Why don't we ring bells during the consecration at Mass?

This is a great question, especially during this period of the Eucharistic Revival currently being celebrated across the country and since many Catholic Churches are bringing back the practice of ringing bells.  It helps to understand some of the reasons this practice developed and to understand the theology of Eucharist that flows from Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy from the Second Vatican Council.
One of the most important sentences from that document calls the Church to “full, conscious and active participation in the Liturgy.”  Prior to the Second Vatican Council, when the Liturgy was in Latin (and not understandable for many in the assembly, particularly if they had no translation of the prayers available to them) full, conscious and active participation was difficult.  The altar was often very far away from the people and the priest was praying quietly in Latin.  Who knew what was going on or how to participate at all?  During the Middle Ages, it was rare for members of the assembly to receive communion.  As a result, a practice arose for the assembly to “gaze” at the consecrated host during the elevation. This was their moment of encounter with Christ in the Eucharist.  There is one account from England during this period when a Church goer cried out during the elevation “Higher Prester John, higher.”  This practice necessitated the need for a signal – when should I look up?  So, bells were used as that signal and were adopted for use everywhere up to the time of the Second Vatican Council. 
    Since the Second Vatican Council we have come to understand that the whole of the Eucharistic Prayer is consecratory and that while we recognize the importance of Jesus’ words of institution, they are a part of the whole prayer.  In fact, theologically the heart of the Eucharistic Prayer is what we call the anamnesis.  This is the portion of the prayer that is remembering the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and our offering of ourselves with him in the sacrifice of the Mass.  This part of the Eucharistic Prayer follows the words of institution.  For example, in Eucharistic Prayer II, you would hear these words which comprise the anamnesis:
“Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his Death and Resurrection, we offer you, Lord, the Bread of life and the Chalice of salvation, giving thanks that you have held us worthy to be in your presence and minister to you.”
We also recognize that our call to full, conscious and active participation invites us to enter into the whole of the Eucharistic Prayer as the priest prays it.  Our understanding is that Christ with the Church is the celebrant at every mass.  While the priest speaks the prayer, we are all praying it with him in union with Christ.  
    So why don’t we ring bells at the consecration?  First, we all can understand and follow the language being spoken (or have ready access to a translation).  Further, it does not respect that the whole of the Eucharistic Prayer is consecratory, not just the words of institution. As a result, ringing bells would interrupt the flow of the whole prayer. Our enthusiastic singing or reciting of the GREAT AMEN at the end of the Eucharistic Prayer is the acclamation called for since the Second Vatican Council.  
While we understand that other churches have decided to ring bells, for the reasons identified above we do not ring bells here at St. Austin Catholic Church.