Chapel Bells

The bells of the Chapel of the Holy Spirit ring as an invitation to the People of God to join in prayer and mark important events in the life of our community. At their dedication, each bell was baptized and given a name.  The voices of the bells remind us that we are one family, joining in times of joy and sorrow.

The 80-foot-high bell tower stands as a dramatic exclamation point near the Chapel’s front entrance doors. It holds four hand-crafted bronze bells that toll the hours and call the University community to prayer.
 
Created in the Netherlands especially for the new Chapel by the Royal Eijsbouts Foundry, the bells have distinctive sounds and each one proclaims a message important to the University community.

Esther

Named for the biblical Jewish queen, is inscribed with the Shema, the constant prayer of the Jewish people: Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one.

Augustine

Named for Saint Augustine, reminds us of a line from The Confessions: Our hearts are restless until they rest in thee, O God.

Leo

Named for the author of its quote, Pope Leo the Great, reminds us: Christian, know your dignity.

Thérèse

Remembering the life and spirituality of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, proclaims the opening words of the Second Vatican Council’s Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, reminding us of the intimate link between the Church and world: Gaudium et Spes, Joy and Hope. 
 
In addition to tolling the hours, each day the bells ring at 8:00 am, 12:00 pm, and 6:00 pm.  These are the traditional times of the Angelus, a Christian devotion that calls to mind the Incarnation.  In the Middle Ages, all work would stop as the bells rang out the Angelus as people stopped what they were doing to give thanks to God and remember God’s coming to earth as Jesus Christ.
 
Finally, the bells ring to gather our community for our liturgical life. Five minutes before we celebrate the Liturgy of the Hours at Morning and Evening Prayer and ten minutes before Mass, the bells ring in invitation to all the People of God.  All are welcome!

The Tale of Twin Sisters and SHU's Chapel Bells

By the time SHU seniors Katie and Annie Duffy hear the bells chime for the first time in Sacred Heart’s new Chapel, they’ll probably be in their last year on campus, earning master’s degrees in Education in our fifth year program. But, even if the twin sisters take teaching jobs far away from Fairfield, there’s little chance that they’ll ever forget the sound of those bells, since their father, Joseph P. Duffy III, is the man responsible for bringing them to Sacred Heart.

“The personal involvement they’ve had from the University’s faculty and coaches has made all of the difference in their education. I know our entire family will hear those Chapel bells and feel like those are among the most important bells we’ve ever had made,” says Joe Duffy

Joe Duffy’s grandfather started Church Specialties, Inc., in 1919. Today, Joe continues what his grandfather started, working with manufacturers around the world to provide architectural features like bells, steeples, clocks and cupolas to a wide range of clients. Duffy has a special, heartfelt connection to Sacred Heart University, though, given that his daughters are in their fourth year here and have been leading the way to victory for the University’s cross country and track teams.

Thanks in large part to the efforts of Katie and Annie, last year Sacred Heart won the NEC cross country championship for the first time in University history. This year should prove just as exciting, with the girls acting as two of the cross-country team’s four captains.

After completing master’s program at Sacred Heart, Annie and Katie both plan to teach. “My daughters chose Sacred Heart both because of the athletic programs and the Fifth Year Education program,” says Duffy. “The personal involvement they’ve had from the University’s faculty and coaches has made all of the difference in their education. I know our entire family will hear those Chapel bells and feel like those are among the most important bells we’ve ever had made.”