I have to tell you something amazing about Saint Patrick's Cathedral volunteers. This year, we have 8 wonderful members in the bell choir that are really excited about the music ministry and are great people to work with. They care so much about this parish. Part of practice every week, is that they do a gentle polishing and make sure things are maintained. From time to time (roughly annually), we take out this awful smelling stuff and really polish the bells to a shine. This took us about an hour and a half or so. The bells have to all be disassembled and reassembled properly and they put in some elbow grease. Please take a look at the attached pictures in this post.
One thing I love about this parish is how people step up and all pitch in to get the job done. Just like from the beginning - in 1880's everyone grabbed a shovel and broke ground and here we are today. We all grab a shovel and pitch in to make this place special.
The bell choir is also participating in a festival later this month where we get to share our gifts along with other bell choirs of different faiths in the region. As the time gets closer, I will be inviting the parish to attend such a wonderful event - a concert of 3 to 4 handbell choirs all making music. We are really doing things and making this parish and the community a better place through our process of music-making.
If this post inspires you to participate, please don't hesitate to email or call: sacredmusic@cathedralofsaintpatrick.org / 860-886-0403.
Pictures below: close up of handbells apart, long view of handbells apart, long view of handbells put-together and completely polished.
In Christ,
Michael Steven Lianos, Director of Music and Organist