Repairing the bells | Bathurst Cathedral Restoration Appeal
150 years of service has taken its toll on the bells of the beautiful Cathedral of St Michael & St John in Bathurst, NSW, Australia. Builder Ron Lodewijk explains how they discovered that the bells were broken and the repair work that's planned.
Appreciating the workmanship | Bathurst Cathedral Restoration Appeal
150 years of weather has taken its toll on the Cathedral of St Michael & St John in Bathurst, NSW, Australia. The Cathedral Restoration Appeal is hoping to raise funds to not only do much needed repairs on the Cathedral, but to also see the building completed to its full glory. Master stonemason Ron Lodewijks looks at the original workmanship that went into this beautiful cathedral. To donate to the Cathedral Restoration Appeal visit: cathedralappealbathurst.org.au
Restoring the ornate features | Bathurst Cathedral Restoration Appeal
Builder Ron Lodewijks explains the painstaking work involved in restoring the ornate features of the Cathedral of St Michael & St John in Bathurst, NSW, Australia. To donate to the Cathedral Restoration Appeal visit: cathedralappealbathurst.org.au
Cassie and Dane Bathurst Wedding Short Film
Cassie and Dane were married in Bathurst, a gorgeous country town in NSW. The ceremony was held in the Cathedral Parish of St Michael and St John and the ceremony was held at Rydges on Mount Panaroma.
The missing spire | Bathurst Cathedral Restoration Appeal
150 years ago, the Cathedral of St Michael & St John was built in Bathurst, NSW, Australia but the spire, which is clearly detailed in the original plans of architect Edward Gell, was never realised. The Cathedral Restoration Appeal is hoping to raise funds to not only do much needed repairs on the Cathedral, but to also see the building completed to its full glory. Builder Ron Lodewijks explains the process.
A Message to God's People of the Catholic Diocese of Bathurst from Bishop Michael McKenna
A message from the Bishop of Bathurst, The Most Rev Michael McKenna to God's People of the Catholic Diocese of Bathurst at the closing of the Diocese's Sesquicentenary celebrations.
Can Christianity and the EU Survive Rev'd Dr Peter Mullen
Rev'd Dr Peter Mullen speaking at the conference Can Christianity and the EU Survive Together organised by The Campaign for an Independent Britain
The Catholic Diocese of Bathurst and CSU in partnership
Description
Anglican merger to save Bathurst diocese
The Anglican Church in the ACT and New South Wales is about to get a shake-up.
WYD, Bathurst: Praise to the Lord
Praise to the Lord sung to organ accompaniment at Sts. Michael and John Cathedral during the Days in the Diocese evening prayer on July 10, 2008.
Bishop Michael
Bishop Michael Bathurst Diocese at St Edward's Church Canowindra performing confirmation
Ringing the Taylor ten at Old St Martin, Worcester
Ringing on the open day on this gorgeous new light ten. These replace Tollesbury (Essex) as the lightest ten in a church. They replace a long unringable set of six historic bells, which now rest in their frame above the new bells and can be seen here. They can still be chimed. I loved these bells and they handle very well, although ringing a ten of this weight took some getting used to!
St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney- May 24, 2019- Evening Mass
Video from the Knights of the Southern Cross Australia 8th National Triennial Conference and Knights of the Southern Cross New South Wales Centennial Celebrations, held over the last weekend of May 2019. The Conference was held in the St Mary's Catholic Cathedral Precinct of Sydney, New South Wales, with Masses held in the Cathedral.
This video features the Evening Mass of the Conference, celebrated by KSC Australia National Chaplain and Military Ordinary of Australia Bishop Max Davis, and concelebrated with Fr Anthony Onyirioha, KSC Tasmania State Chaplain, Monsignor Brian O’Loughlin, KSC Western Australia State Chaplain, Fr Tony Kerin, KSC Victoria State Chaplain, and Father Paul Hilder, KSC New South Wales State Chaplain, and served by KSC NSW State Chairman Greg Briscoe-Hough, held on the main altar of St Mary’s Cathedral, on the Feast Day of Our Lady Help of Christians, the Patroness of Australia, and the patroness of the Cathedral proper (it's official designation being the Cathedral Church and Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Mother of God, Help of Christians).
Vaxfacts: The Order of the Knights of the Southern Cross (KSC) was formed in New South Wales in 1919 by lay Catholic men (of who Patrick Joseph Minahan (NSW Legislative Council Member) was the first Grand Knight from 1919-1920, and his deputy Joseph Patrick Lynch, who would become the second Grand Knight from 1920-1922), with the approval of the Bishops of Australia, to counter the discrimination, prejudice and sectarianism confronting Catholics in Australia.
Two years prior this, in 1917 in Victoria, the Knights of St Francis Xavier (KSFX) was formed for the same purpose.
Both organisations were modelled on the Knights of Columbus in North America, which was founded by Fr Michael McGivney in New Haven Connecticut in 1882.
In 1921, discussions were held between the two organisations, KSC and KSFX, with the view to amalgamate both organisations as the KSC. This was achieved and Victoria held its first meeting under this banner in March 1922.
Additional references are located at these websites:
VIC -
NSW -
The feast day to Mary (Our Lady) Help of Christians has been celebrated in Australia since 1844 but the history to this day dates back to the start of the 1800’s. Napoleon Bonaparte had jailed Pius VI who died in jail. When Pope Pius VII was elected he too was jailed by Bonaparte, who kept him prisoner at Fontainbleau. The Holy Father vowed to God that if he were restored to the Roman See, he would institute a special feast in honour of Mary. The military eventually forced Bonaparte to release the Pope and on 24 May 1814, Pius VII returned in triumph to Rome. Twelve months later the Pope decreed that the feast of Mary Help of Christians be kept on 24 May.
The infant church in Australia had a special reason for turning to Mary. No priests were sent to the colony in its early days and Mass was not allowed except for one brief year until 1820. It was largely the Rosary in those early days that kept the faith alive. Catholic Australia remained faithful to Mary and was the first nation to choose her under the title Help of Christians, as principal Patroness.
St Mary’s Cathedral was dedicated in her honour by the Irish pioneer priest, Fr John Therry, who arrived in Sydney in 1820 and assumed responsibility for the planning and initial construction of the Cathedral. When Australia became the first country to have Mary Help of Christians as Patroness, it became the first country to have a mother-cathedral under the same title. The altar at St. Mary’s, with its statue of Mary Help of Christians, was erected as a memorial to Fr. Therry’s name. The statue of Mary, Help of Christians, stands in the Chapel of the Sacred Heart in the Cathedral.
The Church has traditionally focussed on two aspects of Our Lady’s help on this feast day. Firstly, upon the role of Our Lady’s intercession in the fight against sin the life of a believer. Secondly, Our Lady is one who assists Christians as a community, through her intercession, in fighting against anti-Christian forces.
In the Opening Prayer for Our Lady Help of Christians, the Church prays that through Our Lady’s intercession God will “grant wisdom to our leaders and integrity to our citizens”, so that “under her protection Australia may be granted harmony, justice and peace”.
Cambridge Surprise Maximus on the bells of the Cathedral Church of St Michael, Coventry
I first visited and rang at this tower 5 years ago. A few months later I moved to Coventry from North Lincolnshire and from that time this has been my home tower. They are glorious bells and it feels a privelige to ring them, and to come upstairs to watch the awesome and noisy spectacle of several tons of flying metal. You will see the rollups that occur at 1:14 , and other patterns that occur in the weaving together of 12 different lines assigned to 12 bells to create a method.
There have been bells in the tower since it was built more than 500 years ago. A 30cwt 6 was recast into a 25cwt 8 in 1675, and this 8 was again recast into a 10 by Pack and Chapman of London in 1774. This ten eventually became unringable full circle due to the instability of the tower and they became converted into a chime.
The current bells were cast in 1927 by Gillett and Johnston of Croydon near London, and were hung dead for chiming in the octagon at the base of the spire. The idea of having these bells ring full circle once more had never really gone away and structural analysis showed that it would be possible to safely hang the bells for full circle change ringing, low in the tower. This was duly done by John Taylors of Loughborough in 1987.
The ceiling of the belfry is actually a stone vault, up to which the tower was completely open before the Cathedral was bombed. Of course the bells should be hung a long way above this vault, but the tower at Coventry is not strong enough to support change ringing bells of this weight any higher than where they currently are. The glazed viewing gallery was installed when the bells were hung for full circle ringing. It's floor vibrates with the noise of the bells. This is a view from the gallery of one of the practice sessions for a team participating in the 12 bell eliminator at Coventry in March 2011.
In the corner between the 10th and 8th pits is the sharp ninth, which is hung dead with a tolling hammer and is used as a service bell by the Cathedral. In the other corner is a machine that creates air pressure for the pneumatic clock chimes, which chime the Westminster quarters on 3,4,5,8 and strikes the hours on the tenor. The tenor weighs 33-3-6 (3786lb or 1717kg) and is in Db (548.5Hz)
The Bells of St Martin in the Cornmarket, Worcester
A ring of bells that puts one in mind of cute, frolicksome little kittens.
The recently created bell installation at Old St Martins in Worcester is a good example of conservation of old and a quality modern ring in the same tower.
There has been a church on the site since the middle ages but the present building dates from the second half of the 1700s. The top of the tower was completed in 1780, the wooden frame also dates from this period.
The old six bells had been unringable full circle for quite some time. A project was devised whereby a light ring of ten were installed underneath them.
1:14 The old bells chime the hour.
3:18 A view of the beautiful ornamentation on the tenor cast by Hugh Watts II of Leicester in 1640.
3:50 A look at the oldest bell in the tower and one of the oldest in Worcester, which was possibly cast in about 1320.
The change ringing peal, installed in 2011
1. 2011 John Taylor & Co
2. 2011 John Taylor & Co
3. 2011 John Taylor & Co
4. 2011 John Taylor & Co
5. 2011 John Taylor & Co
6. 2011 John Taylor & Co
7. 2011 John Taylor & Co
8. 2011 John Taylor & Co
9. 2011 John Taylor & Co
10. 2011 John Taylor & Co, (6-2-17 (338kg) in B)
The original ring of six, now sounded by electric hammers:
1. Thomas Rudhall of Gloucester 1780
2. Thomas Mears II of London 1833
3. probably? Michael de Lichfield 1320approx
4. Hugh Watts II of Leicester 1638
5. Hugh Watts II of Leicester 1638
6. Hugh Watts II of Leicester 1640 (13cwt in G)
There is a gantry above the old six, with what appears to be a case for a clock pendulum below it.
The frame for the new ten was made locally.
See for some excellent information on the tower and bells here, including inscriptions on the old bells.
The new Bishop speaks to the Assembly
Bishop William responds to the welcome by Lord Mayor John Tate and Anglican Bishop Brian Farran and takes the opportunity to speak to the Assembly.
pulsator
Pulsator automatic 3 bell installed at St. Antony's Church, Vaduthala
Bathurst's plan and Bell Tower - featuring Henry Bialowas and Chris Bacon.
This film features occult aspect of Bathurst's plan as well as architectural and audio concerns regarding Bathurst's Bell Tower. Henry Bialowas and Chris Bacon talk about various aspects.
For just the 'occult' aspects' of the film see video: Bathurst's Occult Aspects - Architect Henry Bialowas interviewed.
The bells of All Saint's Church, Singleton, NSW
Here is a short recording of the bells at All Saint's Church, Singleton, in the Hunter region of New South Wales. All the bells were cast at Taylor's between 1902 and 2000. 8 bells: 9-3-26 in G.
TOUR OF ST ANDREW PARISH BELL TOWER, CANDABA, A DOCUMENTARY BY FR GREG VEGA
BELLS OF ST. ANDREW PARISH, CANDABA, PAMPANGA, PHILIPPINES. A DOCUMENTARY BY REV. FR. GREG VEGA, PARISH PRIEST, SAP, SEPTEMBER 13, 2013
THE BELLS OF ST. ANDREW PARISH BELFRY WERE MADE BY Fundicion de Hilario Sunico. This is the Foundry of Hilario Chanuangco Sunico y Santos in Calle Jaboneros, San Nicolas, Binondo. This was built in 1872 and owned by Hilario Sunico. One of the renowned bell-caster during Spanish period. He made 176 bells including the bells of Candaba Church, Minalin Church & Binondo Church. The foundry stop making campanas in 1927.
BELL # 1 / NAME: SANTISSIMA TRINIDAD
PARISH PRIEST: SIENDO CURA PARROCO EL
M. R. P. FR. ANTONIO BRABO
DATE: AÑO DE 1890 / TYPE: presently, STEADILY HANGING AT THE CENTER OF THE BELL TOWER. THIS IS THE MAIN BELL USED EVERYDAY WITH WHOLE & CLEAR SOUND
SIZE: EXTRA LARGE / DIAMETER: 48.6 INCHES
ORIENTATION: MAIN BELL AT THE CENTER OF BELFRY
BELL # 2 / NAME: NUESTRA SEÑORA DE CONSOLACION
PARISH PRIEST: EL M.R.P. FR. ESTEBAN YBEAZ,
CURA PARROCO DE CANDABA
DATE: AÑO DE 1879 / TYPE: ROTARY,
(presently, DYSFUNCTIONAL)
SIZE: SMALL / DIAMETER: 23.6 INCHES
ORIENTATION: FACING THE CONVENT
BELL # 3 / NAME: EL SAGRADO CORAZON DE JESUS
PARISH PRIEST: EL M.R.P. FR. ESTEBAN YBEAS,
CURA PARROCO DE CANDABA
DATE: AÑO DE 1879 / TYPE: ROTARY,
(presently, FUNCTIONAL WITH BROKEN SOUND, balbal ya tonu,
used as secondary bell)
SIZE: MEDIUM / DIAMETER: 35.6 INCHES
ORIENTATION: FACING THE HOUSE OF SIS. ESPERANZA REYES
BELL # 4 / NAME: SAN ANDRES
PARISH PRIEST: EL M.R.P. FR. ESTEBAN YBEAS,
CURA PARROCO DE CANDABA
DATE: AÑO DE 1879 / TYPE: ROTARY,
(presently, DYSFUNCTIONAL)
SIZE: LARGE / DIAMETER: 44.2 INCHES
ORIENTATION: FACING THE HOUSE OF SIS. GLORIA AGUILAR
BELL # 5 / NAME: SAN JOSE
PARISH PRIEST: SIENDO CURA PARROCO EL
M. R. P. FR. ESTEBAN YBEAS
DATE: : AÑO DE 1881 / TYPE: ROTARY,
(presently, DYSFUNCTIONAL)
SIZE: MEDIUM / DIAMETER: 31.1 INCHES
ORIENTATION: FACING PARALAYA ELEM SCH., ANNEX
BELL # 6 / NAME: SAN AGUSTIN
PARISH PRIEST: SIENDO CURA PARROCO EL
M. R. P. FR. ESTEBAN YBEAS
DATE: : AÑO DE 1881 / TYPE: ROTARY BELL,
(presently, DYSFUNCTIONAL)
SIZE: SMALL / DIAMETER: 24.7 INCHES
ORIENTATION: FACING ST. ANDREW ACADEMY
PHOTOS & VIDEO BY VHICE BAUTISTA & MONICO CAPARAS
EDITED & DOCUMENTED BY FR. GREG VEGA, PARISH PRIEST