Bells to toll at St Patrick’s Cathedral Parramatta
It’s a grand project “165 years in the making” and one that will bring one of Sydney’s oldest churches in line with the great cathedrals of the world.
Parramatta
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The full octave of bells will sound through St Patrick’s Cathedral at Parramatta by Easter if plans “165 years in the making” come to fruition.
Parramatta Diocese vicar general Peter Williams said eight bells would be installed for the most significant season on the Christian calendar and sound throughout Parramatta.
“When the cathedral burnt down (in 1996) and we rebuilt it in 2003 we didn’t complete the building,’’ Fr Williams said. “Within two years the grand organ came. One of the main things was to put a peal of bells in the cathedral tower.
“The sounds of bells is joyous and, like all music, that has an effect on people.’’
Fr Williams said it was one of the last additions to bring the 182-year-old St Patrick’s Cathedral to full restoration.
The bells were donated by the Celtic Trust in the UK and have been purchased by the community including Yvonne Malouf in honour of her late husband and veteran Parrramatta doctor Joseph, and the Catholic Education Office at Parramatta to mark 200 years in Australia next year.
The bells range from $8000 to $35,000. Fr Williams said the peal of bells would bring St Patrick’s, which was built in 1854 and became a cathedrals in 1986, in line with other cathedrals around the world.
“In the medieval times, not only did bells summons people to prayer but to alert them something calamitous might have happened or to draw people to the city square,’’ he said. “Bells are used to call people to prayer but obviously when you have a lot of bells, they’re to mark a particular celebration.”
Parramatta Diocese vicar general Peter Williams said there plans to accommodate eight bells in 1998 were set back after fire destroyed the cathedral in 1996.
When the St Patrick’s bell was put in, it was put right at the top of the tower.
Parramatta Diocese head of fundraising Dianne Wigan said the bells were specially commissioned.
“It’s been 165 years in the making to bring a peal of bells to St Patrick’s. The weight of the bells is from 150kg right up to 450kg for the big tenor bell.”
Australian and New Zealand Association of Bellringers’ Thomas Perrins said there was a spiritual, musical and mathematical element to bell ringing