Aug 21, 2007 / 09:06 am
A Roman Catholic priest is being fined 5,000 euros by municipal officials each time he rings his church bell for early morning Mass.
Municipal officials of Tilburg, 115 km south of Amsterdam, are responding to the complaints of residents about the bells ringing at 7:15 a.m. each day.
According to municipality spokesman Thomas Heesters, city officials urged Fr. Harm Schilder for months to stop ringing the early morning bell of the Holy Margarita Maria Church. But when the priest did not comply, the city warned that starting Aug. 16, he would be fined for every morning the bell sounds, reported The Associated Press.
Despite the threat, the bells rang out again Thursday and Friday.