The parish bell which calls us to worship was purchased on July 5, 1977. Ellie Krupa, Mike Rouen, and Fr. Judice traveled to Mineola, a small town near Tyler, Texas, to see some bells that were saved from old churches which could be called into service once again a as parish bell.
In a wooded field, bells randomly were scattered about waiting to be reclaimed. A tractor was used to lift each bell off the ground and allow them to sing their song once again. A bronze bell struck in Holland and blessed by Bishop Mariano S. Garriga of Corpus Christi for a church in his diocese, was finally chosen for our church.
Swinging Bell
Our parish bell is a swinging bell. "At the pull of a bell rope, the bell swings back and forth, causing the clapper inside to strike it. The change in tone and volume as the bell moves toward and away from the listener creates the familiar sound, 'Ding Dong'."-Verdin Bells
When Do Our Bells Ring?
Nowadays, we usually ring our bell 5-10 minutes before the start of Mass. Our bell also tolls (rung slowly) at a funeral and for festive occasions, such as the election of a pope, on July 4th and other significant celebrations demanding a certain joyous solemnity.
A bronze bell named, Maria Guadalupe, was considered especially relavant to our parish because St. Luke was the gospel writer who wrote most fully about Mary. The name also has special significance for the Hispanic members of our parish. Maria Guadalupe, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin and cast in 1958 was purchased for our parish and has been calling the faithful to mass, announcing our most joyous and solemn occasions ever since.
"Bells make a daily statement that the church is alive and well in the local community"
— Lawrence Thomas, Cincinnati, Ohio