At
the time of writing this Christmas message bells have begun to ring
from the bell tower of St Mel's Cathedral.
For the people who live in
Longford the sound of bells, silenced by the fire on Christmas Day last
year, has been warmly welcomed. When the bells first rang out again
last week, people down below on the street broke into applause.
Very
fittingly at this time shortly before Christmas when minds are drawn
back to the horror of last Christmas the bells were like good news
announced from the heavens, like the voices of angels in Bethlehem who
proclaimed "glory to God in the highest heaven and peace on earth to men
who are God's friends".
In
Irish tradition bells have had a great significance. There is one old
bell which is greatly venerated in Ireland, known as the 'Bell of St
Patrick'.
Old tales about St Patrick say that when he founded a Church
and put a priest or bishop in charge he gave him a bell, as a kind of
symbol of his responsibility.
If that be so, then we can well imagine
that St Mel got his bell from Patrick when he appointed him to be Bishop
here. With that in mind I welcome the return of the sound of the bells
coming from the Cathedral which bears the name of Mel.
Sadly, old and
precious bells were severely fire damaged in our museum which was
destroyed on Christmas Day.
These bells had an ancient history and had
survived troubled times.
In a damaged state they will become a reminder
in time to come of the trauma we have experienced in the fire of
Christmas 2009.
Some
of the veneration of bells in Ireland came from the fact that bells
could not be rung in Catholic churches during the days of the Penal
Laws.
When this was no longer an issue, bells returned to their
honoured place in them. They were an important part of the furnishing
of our cathedral from the beginning. In St Mel's Cathedral they tolled
for many great occasions. They have also chimed the passing of the hours
of every day.
They were rung for Mass on Sundays and weekdays and
solemnly tolled for funerals. They called us to prayer three times
each day for the Angelus. For the twelve days of Christmas they played
the music of the carols.
Is it any wonder that we felt the silence like a cold hand upon us when the bells ceased to ring? Is it surprising that they have been welcomed back so joyfully?
Is it any wonder that we felt the silence like a cold hand upon us when the bells ceased to ring? Is it surprising that they have been welcomed back so joyfully?
It
is to the people who live in Longford that the Cathedral bells mean
most. But I hear them also as an invitation to the Diocese to seek new
hope this Christmas as we face the future with deep uncertainty about
many things.
We do have absolute certainty that the Lord who comes in
the celebration of Christmas will be with us now and into the future.
It is in the security of our faith that we will most surely find hope for the future. It is in the celebration of Christ's presence in the Mass of Christmas that we will experience the very heart of this Feast.
It is in the security of our faith that we will most surely find hope for the future. It is in the celebration of Christ's presence in the Mass of Christmas that we will experience the very heart of this Feast.
The
poet, John Betjeman, spoke of the many symbols of Christmas including
bells which are really only pointers to what is most central: "no love
that in a family dwells, no carolling in frosty air, nor all your
temple-shaking bells can with this single truth compare, that God was
man in Palestine and lives today in bread and wine".
Have a blessed and a joyful Christmas. +Bishop Colm O'Reilly
SIC: DAC/IE