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Bells repaired at St. Gabe's, St. John's churches
Prairie du Chien Church Bells
The bells on Prairie du Chien’s Catholic churches were given a sprucing up earlier this year. Father Brandon Guenther provided a photo showing crews working on the bells at the church. - photo by Submitted Photo

The holidays may be finished, but that doesn't mean bells won't be ringing thanks to the Catholic churches in Prairie du Chien.

"The bells are a symbol of the voice of God calling us to worship and to a relationship with him in prayer," said Father Brandon Guenther, who services the Holy Family Parish at St. Gabriel's and St. John's Catholic churches in Prairie du Chien.

According to Guenther, the bells in both churches were in need of rehabilitation. "They were in a state of disrepair, so we had them taken to the Verdin Bell Company in Cincinnati, Ohio."

He said the bells at St. Gabe's needed more extensive repair, while the bells at St. John's needed "a little work." The bells at St. Gabriel’s are 600, 800 and 1,200 pounds. The bell at St. John’s is 800 pounds.

When Guenther first arrived in Prairie du Chien, only one bell had its striker working, and the bells hadn't been fully functional in a while. "We were using them for funerals, and that's about it."

According to Guenther, the bells have been housed at their respective churches for more than a century. "None of them are very new — they look like they're from the 19th century. They're all quite old."

This past winter, the church, in consultation with the parish's finance council, decided rehabilitating the bells would be a worthy project. The parish had money saved up that could be utilized for the project, and other donors came forward with contributions.

With the bells redone, they are rung each day at 6 a.m., noon and 6 p.m. for the Angelus Prayer as well as De Profundis at 9 p.m. to pray for the dead.

“They’re beautiful to see and hear now that they’re done,” said Guenther.

Bells also toll at funerals and peal at weddings and masses. Tolls are when the striker hits the bell. A bell emits a peal when it sways back and forth. 

"It makes a very different, more joyful sound,” said Guenther.

The church extends a thank you to everyone who had a hand in the project as well as the Verdin Bell Company. 

"There were lots of volunteers and workers involved in getting these bells back in working order,” said Guenther.

St. Gabriel's Catholic Church is located at 506 North Beaumont Road, and St. John's Catholic Church is located at 710 South Wacouta Avenue, both in Prairie du Chien.