The Bells of St. Teresa

For more than 50 years, the church bells of St. Teresa have pealed throughout the neighborhoods surrounding our parish. They've lifted our spirits, ringing out joyously to signify special celebrations such as weddings, confirmations, and Church holidays like Christmas and Easter. They've helped us to honor the memories of our loved ones as they rang in remembrance of lives dedicated to Christ. And they've focused us as a Catholic Community each and every week before the celebration of the Mass.

The bells of St. Teresa were crafted in Holland and imported to the United States in 1964. They were then brought to our parish, blessed, and incorporated into the construction of our current church, which was completed in 1965. Father Daniel Collins, our first pastor who served parishioners for 38 years, oversaw the installation of the bells as well as the opening of the church. The bells rang proudly for decades, proclaiming God's glory and uniting our faith community with our neighbors from the surrounding area.

But in 2008, our bells fell silent. Initial inspections indicated failure due to natural wear. Costs associated with fixing the bells totaled nearly $11,000. Because of other, more pressing financial obligations, the decision was made to disable the bells entirely until those obligations were addressed.

For nearly two years, the bells lay dormant in their spire, until the summer of 2010 when a second inspection was conducted by the Verdin Company. The Verdin Company was the original provider of the bells, and was able to determine during a more thorough inspection that the bells and their electronic components had actually been damaged by a lightning strike. This discovery enabled us to file an insurance claim to help repair the damage. The portion covered by insurance amounted to $9,000. The $2,000 insurance deductible was paid out of our parish funds. Now, once again, our bells ring proudly to the heavens as we rejoice in the presence of the Lord here on earth.

They are heard Saturdays and Sundays, fifteen minutes before the start of Mass, chiming at five-minute intervals to announce to the community the celebration and sacrifice about to take place, and to encourage us to quiet our minds, ready our hearts, and prepare ourselves for the Mass-calling us to the Lord's table.

Thanks to a generous donation of time and talent by Catholic Central alumnus, Rod Hatfield, you can also make the chiming of our church bells the ringtone on your cell phone. Following repair of the bells, Rod used his recording equipment to capture their joyous song. Click on the image below for a free download for your phone!

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Please help us in offsetting the cost for repairing the bells. Consider making a special donation to the weekend collection, sending a check payable to "St. Teresa Church" to our parish offices, or contacting us at 937-342-8861 with additional methods of support. Thank you, and God bless.