The Priory of the Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington celebrated an exciting new addition Jan. 12.
One hundred and 20 years after its founding in 1905, the Dominican House of Studies finally has a bell for its tower.
The friars celebrated the blessing of their new bell the morning of Jan. 12 in the academic courtyard of the priory. A Mass for the Baptism of the Lord followed the blessing, according to the priory’s website.
The roughly 980-pound bell was cast in 1929 in Watervliet, N.Y., by the Meneely Bell Foundry, according to Dominican Father Gregory Schnakenberg. It is set to be installed in the coming weeks.
“Whether friars thought it unnecessary (we do live across the street from one of the most beautiful bell carillons in America) or we simply lacked the resources, today we dedicated our new bell,” Dominican Father Patrick Mary Briscoe wrote in a post on Instagram, alluding to the nearby Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
Father Briscoe also revealed in the post that the new bell has been named after St. Gabriel and is inscribed with the words “I sing to the honor of St. Gabriel the Archangel, who announced the Word of God to the Immaculate Virgin Mary.”
“During the blessing ceremony, Father Gregory pointed out that we need the bell today more than ever, to call us out of our distractions and summon us to prayer and contemplation,” Father Briscoe said. “I couldn’t agree more. Bells are evangelizers, calling us all to the joy and hope that the Gospel alone brings.”
The Dominican House of Studies’ next major project will be the restoration of its St. Catherine of Siena and St. Rose of Lima altars, both in the main chapel.
