In announcing the Hours for the work of God, our monastery has assigned one monk to be the bellringer of the whole week beginning Sunday Vigils and ending at Saturday Compline.
The bellringer of the week’s duties and responsibilities on Sundays and Solemnities.
Vigils:
3:40Am- ring Cloister bell 60 seconds (wake up bell)
3:50Am- ring Cloister bell 60 seconds
3:53Am- ring Church Bell (big one) 30 seconds
make sure that the Church main door is open. Key should be obtained from the closet designated inside the Sacristy. Return kay to its proper place after using it.
Light all candles in Church (including the lectern candle)
Switch on all the lights inside the Church
After the prayers, put off all candles and switch off all lights.
Lauds:
5:50Am- ring Cloister bell 60 seconds
5:53Am- ring Church bell (big one) for the Angelus 3 X 3 then both big and small bells 30 seconds . For Eastertide, ring both bells continuously
Light all candles in the Church except the lectern candle
After the prayers, put off all candles
Terce:
8:35Am- ring Cloister bell 30 seconds
8:38Am- ring Church bell (big one) 30 seconds
Mass:
After choir practice, ring both Church bells 30 seconds
Light all candles inside the Church
After the Mass, put off all candles and switch off all lights in Church.
Sext:
11:20Am- ring Cloister bell 30 seconds
11:23Am- ring Church bell (big one) 30 seconds
shortly after the closing prayers, ring Church bell (big one) for the Angelus 3 X 3 then both big and small bells 30 seconds.
None:
3:50Pm- ring Cloister bell 30 seconds
3:53Pm- ring Church Bell (big one) 30 seconds
Vespers:
5:20Pm- ring Cloister bell 30 seconds
5:23Pm- ring Church bell (big one) for the Angelus 3 X 3 then both big and small bells 30 seconds . . For Eastertide, ring both bells continuously
light all candles and switch on all the lights in Church.
Shortly after Vespers, put off all candles and switch off all lights.
Compline:
After the 6:30Pm recreation (monks only) ring Church bell (big one) 30 seconds
Light all candles except the lectern candle. Switch on all the lights
After the prayers, put off all candles and switch off all lights in Church.
End of the day.
The bellringer of the week’s duties and responsibilities for Ordinary days ( Monday to Saturday until None prayers )
Vigils:
3:40Am- ring Cloister bell 60 seconds (wake up bell)
3:50Am- ring Cloister bell 60 seconds
3:53Am- ring Church Bell 30 seconds
make sure that the Church main door is open. Key should be obtained from the closet designated inside the Sacristy. Return kay to its proper place after using it.
Light all candles in Church (including the lectern candle)
Switch on all the lights inside the Church
After the prayers, put off all candles and switch off all lights.
Lauds:
5:35Am- ring Cloister bell 60 seconds
5:37Am- ring Church bell (big one) for the Angelus 3 X 3 then 30 seconds . For Eastertide, ring both bells continuously
Light all candles in the Church except the lectern candle
Mass:
Following Lauds- ring Church bell (big one) 12 seconds. For Eastertide ring both bells continuously 12 counts.
Light the lectern candle
After the Mass, put off all candles and switch off all lights in Church.
Work meeting of the monks with the Abbot:
7:45Am- ring Cloister bell 30 seconds
Terce:
8:35Am- ring Cloister bell 30 seconds
8:38Am- ring Church bell (big one) 30 seconds
Sext:
12:50Pm- ring Cloister bell 30 seconds
12:53Pm- ring Church bell (big one) 30 seconds
None:
3:20Pm- ring Cloister bell 30 seconds
3:23Pm- ring Church bell (big one) 30 seconds
Vespers:
5:10Pm- ring Cloister bell 30 seconds
5:13Pm- ring Church bell (big one) for the Angelus 3 X 3 then 30 seconds. During Easter Octave ring both bells continuously 30 counts.
Light all candles in Church except altar candles.
5:45Pm- light altar candles and switch on all the lights
After Vespers put off all candles and switch off all lights in Church
Evening Chapter meeting with the Abbot:
7:05PM- ring Cloister bell 30 seconds
Compline:
Following the Chapter meeting , ring Church bell (big one) 30 seconds
Light all candles except the lectern candle and switch on all lights in Church
After Compline put off all candles and switch off all lights in Church
End of the day.
For this week beginning June 3, 2007 to June 9, 2007, I am the community's bellringer… so i am trying to follow the schedule no matter how tough and difficult it is to wake up at 3:30Am for one week....no matter how hectic my day will be for as long as i am able to ring the bell on time so that the monks can join the community in its chanting of the Divine Offices of the day, and no matter how tidious my time will be for as long as i am able not to miss the ringing of the bell lest the monks will not leave their cells and nobody will chant in Church for the Liturgy of the Hours. And for the sake of my commitment to God, so, THY will be done no matter what the cost.
me, still half asleep, unglamorously ( 'ni hindi pa nga ako nakapaghilamos takbo na ako sa Cloister bell'= I haven't even washed may face, I had to run to the Cloister bell ) ringing the wake up bell at 3:40Am for 60 seconds
getting the Church main door key to open it for guests who may have the willpower to wake up at 3:50Am for the 4:00Am Vigils-the early morning praises to God.
switching on the lights in the Church
opening the main door for guests
lighting the altar candles
lighting the lectern candle
ligthing the Blessed Virgin Mother's candles
go back to the Cloister bell and wait for 3:50Am
ringing the Cloister bell at 3:50Am( at that time- i was already in my full senses and was fully awake )
went back to the Church and ring the Church bell (big one) at 3:53Am for 60 seconds
So, the monks' punctual attendance and participation to the day's Divine Offices in the monastery depends mainly on the ringing of the bell on time.
So ,the rest of the day is real hard and tough for someone who's assigned as bellrigner; relying on God's inspiration and guidance in order to keep up and face up with the burden and hard realities that which must be shouldered by the monk who's assigned as the bellringer of the week in the monastery.
