We have received a report describing the solemn ceremony of the dedication and blessing of the three church bells at St. Hedwig Polish Parish in Chicago yesterday. Fourteen church societies belonging to other Polish parishes participated in this solemn ceremony. The procession of church societies from St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish was very imposing indeed.

Other nationalities as well as Poles were present at this ceremony to demonstrate their affiliation with the Catholic Church. The air was filled with the beautiful strains of Polish music, and the beautiful Polish banners fluttered in the wind, their silver and gold braids glittering in the rays of the sun. The images of Polish patron saints shone perhaps for the thousandth time at the head of a Polish procession.

The large church yard of St. Hedwig Parish was filled to capacity with the 2faithful, who were eager to behold this unusual ceremony, and rejoiced that from now on their children will hear the toll of Polish bells.

At three o'clock in the afternoon, Reverend Kobrzynski, assisted by Reverend J. Barzynski as deacon, Reverend Machdzicki, and Reverend F. Gordon, having received the special permission of church authorities, began the ceremony of blessing the bells.

The blessing of church bells is usually performed by bishops. The bells, which have been named Hedwig, Adalbert, and John the Baptist, were washed by the clergy. Then they were anointed with holy oil and incensed by the celebrant. During the ceremony the clergy sang fourteen psalms and said a long prayer, and the deacon chanted a passage from the Bible about the Virgin Mary who had made a good choice. This passage was probably chosen by the church because bronze, from which church bells are cast, is also used for worldly purposes, such as cannon, machinery, etc., but the church 3bells, like the Virgin Mary, received the best part, that is, the opportunity to proclaim the glory of God.

Reverend Gordon delivered a beautiful sermon suitable to the occasion. His text was: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness," and in his sermon he used profound phrases such as, "It calls the living and mourns the dead." He explained the lofty purpose of bells and told us how we should listen to them. Those present at the ceremony received spiritual benefit from this sermon.

The bells were cast by a Pole, who, assisted by Reverend J. Barzynski, has accomplished a great [piece of] work with very small means. The tone of the bells is very clear and so harmonious that it would be hard to find such bells in America. The tone reminds us of very old bells in Polish monastaries in Poland.

May Reverend J. Barzynski and the parishioners of St. Hedwig Parish hear the bells for years to come. May Adalbert, Hedwig, and John bring peace, happiness, and harmony to their hearts.