The following comes from a May 8 NBC Los Angeles story by Andrea Park and Randy Mac:
The joyful noise from a Southern California neighborhood church has been the nightmare next door for one Los Angeles woman.
Susan Rocha said the chiming of bells and music at Divine Saviour Catholic Church is anything but heavenly.
“You could hear it over the TV, over the shower, you’re sleeping and it wakes you up,” Rocha said. “It rings eight to 10 times a day, and it’s not a real bell. It’s a tape recording.”
We found out that Divine Saviour uses an amplified speaker system in its tower and while Rocha is the only person to officially complain, no one is denying it’s loud.
Rocha said she has been unsuccessful each time she asked the church to turn down the volume. She’s tried picketing them on Sunday mornings and she said she even started recording decibel levels as part of her city complaint.
When the NBC4 I-Team stopped by the church, we found the bells recorded at a 78, but Rocha said she’s registered levels as high as 105.
According to the letter of law for Los Angeles’ noise ordinance, Divine Saviour’s bell chiming and music are in violation, but there is a catch.
“Section 115.02 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code exempts churches and their bells from this law,” Russel said.
The church issued this statement:
“We have worked with Ms. Rocha to address her concerns. We lowered the decibel level three times and we haven’t had any other complaints.”
Church bells have been around for over a thousand years. The people who complain should either move, or sound proof their home. They should also be glad that they do not live in a Moslem country, as the ‘crier’ shouts out his prayer several times during the day and night from the mosque’s minaret. These are the same kind of people who complain about highway traffic or train horns. Both the highways and the railroad lines were there before many of the houses had been built. Sports stadiums also contribute to noise, but seldom does anyone complain. I think these people who do not like the ‘bells’ of Divine Savior Church are anti-Catholic, and will do anything for a lawsuit. Attacks against the Church have been going on for a long time, and they are not about to cease.
How long have tape recorded bells been amplified electronically?
Aren’t there more important battle for the Church Militant to fight than the right to broadcast pre-recorded church bells 8 times a day?
Right? But if she was smart, a little strategically placed John Philip Sousa or Richard Wagner would resolve the matter post haste . . .
Father Karl you are correct. I agree. There are far better real legit things to stand up against. This woman complains about what she hears but if she only knew how much more louder the cries of aborted babes sounded while they were being tortured and torn apart limb by limb, she would spend her time and energy defending their right to live than waste her time on this. God hears the cries of the unborn daily and on every hour throughout the world, during abortion. If we could save the unborn and replace the act of an abortion against the unborn with church bells, those of us who care for their right to live, would. Let the church bells ring. Jesus is calling.
My question for this woman is…..did she move to that location before the Church was built, or was it afterwards? If it was after, then she should of thought about not purchasing the house!!! It’s like if you buy a house near a hospital, you know you are going to hear ambulances and have more traffic living there.
Exactly! Thanks Elizabeth for your practical, common sense approach!
I agree ladies.
Elizabeth,
That’s a good point. But there is a possibility that the electronic bells were installed at a later date.
I lived in my home BEFORE they installed their noisy amplified sound system. And, that is very unfair Father to judge that anyone is against religion when you do not know them. Noise is noise. It is NOT a bell. It is a loud amplified sound system. Let me blast some off key toned music into YOUR home and see if you like it. You sure are not sweet loving people.
Amen, Elizabeth. Most major city airports have been in the same basic location for fifty or more years. Newer planes are quieter. Yet each year some newbies move into the neighborhood and complain about the noise. DUH!!?? Ms Roca should be thankful she lives in a country where Church bells can peal. Also, that the Rabbi and Imam can, if zoning otherwise permits it, open houses of worship and sound their calls to prayer.
My first pastor at Star of The Sea in San Francisco was Monsignor Cornelius Burns,and you would never dare to mention anything about recorded church bells.The church had two huge bells,one for each steeple.The bells were anchored in place,so they didn’t swing.However,the clapper inside each bell worked great.The bells would ring out several times a day over the Richmond District.Monsignor would say…”these bells are a reminder of God and a call to prayer and worship in an increasingly secular world.”
Father Lahey,
You are surely a gift to the Church!!!
Do you know if currently the Star of the Sea has the bells ringing?
If she considers this a nightmare, then she doesnt know what a real nightmare is. God help us all.
Ahh…yes… but the “noise” coming from the media and the politicians about gay marriage, a women’s right to choose, wealthy Wall Street, and the racist police… this kind of “noise” is perfectly alright …
The real question and tragedy is why isn’t the church using real bells?
Please, Asbury Fox, let’s not take that line of thought too far… because some Christian Churches prohibit musical instruments, including organs, pipe organs or otherwise… because they are not “real” voices…
I didn’t think the Catholic Church allowed recorded bells, just as it doesn’t allow recorded music at Mass. But maybe someone has information on that.
Bells are normally rung to coincide with the times of prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours. If the bells are actually ringing ten times a day—I’m guessing she might be exaggerating though—then that is indeed excessive.
In our county seat you don’t want to be walking downtown at noon. The emergency siren goes off every workday on the dot and it’s very loud! They then play a nice hymn with bells. Probably no one hears the hymn because they’re deaf from the siren blast ! They used to toll out the age of someone who died in English villages and bells have traditionally been used to roust out demons, who hate bells. In Dorothy Sayers’ “the Nine Tailors” the mystery revolves around a nine- hour peal of bells! Lord peter Wimsey solves the crime with his knowledge of change -ringing. I have a widget of Big Ben on my laptop that tolls the hour and lights up in the evening…we all need a bell or two in our dreary lives. :)
Ps don’t forget to say the Angelus at noon. Sometime I make all four times but rarely!
Where did you get a Big Ben widget! Love it. Same goes for Dorothy Sayers and Lord Peter Wimsey.
And God bless for praying the Angelus. I’ve gotten away from that and obviously needed the reminder.
Now off to get a widget and petition for Church bells. The real deal.
haha. Ann, I have a membership in Jackie Lawson’s ecards. She’s an English illustrator who turned her talents to computers and has gorgeous holiday and birtthday cards. Friends love to receive one and some cards can be palindromes or puzzles, and of course, the widgets and interactive advent calendars for the kids. Just google her…it’s worth it. Her Christmas cards especially.
I’m sure you know D.Sayers was an ardent Catholic…her translation of Dante is considered a classic. Have you read Josephin Tey’s mystery about Richard III? I’ve always thought he got a bad rap and she’s brought up some really interesting questions. Her detective solves the mystery while recouperating in a hospital to while away the time. Really good! “A Daughter of Time” from a quote by Francis Bacon Forgive me CCD but sometimes we just have to share ;)
With all the hustle and bustle of being a mum and wife, Active in faith ministries and godly friendships who need support, sometimes it would just be a blessing to hear the church bells. Our Lord calling us to mass. I remember as a child when i use visit my grandmum in a mid size pueblo near Mexico, you can hear a lot of beautiful church bells. There was many Cathedrals and the ringing of bells was beautiful. Miss visiting. Those were good memories of my childhood when visiting my grandmum.
“Active in faith **ministries** and godly friendships who need support, sometimes it would just be a blessing to hear the church bells. = How Great Thou Art, While leading other Catholic mums to Protestant “ministers” for better advice was there a little bell ringing in your head that tolled “Abeca you are now leaving Rome and being very disloyal to you’re own Catholic Faith? ” In between the hustle and bustle of “smelling the roses first” that faithful Catholic ringing thought never occurred.
t would also be a blessing if you stopped using Protestant terminologies and use the word apostolate. It is also helpful to try to remember to use a capital letter G for Godly friendships a capital letter M for the word Mass. You see Abeca even insects gather in mass. You’re history of many Norm Crosby-ism terminologies will no longer be considered innocent.
Our Catholic identity has been deliberately exchanged for many Protestant terminologies, practices, customs and music. You’re latest attack on the Church regarding women’s rights is a dead giveaway to another agenda. Pick a Faith Abeca and stick to it or at least educate yourself so you will realize that you now being viewed as cleverly aiding and abetting deliberately watered down Catholicism. You are the same poster who told YFC that “he reasons well”. Another dead giveaway.
“To be in the Legion of Mary, one must be a practising Catholic. Active members serve God under the banner of Mary by practising the Spiritual Works of Mercy.