January 16th, 2022

2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time

by Fr. Boniface Endorf, O.P.

—

Dear St. Joseph Parish Family,

We’re now back in Ordinary Time. For me this time is always the most dreary—we’re fully in the grip of winter but without the cheer of Christmas decorations and celebrations. We await the coming of Spring which seems so far off. However, in what afterwards will feel but a short time we’ll be in Lent and then Easter with Spring just before us. 

I’ve been asked when the parish bell rings. It rings for the hour from 8am-8pm, except when the hour ring would be during mass (during the Sunday Vigil and the Sunday 11:30am Mass). The bell also rings the Angelus every day at noon, except Sunday (when it would interrupt the 11:30 am Mass) and at 6 pm every day, except Saturday (when it would interrupt the Sunday Vigil Mass). The bells will also ring 5 minutes before every regularly scheduled Mass. Finally, the bells will also toll every year on 9/11 at the time each tower was struck (8:46am and 9:03am).

You may be wondering about the Angelus ring. Traditionally the Angelus was prayed every day at 6am, noon, and 6pm. Because New York is not a morning city, we’ll skip the 6am Angelus ring! Throughout Church history church bells would ring the Angelus tone to remind people when to pray the Angelus. Often people working in the fields would hear the bell and then take a break from their work to pray the Angelus. If you don’t know the Angelus look it up online—it’s a wonderful and short prayer you can add to your prayer routine. 

God Bless,

Fr. Boniface