Alden John Bell
Encyclopedia
Alden John Bell was a 20th century bishop
of the Catholic Church
in the United States
. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento
in the state of California
from 1962-1979. While preparing for a trip to see Pope John Paul II
in Chicago, Illinois, Bell was stabbed in his own office several times by a knife-wielding assailant
.
, Ontario
, Canada
. He did his undergraduate education
at Saint Patrick's Seminary
in Menlo Park, California and graduate studies at Catholic University of America
in Washington, D.C. While at this seminary in 1927, Bell was one of three novitiate
s who were assigned to St. Elizabeth
Catholic Church in Altadena, California
. He was ordained a Catholic priest
for the Diocese of Los Angeles-San Diego
on May 14, 1932. In 1935, then Father Bell persuaded the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus
to teach at the Sacred Heart
Mission.
Pius XII named him Titular Bishop
of Rhodopolis and Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles. He was consecrated a bishop on June 4, 1956 by Cardinal
James Francis McIntyre at St. Vibiana's Cathedral. The co-consecrators were Bishops Joseph Thomas McGucken
of Sacramento and Timothy Manning, an auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles.
On November 10, 1956, Bell blessed
La Salle High School
two months after it opened.
On March 9, 1957 Bell consecrated the high altar at St. Kevin
Church in Los Angeles.
On October 26, 1957, Bell presided over the gymnasium
dedication at Junípero Serra High School
in Gardena, California.
Bishop Bell as the sixth bishop of Sacramento. He was episcopally ordained in the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament on May 15, 1962.
bell, donated by a retired Southern Pacific Railroad
parishioner, was going to be installed in All Hallows Church in Sacramento. The church had been built without a bell in 1960 with a large campanile
. Bell instructed then Pastor Cornelius O'Connor not to place the bell in the tower. O'Connor declined to buy a new bell and declared that his parish would have no bells.
On September 17, 1963, Bell dedicated Jesuit High School to the Jesuit North American Martyrs. In May, 1982, Bell returned to this school to dedicate its library to Reverend Joseph J. King, S.J.
.
On April 2, 1965, Bell dedicated the fourth rebuilding of St. Joseph Church in Redding, California
. The original church was constructed near some railroad tracks and moved to the site of the second church. Both the second and third St. Joseph's churches were burnt down in fires.
On June 7, 1965, Bell dedicated the Holy Family Parish's new church which replaced the Camp Kohler chapel
which was purchased from the Army. In 1970 he approved Monsignor
Vito Mistretta's request to employ a lay staff at Holy Family.
In 1969, as the ordinary
, Bell approved
within the see
of Sacramento Our Lady of Guadalupe
Church as a "national shrine". This shrine is known as the Sanctuary of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe or as Santuario Nacional de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. This was accomplished after the construction of its new church because at that time it had become the largest "Spanish speaking" Mexican
parish.
In 1973, Bell dedicated St. Joseph Parish's new church in Elk Grove, California
. The old church had been sold in December 1972.
On May 6, 1974 Bell was the Principal Consecrator of Bishop John Stephen Cummins
. Cummins had appointed as the diocesan auxiliary bishop on February 26, 1974.
In 1977, Bell supervised the purchase and installation of a Schlicker Organ from Buffalo, New York
for the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. While it had nine ranks of pipes, but the organ proved to be inadequate for the cathedral's musical liturgies
.
In May 1977, Bell gave $20,000, which had been a World War II
relief fund
for Slovaks
, to the Byzantine Eparch of Parma
, Emil Mihalik
. The eparch said the money would be used to build a church in Sacramento.
. He was responsible for implementing the reforms that resulted from the Council in the diocese. Many parishes began parish councils at this time, and he encouraged the emergence of lay ministry in the diocese.
At the same time, he needed to respond to the needs of a growing diocese. Solano County
was added to the diocese. He also focused on the development of high schools throughout the diocese. He initiated a fund drive to ease costs, build new schools, expand religious education programs and build a home for the aged.
The 17 years he spent as bishop of the diocese, which grew to nearly 250,000 members during his tenure, was a period of turbulence. Issues from outside the diocese also affected day to day life: the Vietnam War
, the civil rights movement
and legislative matters on abortion
. Within the diocese, his positive actions to aid Catholic education, improve interaction with the Latino
community and renovate the interior of the cathedral
were undermined by divisions, school closures, and world tensions.
Pope John Paul II accepted Bell's resignation on July 11, 1979 at the age of 75, making him the Bishop Emeritus of Sacramento.
which is two blocks north of the state capitol
. He was stabbed twice before his secretary, Jean Tamaki, found William Luthin attacking the bishop with a "dagger-like" knife. Tamaki pulled Luthin away by his shirt because he was of "medium or small build." Bell had been in his office preparing for a trip to see Pope John Paul II in Chicago, Illinois. Luthin surrendered himself at a hospital and was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Police arrested Luthin as a suspect because he told nurses, "Call somebody. I stabbed a priest." A knife was found on the office couch and its receipt from a nearby store. Bell was held overnight at Mercy General Hospital with hand and rib wounds. Luthin had seen the bishop earlier that day and "reportedly" complained about being excommunicated
. The bishop's trip to meet the pope was canceled.
's 1970 letter to Bell answering his request on "the tragic situation of Catholic school finances in California."
- From a May 1976 letter written by Bell that was read all diocosesan Masses concerning the deaths of 27 high school choir members and their champerone.
- Bishop Francis Quinn
on the subject of Bell's 1982 death.
- Reverend James C. Kidder, the bishop's secretary for 12 years, on the subject of Bell's 1982 death.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento
Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento is an ecclesiastical territory or particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the northern California region of the United States...
in the state of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
from 1962-1979. While preparing for a trip to see Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
in Chicago, Illinois, Bell was stabbed in his own office several times by a knife-wielding assailant
Assailant
Assailant is a Swedish power metal band formed in 2004 formerly signed on the label Dockyard 1. Their debut album Nemesis Within was released in May 2006.-The Sound:...
.
Early life and pastoral assignments
Alden John Bell was born in PeterboroughPeterborough, Ontario
Peterborough is a city on the Otonabee River in southern Ontario, Canada, 125 kilometres northeast of Toronto. The population of the City of Peterborough was 74,898 as of the 2006 census, while the census metropolitan area has a population of 121,428 as of a 2009 estimate. It presently ranks...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He did his undergraduate education
Undergraduate education
Undergraduate education is an education level taken prior to gaining a first degree . Hence, in many subjects in many educational systems, undergraduate education is post-secondary education up to the level of a bachelor's degree, such as in the United States, where a university entry level is...
at Saint Patrick's Seminary
Saint Patrick Seminary, Menlo Park
Saint Patrick's Seminary and University in Menlo Park, California is a Roman Catholic post-graduate seminary whose primary mission is the formation of clergy for Western and Pacific Rim dioceses, orders, religious congregations and secular institutes...
in Menlo Park, California and graduate studies at Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
in Washington, D.C. While at this seminary in 1927, Bell was one of three novitiate
Novitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....
s who were assigned to St. Elizabeth
Elisabeth of Hungary
Elizabeth of Hungary, T.O.S.F., was a princess of the Kingdom of Hungary, Countess of Thuringia, Germany and a greatly-venerated Catholic saint. Elizabeth was married at the age of 14, and widowed at 20. She then became one of the first members of the newly-founded Third Order of St. Francis,...
Catholic Church in Altadena, California
Altadena, California
Altadena is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States, approximately from the downtown Los Angeles Civic Center, and directly north of the city of Pasadena, California...
. He was ordained a Catholic priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
for the Diocese of Los Angeles-San Diego
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles is an archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the U.S. state of California. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the archdiocese comprises the California counties of Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Ventura. The diocesan cathedral is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the...
on May 14, 1932. In 1935, then Father Bell persuaded the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus
Society of the Holy Child Jesus
The Society of the Holy Child Jesus is an international community of nuns that was founded in England in 1846 by Philadelphia-born Cornelia Connelly. Cornelia converted to the Roman Catholic Church in 1835. The Society was approved in 1887 by Pope Leo XIII, and the rules and constitutions were...
to teach at the Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart
The Sacred Heart is one of the most famous religious devotions to Jesus' physical heart as the representation of His divine love for Humanity....
Mission.
Diocese of Los Angeles
On April 11, 1956 PopePope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
Pius XII named him Titular Bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Rhodopolis and Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles. He was consecrated a bishop on June 4, 1956 by Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
James Francis McIntyre at St. Vibiana's Cathedral. The co-consecrators were Bishops Joseph Thomas McGucken
Joseph Thomas McGucken
Joseph Thomas McGucken was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Sacramento and Archbishop of San Francisco .-Biography:...
of Sacramento and Timothy Manning, an auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles.
On November 10, 1956, Bell blessed
Blessing
A blessing, is the infusion of something with holiness, spiritual redemption, divine will, or one's hope or approval.- Etymology and Germanic paganism :...
La Salle High School
La Salle High School (Pasadena, California)
La Salle High School is a private, Roman Catholic college preparatory high school in Pasadena, California. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles.La Salle High School, founded in 1956, is a Lasallian school...
two months after it opened.
On March 9, 1957 Bell consecrated the high altar at St. Kevin
Kevin of Glendalough
Saint Cóemgen , popularly anglicized to Kevin is an Irish saint who was known as the founder and first abbot of Glendalough in County Wicklow, Ireland.-Life:...
Church in Los Angeles.
On October 26, 1957, Bell presided over the gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
dedication at Junípero Serra High School
Junípero Serra High School (Gardena, California)
Junípero Serra High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Gardena, California, a suburban city located 14 miles southwest from downtown Los Angeles. Honored as a State School of the Year, Serra is operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles.-Background:Junípero Serra High...
in Gardena, California.
Diocese of Sacramento
On March 30, 1962 Pope Blessed John XXIII namedAppointment of Catholic bishops
The appointment of bishops in the Catholic Church is a complicated process. Outgoing bishops, neighbouring bishops, the faithful, the apostolic nuncio, various members of the Roman Curia, and the pope all have a role in the selection...
Bishop Bell as the sixth bishop of Sacramento. He was episcopally ordained in the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament on May 15, 1962.
Diocesan accomplishments
During the 1960s, Bell learned that a brass locomotiveLocomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
bell, donated by a retired Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
parishioner, was going to be installed in All Hallows Church in Sacramento. The church had been built without a bell in 1960 with a large campanile
Campanile
Campanile is an Italian word meaning "bell tower" . The term applies to bell towers which are either part of a larger building or free-standing, although in American English, the latter meaning has become prevalent.The most famous campanile is probably the Leaning Tower of Pisa...
. Bell instructed then Pastor Cornelius O'Connor not to place the bell in the tower. O'Connor declined to buy a new bell and declared that his parish would have no bells.
On September 17, 1963, Bell dedicated Jesuit High School to the Jesuit North American Martyrs. In May, 1982, Bell returned to this school to dedicate its library to Reverend Joseph J. King, S.J.
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
.
On April 2, 1965, Bell dedicated the fourth rebuilding of St. Joseph Church in Redding, California
Redding, California
Redding is a city in far-Northern California. It is the county seat of Shasta County, California, USA. With a population of 89,861, according to the 2010 Census...
. The original church was constructed near some railroad tracks and moved to the site of the second church. Both the second and third St. Joseph's churches were burnt down in fires.
On June 7, 1965, Bell dedicated the Holy Family Parish's new church which replaced the Camp Kohler chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
which was purchased from the Army. In 1970 he approved Monsignor
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
Vito Mistretta's request to employ a lay staff at Holy Family.
In 1969, as the ordinary
Ordinary
In those hierarchically organised churches of Western Christianity which have an ecclesiastical law system, an ordinary is an officer of the church who by reason of office has ordinary power to execute the church's laws...
, Bell approved
Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility...
within the see
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
of Sacramento Our Lady of Guadalupe
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Our Lady of Guadalupe , also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe is a celebrated Catholic icon of the Virgin Mary.According to tradition, on December 9, 1531 Juan Diego, a simple indigenous peasant, had a vision of a young woman while he was on a hill in the Tepeyac desert, near Mexico City. The lady...
Church as a "national shrine". This shrine is known as the Sanctuary of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe or as Santuario Nacional de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. This was accomplished after the construction of its new church because at that time it had become the largest "Spanish speaking" Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
parish.
In 1973, Bell dedicated St. Joseph Parish's new church in Elk Grove, California
Elk Grove, California
Elk Grove is a city in Sacramento County, California, located just south of the state capital of Sacramento. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city is 153,015...
. The old church had been sold in December 1972.
On May 6, 1974 Bell was the Principal Consecrator of Bishop John Stephen Cummins
John Stephen Cummins
John Stephen Cummins is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Oakland from 1977 to 2003.-Early life and education:...
. Cummins had appointed as the diocesan auxiliary bishop on February 26, 1974.
In 1977, Bell supervised the purchase and installation of a Schlicker Organ from Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
for the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. While it had nine ranks of pipes, but the organ proved to be inadequate for the cathedral's musical liturgies
Mass (music)
The Mass, a form of sacred musical composition, is a choral composition that sets the invariable portions of the Eucharistic liturgy to music...
.
In May 1977, Bell gave $20,000, which had been a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
relief fund
Humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid is material or logistical assistance provided for humanitarian purposes, typically in response to humanitarian crises including natural disaster and man-made disaster. The primary objective of humanitarian aid is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity...
for Slovaks
Slovaks
The Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
, to the Byzantine Eparch of Parma
Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma
The Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma is the Catholic eparchy governing most Byzantine Catholics in the midwestern United States. Its headquarters are at 1900 Carlton Road, Parma, Ohio. The current bishop is the Most Reverend John Kudrick....
, Emil Mihalik
Emil John Mihalik
Emil John Mihalik was the first Eparch of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma, Ohio. His appointment occurred simultaneously with the erection of the see...
. The eparch said the money would be used to build a church in Sacramento.
Ecumenical Councils
From 1962-1965 Bishop Bell attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican CouncilSecond Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
. He was responsible for implementing the reforms that resulted from the Council in the diocese. Many parishes began parish councils at this time, and he encouraged the emergence of lay ministry in the diocese.
At the same time, he needed to respond to the needs of a growing diocese. Solano County
Solano County, California
Solano County is a county located in Bay-Delta region of the U.S. state of California, about halfway between San Francisco and Sacramento and is one of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. The county's population was reported by the U.S. Census to be 413,344 in 2010...
was added to the diocese. He also focused on the development of high schools throughout the diocese. He initiated a fund drive to ease costs, build new schools, expand religious education programs and build a home for the aged.
The 17 years he spent as bishop of the diocese, which grew to nearly 250,000 members during his tenure, was a period of turbulence. Issues from outside the diocese also affected day to day life: the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, the civil rights movement
Civil rights movement
The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance. In some situations it was...
and legislative matters on abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
. Within the diocese, his positive actions to aid Catholic education, improve interaction with the Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
community and renovate the interior of the cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
were undermined by divisions, school closures, and world tensions.
Pope John Paul II accepted Bell's resignation on July 11, 1979 at the age of 75, making him the Bishop Emeritus of Sacramento.
Assassination attempt
In October 1979, Bell was attacked and cut several times by a knife-wielding assailant while off-duty in the then cathedral's chanceryDiocesan chancery
A diocesan chancery is the branch of administration which handles all written documents used in the official government of a Roman Catholic or Anglican diocese....
which is two blocks north of the state capitol
California State Capitol
The California State Capitol is home to the government of California. The building houses the bicameral state legislature and the office of the governor....
. He was stabbed twice before his secretary, Jean Tamaki, found William Luthin attacking the bishop with a "dagger-like" knife. Tamaki pulled Luthin away by his shirt because he was of "medium or small build." Bell had been in his office preparing for a trip to see Pope John Paul II in Chicago, Illinois. Luthin surrendered himself at a hospital and was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Police arrested Luthin as a suspect because he told nurses, "Call somebody. I stabbed a priest." A knife was found on the office couch and its receipt from a nearby store. Bell was held overnight at Mercy General Hospital with hand and rib wounds. Luthin had seen the bishop earlier that day and "reportedly" complained about being excommunicated
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
. The bishop's trip to meet the pope was canceled.
Quotes
- Then Governor Ronald ReaganRonald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
's 1970 letter to Bell answering his request on "the tragic situation of Catholic school finances in California."
- From a May 1976 letter written by Bell that was read all diocosesan Masses concerning the deaths of 27 high school choir members and their champerone.
- Bishop Francis Quinn
Francis Quinn
Francis Anthony Quinn is the Roman Catholic bishop emeritus of the Diocese of Sacramento. He graduated from St. Joseph’s Seminary and was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of San Francisco on June 15, 1946. He earned a MA in education from the Catholic University, Washington, D.C...
on the subject of Bell's 1982 death.
- Reverend James C. Kidder, the bishop's secretary for 12 years, on the subject of Bell's 1982 death.