City Threatens to Fine Church for Ringing Bell
Health Department supports objections to 7 a.m. church bells in Manayunk
Bryron Scott, NBC Philadelphia
Controversy surrounds the sounds coming from the halls of Saint John the Baptist church on Rector Street.
In a neighborhood known for its loud and raucous bar scene, some residents are demanding that the city silence a Manayunk church from ringing its bell at 7 a.m.
The city health department is now threatening church officials with hefty fines, as first reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer.
St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church is facing a $700 fine each day, if the bell violates Philadelphia’s 2006 noise law.
The church has been a part of the community for 179 years. Ever since a $20,000 gift was given to repair the bell last year, it has rung the prayer known as the Angelus every day at 7 a.m. -- an hour later than the 6 a.m. traditional time for the chimes.
"It's really tough to try and figure out...the bells have been here for over a hundred years," Rev. James Lyons told NBC Philadelphia Thursday.
But 7 a.m. was not a long enough rest for some Manayunkers and they made complaints to the city.
Last week, Lyons received a letter of warning from the health department, promising daily fines for the church’s early morning revelry.
"Air Management Services (AMS) would like to advise you that amplified sound and all other noise . . . shall not exceed five decibels above background level measured at the property boundary of the nearest occupied residential property," states the letter obtained by NBC Philadelphia.
The city notified Lyons of another grievance earlier this summer. In response, four neighboring churches showed their support and unity by ringing their bells together with St. John the Baptist on July Fourth.
Thomas Huynh, director of the city's Air Management Services, told the Inquirer that they have threatened other religious institutions that have been noisy over the years and “most are willing to make accommodations in response to neighbors’ complaints.”
But unless the archdiocese tells the church to stop, the bells are going to keep ringing, Lyons said. In fact, Lyons said the bells used to toll 28 times at 7 a.m.
"I guess you can't really do anything [about the bells]," resident Danny Godlewski told NBC Philadelphia. "Hopefully, it goes away and you can go back to sleep if you don't have to get up right then or it wakes you up and your day starts with the bells."
Neighborhood stalwarts are standing behind the St. John's, claiming they put up with enough flack from younger residents.
"I mean they have people drinking, peeing on our pavements...disrespect for our houses, they come up from Main Street drunk and they're worried about a bell? That's not right," Kathy Tomosky said.
Posted Thursday, Sep 9, 2010 - 1:08 PM EST
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