Saint
Dominic Parish
Shortsville & Manchester, New York
Diocese of Rochester
After
102 years, our church has a real bell!
The
Story of Our New Church Bell:
Palm Sunday evening to Monday of Holy Week,
March 24/25: The bell is purchased.
Father
Gagnier traveled to Brooklyn, Michigan to hear and purchase the bell. The bell
is made of cast iron, rings with a "G" note, and originated with a
collector in Kentucky. It was made by C S Bell Company in Hillsboro, Ohio. Its
age is unknown. It is 27 inches in diameter at the base and weighs 575 pounds
with its yoke, wheel and tolling hammer. The bell assembly can toll for
funerals and peal for other occasions.
World's largest dealer of historic and pre-owned bells
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Bob
Brosamer with some of his bells.
Holy Thursday March 28, 10:00 AM: The bell
arrives at Shortsville.
The bell arrived by Roadway Express Truck,
wrapped in "shrink-wrap." Six men removed the bell from the truck.
Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday, March 30
& 31, 2002: The bell is presented to the parish.
The bell was presented to the parish as an Easter gift by Father Gagnier.
It was tolled and pealed at each Easter Mass, and displayed in the sanctuary until installation.
Wednesday, April 17: The bell gets its name
Saint John Fisher 1469-1535
Fourth
Sunday of Easter, April 21: Article from the Church bulletin
"The blessing of our new bell will be
on Tuesday April 23 at 10:15 AM followed by Mass at 10:30 AM.
It will be blessed by Very Reverend John
Mulligan, Vicar General of the Diocese of Rochester.
It is traditional that a church bell is
named after a Saint. Ours will be named for the patron Saint of the Diocese,
Saint John Fisher (1469-1535) who was a Cardinal and Bishop of Rochester in
England for 31 years. He was beheaded on orders of King Henry VIII.
Saint John Fisher was named a Saint by
Pope Pius XI.
Attending the canonization in Rome in 1935
was the Bishop of Salt Lake City,
Most Rev. James E. Kearney (1884-1977.)
Named Bishop of Rochester in 1937, the Bishop made a point to let the story of
Fisher be known.
At his request, St. John Fisher was named Patron of the Diocese and a college was founded in his name in 1948.
In 1952, Rochester, NY Catholics
contributed to help build the Church of Saint John Fisher in Rochester England,
the first Catholic Church in that city since the Reformation.
Although the two Rochesters are similar
only in name, we have a spiritual connection thanks to Bishop Kearney.
The coat of arms of the English Diocese,
founded in A.D. 604, is a red St. Andrew cross on white background, with a
scallop shell in the center. The shell is a traditional symbol of pilgrimage to
Canterbury. This is used on the left side of the seal of St. John Fisher and of
the College.
The coat of arms of our Diocese was
designed in 1933 by a noted heraldry artist, Pierre LaRose, using the same
cross on gold background, but with a crescent moon, a symbol of the Mary under
the title of the Immaculate Conception, patroness of the USA. This shield is
used on the left side of our bishop's seal."
Left: Coat of Arms of the Diocese of
Rochester, England founded A.D. 604
Center:
Saint John Fisher (1469-1535) 68th Bishop of Rochester, England
Right:
Coat of Arms of the Diocese of Rochester, New York founded A.D. 1868
Tuesday, April 23 10:15 AM The bell is
dedicated.
Prior
to 10:30 Mass, the bell was formally blessed by Father John M. Mulligan, Vicar
General of the Diocese.
Also
taking part in the ceremony was Father Joseph Lanzalaco, CSB, Chaplain of Saint
John Fisher College.
Father
Lanzalaco read this dedication letter from Bishop Matthew H. Clark before the
ceremony:
Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester
Most Reverend +Matthew H. Clark, Bishop
Letter
of Dedication of the Church Bell
To
the People of Saint Dominic Parish
For
over a century, your beautiful church building has stood as a witness to the
faith of the Catholics of Manchester and Shortsville. I was privileged to lead
you in celebration of its Centennial during the Jubilee Year 2000.
As you have now acquired a bell to grace your
stately tower with the sound of God's praise, this is an historic occasion for
rejoicing as well. Therefore, at the request of your pastor, Father John F.
Gagnier, I ask:
That
the bell be solemnly blessed according to the rites of the Church
by
Father John Mulligan, Vicar General of the Diocese, on April 23, 2002.
That
the bell be given a name to go with its voice,
according
to a most ancient tradition of the Church.
That
the bell be named after the Patron Saint of our Diocese,
Saint
John Fisher, Cardinal of the Roman Church,
Bishop
of the Diocese of Rochester in England and Martyr for the Christian Faith.
That
the bell be installed in the church tower and rung to call the faithful to
worship,
to
celebrate joyful occasions and to toll for the passing of parishioners into
eternal life.
With every best wish, I remain
Your
brother in Christ,
+
Matthew H. Clark
Bishop
of Rochester
Received at Saint Dominic Parish
Shortsville, New York
The 23rd day of April, 2002
Rev.
John F. Gagnier
Pastor
Father John Gagnier
Diocese
of Rochester, England Founded A.D. 604
Saint John Fisher 1469-1535
Diocese
of Rochester, New York Founded 1868
Bishop Matthew Clark
Father
Lanzalaco, CSB of Saint John Fisher College reads the official letter from
Bishop Clark.
Father Gagnier signs acceptance of the
Bishop's letter. ............... Father Mulligan blesses the bell with Easter
Water.
Tuesday, April 23, 3PM: The bell is rolled to the front of the Parish Center for official photos.
Bishop
Clark & Father Gagnier
Very
Reverend John M. Mulligan, Vicar General
Reverend
John F. Gagnier, Pastor
Very
Reverend Doctor Joseph A. Hart, Vicar General
Tuesday, April 23: Meanwhile, preparations
were made in the tower to receive the bell.
Above right: Father Gagnier visited the tower to see
the progress on the bell platform.
Above left: Trap door gives access to the tower:
beam supports tower platform.
Wednesday, April 24: Bell is analyzed with a
strobe device and found to have a note of "G."
Thursday, April 25: Platform for the bell is
completed in the tower.
Friday, April 26: The bell is installed in
the church tower.
Ready
for the lift! Father Gagnier with contractor Dan McDonald.
On
the way up!
A
view from the west lawn.
The
bell arrives at the top of the tower.
The
yoke of the bell stands ready on the platform.
In
the center is the tolling hammer to which a rope is attached for use at funerals.
The
above article appeared on Sunday April 28 in the
Canandaigua
Messenger-Post.
Yoke
and bell reunited on the platform, ready for positioning.
Father Gagnier visits the tower, for a last look at his gift to the parish.
Dan
McDonald installs the rope.
Two
ropes descend into choir stairway
Right
(North) is pealing rope. Left (South) is tolling rope.
Trap
door at left accesses bell tower.
Saturday, April 27: Dan McDonald
reattaches clapper to the inside of the bell.
Sunday, April 28: The bell is rung for the
first time in the tower after 8:00 A. M. Mass.
Father
Gagnier's brother, niece and sister: (left to right)
Jim
Gagnier with his daughter, Jenna; Jean Gagnier Black, CPA; Father John Gagnier
April
28, 2002: Father Gagnier's 24th Anniversary of Ordination
The bell rings! The Silver Jubilee Year begins!
May 23, 2002: The bell is cleaned after the floor is
insulated.
Last photo of the bell, with its new sticker (below)
Below:
a view of two of the four carillon speakers in the bell tower.
The
carillon was reactivated on Memorial Day, May 27, 2002
as
the work on the church exterior was completed.
Saint
Dominic Parish
Shortsville & Manchester, New York
Diocese of Rochester