Ringing in new traditions while looking to the past at St. Joseph CES in Douro

Apr. 22, 2025

If you’re in Douro on Tuesdays at noon, you’ll hear a familiar sound that’s synonymous with churches and small communities – the bell ringing at St. Joseph’s Church to let you know that it is lunchtime.

Inside of the church foyer, it’s not who you would expect pulling on the ropes to ring the massive 2,000-pound bell.

Three Grade 8 students from St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School across the street are pulling with all of their might to ring the historic bell.

“I find it very important because I love doing stuff for our community and the heritage of our community, and I like helping out our church,” said Isla Mae O’Grady, student. “It’s important to learn about our faith and to try this.”

“It’s very important. It’s tradition, and with my two friends, it’s even better,” added Lyla Clifford, student. “It would be very special if other young people can carry this on.”

Earlier this year, St. Joseph CES Principal Wayne Clark decided he would ask Grade 8 students if they’d like to carry on tradition by ringing the bell on Tuesdays.

“Each day, when we ring the church bell and pause to pray the Angelus, we are not only grounding our students in faith and reflection, but we’re also honouring a tradition that echoes through generations,” said Clark. “In Irish communities especially, the ringing of the bell has long been a call to prayer, a moment of unity, and a sacred reminder that God is present in the everyday. It’s a beautiful way to connect our school, our church, and our history.”

St. Joseph’s Church has been a community staple for Douro since 1846.

In rural settings, church bells often signal important events to farmers, such as the end of the workday or meal times including lunch and dinner.

Bells were also historically used to call the parishioners to prayer or announce a death within the community.

The plan is to continue ringing the bell at noon on Tuesdays for the remainder of the school year with students ringing it daily during the final week of June.