A Narragansett man has gone to federal court to silence church bells sounded by a neighboring Catholic church.
The Providence Journal reports that John Devaney says in his lawsuit that the bells of St. Thomas More Catholic Parish disrupt his life and contributed to the end of his marriage.
He is asking the court to order the church to reduce the number of bell claps and gongs so he can peacefully enjoy his property.
I remember reading of a similar case in which a well-known poet/writer sued many years ago to quiet the fog horn at a Rhode Island lighthouse because he was “bothered by the blasts from the horn,” but instead of quieting the horn, the government built a sound wall near the horn. Seems to me that this guy could build his own wall instead of suing the Church.
What a frivolous suit … I mean in all Christian charity, this guy is the village idiot. He bought the church’s former rectory — a home that faces the church building. Of course, there’d be the odd-bell rung once in awhile.
I bet what happened is that the new pastor restored the bells; and the twice or thrice daily ringing of the Angelus, (which is 3-3-3-9 or some such) … That would be noticeable, but it was not unforeseeable when he bought the house.