1872 by an overflow of 150 families from Holy Trinity church at South Fourth and West Bruce Streets. 

“In the German tradition, St. Anthony’s large bell tower is centered at the front of the church and it ranks as one of the mouth side’s most important visual landmarks.“
—The Wisconsin Historical Society

Part of the Angelus sequence.

Beautiful, right?

But not everyone would agree.

Consider the case of St. Theresa The Little Flower Catholic Church in the Memphis area. Last summer hundreds of local residents complained about their bells.

She couldn’t watch her TV. Poor baby.

On this Sunday today’s read is from John M. Grondelski, former associate dean of the School of Theology, Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey.  Here’s an excerpt:

We’ve lost a lot with the loss of church bells. They have a value.

And even when a church bell merely strikes the hour, it does more than just give you a chance to verify your watch’s accuracy. It’s more than just an addition to urban atmosphere. 

Read the entire column here.