From the time I was 11, until I married at 21, I lived nextdoor to our parish church, and loved to hear the church bells ring. I love church bells that actually play hymns, but sometimes the one tolling bell is even more effective--and affecting. I also like change ringing very much, and have often thought that it would be great fun (and exercise) despite the fact that my knowledge of it comes almost entirely from mystery novels, or BBC detective series in which a murder occurs in the vicinity of the bells.
Given that I have a gimpy elbow, I'm pretty sure that no change ringing lies in my future; however, now that I am a cantor in my parish, I get to ring the bell before 8:30 a.m. Mass on the weeks when I am singing. It is no easy job to ring it even 10 times, but it's great. When I rang it on the feast of the Holy Family, it was still dressed up from Christmas.
I wonder if the bell has a name. I will have to ask.
AMDG
