Many Catholic Churches ring their bells
at six a.m. twelve noon, and siz p.m. It is a call to
prayer known as the Angelus, in memory of our Lord's
incarnation, when the External Son of God became man. It
is one of the many devotional practices within the Catholic
Church . Others include teh Divine Office which divides
each day into seven periods of prayer, as well as pilgrimages,
retreats, the adoration of our Savior in the Blessed Sacrament,
holy hours, penitential services, the commemoration of our Lord's
suffering called The Way of the Cross,charismatic services,
periodic multi-day missions in local parishes, the Rosary, and
Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Also Catholic
Churches have worship services (Masses) on most or all the days
of each week.
One can learn more about this rich and
vvaried devotional life at St. Bernadette Catholic Church in
Lancaster, Ohio.
- Deacon Elmer Lampe
Reprinted from Sunbury News,
Thursday, December 25, 1997