Catholic Word of the Day: MORALITY OF DANCING, 01-23-10

CatholicReference.net ^ | 01-23-10 | Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary

[Salvation]

Featured Term (selected at random):

MORALITY OF DANCING

In itself dancing is perfectly licit. It may, however, become a source of evil either because of the way in which it is done or because it is an occasion of sin for some particular individual. In general, if dancing is not a proximate occasion of sin for the dancer, then it is permissible for him or her. On occasion there may be a special prohibition of a bishop or pastor against dances held at certain times or under certain conditions. Such prohibitions must be obeyed. Ordinarily, in these cases, dancing is banned because of certain evils attendant on gatherings of this kind in that locality.

All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

[Salvation]

**On occasion there may be a special prohibition of a bishop or pastor against dances held at certain times or under certain conditions. Such prohibitions must be obeyed. **

One of those times is during a Mass -- no dancing is permitted at those times. Take note, some of you Bishops!

[Salvation]

Catholic Word of the Day – links will be provided later by another FReeper.

 

Monogamy	Sanctoral Cycle/Proper of the Saints	Prinknash
Gift of Knowledge	Nine Offices	Imputability
Thesis	Hypapante	Evangelist of Mary
Grace of God	Morality of Dancing

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[Tax-chick]

St. John Vianney considered dances a very bad thing, because the occasions also involved drunkenness, fights, sexual immorality, and so on.

The FSSP priest in Tulsa was a big fan of waltzing parties, which I thought was hysterical, given the historical controversy about the waltz!

[Jeff Chandler]

I always wondered what exactly attracts men to dancing, other than to meet women. Is there something else?

For couples, dancing is a vertical expression of a horizontal idea.

[Tax-chick]

I don’t know. I have been unable to get my husband to learn any dancing other than Renaissance, which is what we did when he was trying to get me to marry him. It worked, too ... but I guess I’ll just have to learn ballet folklorico with my daughters, and it will serve Der Prinz right if I fall for a Caballero Latino ...

[annalex]

I love to dance with my wife of 16 years, and I meet her both before, during, and after...

[Straight Vermonter]

He (Vianney) was an enemy of dancing. You should note that the dances of that time were far different from the immoral and outrageous dances of today. The young ladies were completely covered and had skirts that reached to the floor. If he condemned those dances, what would he say about ours? His condemnation went so far as to deny absolution to those who would not promise to stop going to such dances.. Many persons would go to other churches to receive absolution. Hearing this, he simply commented: If other priests want to send them to Hell, it is up to them.

Yikes!

[Straight Vermonter]

Earlier Catholic Words of the Day

Monogamy	Sanctoral Cycle / Proper of the Saints	Prinknash
Gift of Knowledge	Nine Offices	Imputability
Thesis	Hypapante	Evangelist of Mary
Grace of God	Morality of Dancing

[Tax-chick]

Pretty forceful!