Church bell consecration is milestone for St. Peter Church in Volo
About 90 parishioners young and old lined the lawn at St. Peter Church in Volo on Tuesday for the Consecration of Bells, a reverent and historic occasion.
Speaking in Latin, Bishop Joseph Perry led prayers during the solemn ceremony that brings the small congregation closer to a long-sought objective as it nears its 150th anniversary next month.
The center of attention was a bronze bell dated 1902, a precursor of the current church and adjoining but closed parish school that opened in 1926.
Blessings were sought so at the sound of the bell, "the fiery darts of the enemy, lightning strokes, hailstorms and the damage of tempests may be driven far away."
The Gothic-style tower that housed the bell was damaged in a storm in 1961. It was removed and replaced with a conical structure and the bell set aside for decades before being placed in front of the church.
Last fall, workers using original blueprints began rebuilding the tower as it had been in 1926. The bell has been off-site to renew the hardware and fixtures to hold it in place and allow it to ring again.
"I'm glad they left the patina on the bell. That's nice," said parishioner Ken Regner, one of the few attendees who actually heard the sound of the bell when it last rang about 60 years ago.
Perry blessed the bell with chrism oil, incense and water in a ceremony similar to a Catholic baptism. The bell is now in the service of God, Pastor Anthony Rice said.
"This is an important moment for our tradition and faith and we wanted to be part of it," said Ann Bielowicz, who brought four of her six children. Congregation members for 16 years, the family moved to Hawthorn Woods "but we kept this as our parish because it's family," she said.
As it has since last fall, the 90-foot scaffolding has remained in place as work continues to rebuild the tower. Weather permitting, two large limestone pieces and a limestone cross will be set Monday to complete the spire. Then, four identical finials will be set in place.
"These are the final decorative pieces. It's a very exciting time," said Jeff Berglund, project manager. "By the end of next week the structure will be there."
The bell will be reinstalled by June 1 and the scaffolding dismantled soon after.
The bell will sway and strike the ringer on the hour and other occasions.