For years now, Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Church at 192 School St. in Athol is in the habit of ringing their church bells on an hourly basis daily. This bell rings 85 times daily corresponding to each hour of the day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. In addition to this, it rings an indiscriminate amount of time at noon and at 6 p.m., as well as before and after various services.
This adds up to more than 100 times per day, 700 times per week, 3,000 times per month, 36,500 times per year. Perhaps one can see this repetition can develop to be an annoyance over time to some within hearing distance of the bell tower.
Granted, most of the town will not hear this constant repetition. However, how about considering and respecting the peace and quiet of the neighborhood? The time is now at everyone’s fingertips. Sunday services and funerals are adequate enough, don’t you think?
Having brought this to their attention a few times in the past, as well as a complaint to the town manager, this has been ignored, assuming it was considered insignificant. But with time and longevity, not so much so. Perhaps this will remind sympathetic ears as to the influx of noise pollution we now have in so-called modern times. I thought perhaps it was worthwhile to attempt to make this personal issue more public by sharing it.
Denis Poulin
Athol