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(LifeSiteNews) — As Hurricane Milton approaches, Catholics could encourage their parishes to have their church bells rung, light Candlemas candles, and ask priests to include the special commemorations “to repel tempests.”

Church bells and storms 

Church bells are primarily used to announce the hour of church services, and perhaps also to tell the time and signify weddings, funerals and other such events. But they have more uses than that. 

In the 13th century, a classic collection of the lives of the saints described the main functions of church bells: 

At obsequies I mourn, the thunderbolts I scatter, I ring in the sabbaths; 

I hustle the sluggards, I drive away storms, I proclaim peace after bloodshed.

This may sound like a strange idea; perhaps almost superstitious. 

Perhaps some of the ancient Israelites thought that about blowing trumpets outside the walls of Jericho. And in fact, the traditional rite of blessing a church bell (familiarly called “the baptism of bells,” although there is no pretence of it being a sacrament) includes the following prayer:  

… When its melody shall sound in the ears of the peoples, may the devotion of their faith increase; may all the snares of the enemy, the crash of hail-storms and hurricanes, the violence of tempests be driven far away; may the deadly thunder be weakened, may the winds become salubrious, and be kept in check; may the right hand of Thy strength lay low the powers of the air, so that hearing this bell they may tremble and flee.  Through Christ our Lord.  R.  Amen.

The official prayers of the Church are sacramentals, and blessings like this make the bells sacramentals as well. We can trust that, if we approach the sacramentals with true faith, God will ensure that they do what they are supposed to do. 

Before Hurricane Irma hit Florida in 2017, Fr Z of What Does the Prayer Really Say? published a spiritual plan for bishops, priests and laity respectively. Speaking of blessed bells and storms, he advised the priests of Florida:

[I]if you have blessed bells, ring the bells of your churches against the storm. Bells are sacramentals.  They are “baptized” and given names.  They speak. In valleys of mountainous countries, as storms approached, people would ring the bells and pray the Litany.

Commemorations againt the Tempest at Mass

The Traditional Latin Mass missal also includes special prayers (called “commemorations”) to be offered during the Mass itself, in this case “To Repel Storms”: 

Collect:  We beseech Thee, O Lord, that all wickedness being driven away from Thy house, the fury of the raging tempest may pass away. Through our Lord. 

Secret:  We offer Thee, O Lord, our praises and gifts, giving thanks for the blessings bestowed upon us and ever humbly praying that they may be continued towards us. Through our Lord. 

Post-Communion:  O almighty and everlasting God, who by chastening dost heal us and by forgiving dost preserve us, grant that we Thy suppliants may rejoice in the peace and consolation which we desire, and ever enjoy the gift of Thy mercy. Through our Lord.

Procession for Averting the Tempest

The Roman Ritual also includes a “Procession for Averting the Tempest. Even if conducting a procession now is not practical, Catholics can still unite themselves to these official prayers of the Church.

The Procession begins with the ringing of the bells and the Litany of the Saints, before ending with these prayers:

Let us pray.

God, who are offended by our sins but appeased by our penances, may it please you to hear the entreaties of your people and to turn away the stripes that our transgressions rightly deserve.

We beg you, Lord, to repel the wicked spirits from your family, and to ward off the destructive tempestuous winds.

Almighty everlasting God, spare us in our anxiety and take pity on us in our abasement, so that after the lightning in the skies and the force of the storm have calmed, even the very threat of tempest may be an occasion for us to offer you praise.

Lord Jesus, who uttered a word of command to the raging tempest of wind and sea and there came a great calm; hear the prayers of your family, and grant that by this sign of the holy cross all ferocity of the elements may abate.

Almighty and merciful God, who heal us by your chastisement and save us by your forgiveness; grant that we, your suppliants, may be heartened and consoled by the tranquil weather we desire, and so may ever profit from your gracious favors; through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Other sacramentals, practices and prayers 

Some also light blessed candles as protection against storms, especially those blessed at Candlemas (2 February each year). In addition, Saint Barbara and Saint Walpurga are both invoked against storms and extreme weather.  

Catholics who cannot avoid the path of Hurricane Milton would be well advised to consider all these devotions.

Priests could include these prayers at their Masses (if they are not already doing so), offer the other prayers, and perhaps have church bells rung—so that “the crash of hail-storms and hurricanes, the violence of tempests be driven far away.” 

Editor’s Note: Governmental bodies are offering various warnings, advice, or orders for areas in the path of the hurricane, including evacuation in some cases. We are by no means whatsoever suggesting that readers disregard this. Just as grace builds on nature, so also does God expect us to exercise ordinary prudence, rather than to presume on supernatural intervention. LifeSiteNews accepts no liability for any harm or damage caused following the disregard of such warnings, advice, or orders.

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John-Henry is the co-founder, CEO and editor-in-chief of LifeSiteNews.com. He and his wife Dianne have eight children and they live in the Ottawa Valley in Ontario, Canada.

He has spoken at conferences and retreats, and appeared on radio and television throughout the world. John-Henry founded the Rome Life Forum, an annual strategy meeting for life, faith and family leaders worldwide. He is a board member of the John Paul II Academy for Human Life and the Family. He is a consultant to Canada’s largest pro-life organization Campaign Life Coalition, and serves on the executive of the Ontario branch of the organization. He has run three times for political office in the province of Ontario representing the Family Coalition Party.

John-Henry earned an MA from the University of Toronto in School and Child Clinical Psychology and an Honours BA from York University in Psychology.

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