Every day at Providence Academy, we stop whatever we are doing right at noon and pray the Our Father. Instead of the regular single chime bell, the noon bell is set apart because of the distinct double ring. No matter if a class is in the middle of a lesson or a student/teacher is walking down the hall, it is a Providence custom to stop, stand to recite the Our Father.
Ever since day one of Providence Academy’s existence, the double chime has been a bell the never turns off. Even during the summertime, when no students occupy the building, the “Our Father” bell still goes off. It is a good time to just stop the work you are doing and give a couple of moments to God.
I asked a teacher and student what their thoughts on the noon bell were.
PA teachers say they enjoy the tradition of the noon bell.
“I suppose I find it to be a pleasant sound with a deep, rich tone,” said religion teacher Mr. Edward Hester. “I would prefer that we would pray the Angelus because its the true Catholic tradition.”
Upper School Director Dr. Kevin Ferdinandt noted that,”Typically most Catholic schools do say the Angelus, but when we started this, we figured that most students don’t know that praye,r and thought it would be more appropriate to say the Our Father simply because more students would know that prayer.”
Regardless of the exact prayer, PA students say they appreciate the tradition of the noon bell.
“Personally, I enjoy the break in class by saying the Our Father,” said Alec Weber ’16.