Bells

Okay, the other day at Mass during the Eucharistic prayer bells were being rung.  They ring them every Sunday as far as I can tell.  At least ways, at our church. I don't think every church does anymore. I think I always had an incling of what they meant but was never really sure. So, I decided to look up the answer today and see why they are rung. I went to two different places. I found answer at Padre Pio.org and Catholic Answers.com.

For the most part every one agreed that the history of  bells being rung during the time of Latin Mass was to alert the congregation that the consecration was taking place. In other words, the Holy Spirit was doing His work through the priest of changing the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. Back in the time of the Latin mass and pre-Vatican II the priest had his back to the congregation and spoke quieter and so it was difficult for everyone to know what was going on. When I think about it,  we are so used today to the priest facing us and mostly microphones so the priest can be heard. I'm not sure if we remember that there was a time when we didn't have the technology we have today and people needed to use other means to alert people to what was going on. I, also, read that many times the churches were very crowded and there weren't pews or enough pews for every one and not everyone could see what was going on. Again, the bells would alert people to the happening event.
One other reason I read on Catholic Answers for the ringing of the bells was it would also alert people who were out in the fields, not at mass, to what was happening. This would give them the reminder to pray and their need for Jesus.
So, why do still use the bells? Well, they are still a good way to keep us focused and remind us of what is happening. It is so easy for our minds to wander.

I find it interesting they are rung three times, in reference to the Trinity.