Bepto Pismol!!!
Posted on 08/18/2006 2:40:48 PM PDT by NYer
Annunciations of a New Springtime came across a 2003 Adoramus article of Cardinal Arinze's speaking on liturgical dance that I had not seen before.
Now, some priests and lay people think that Mass is never complete without dance. The difficulty is this: we come to Mass primarily to adore God -- what we call the vertical dimension. We do not come to Mass to entertain one another. That's not the purpose of Mass. The parish hall is for that.
So all those that want to entertain us -- after Mass, let us go to the parish hall and then you can dance. And then we clap. But when we come to Mass we don't come to clap. We don't come to watch people, to admire people. We want to adore God, to thank Him, to ask Him pardon for our sins, and to ask Him for what we need.
Don't misunderstand me, because when I said this at one place somebody said to me: "you are an African bishop. You Africans are always dancing. Why do you say we don't dance?"
A moment -- we Africans are not always dancing!
Moreover, there is a difference between those who come in procession at Offertory; they bring their gifts, with joy. There is a movement of the body right and left. They bring their gifts to God. That is good, really. And some of the choir, they sing. They have a little bit of movement. Nobody is going to condemn that. And when you are going out again, a little movement, it's all right.
But when you introduce wholesale, say, a ballerina, then I want to ask you what is it all about. What exactly are you arranging? When the people finish dancing in the Mass and then when the dance group finishes and people clap -- don't you see what it means? It means we have enjoyed it. We come for enjoyment. Repeat. So, there is something wrong. Whenever the people clap -- there is something wrong -- immediately. When they clap -- a dance is done and they clap.
It is possible that there could be a dance that is so exquisite that it raises people's minds to God, and they are praying and adoring God and when the dance is finished they are still wrapped up in prayer. But is that the type of dance you have seen? You see. It is not easy.
Most dances that are staged during Mass should have been done in the parish hall. And some of them are not even suitable for the parish hall.
I saw in one place -- I will not tell you where -- where they staged a dance during Mass, and that dance was offensive. It broke the rules of moral theology and modesty. Those who arranged it -- they should have had their heads washed with a bucket of holy water!
Why make the people of God suffer so much? Haven't we enough problems already? Only Sunday, one hour, they come to adore God. And you bring a dance! Are you so poor you have nothing else to bring us? Shame on you! That's how I feel about it.
Somebody can say, "but the pope visited this county and the people danced". A moment: Did the pope arrange it? Poor Holy Father -- he comes, the people arranged. He does not know what they arranged. And somebody introduces something funny -- is the pope responsible for that? Does that mean it is now approved? Did they put in on the table of the Congregation for Divine Worship? We would throw it out! If people want to dance, they know where to go.
Somebody needs to start a Cardinal Arinze Fan Club blog. He always provides a wealth of great commentary and common sense on the liturgy.
"So they go to church and inflict their horrible travesties on folks there . ."
Not on this folk.
I told, in writing, my modernist pastor of three years ago that if he ever again had a dancer at Mass that my family would immediately walk right out the center aisle of church - and take our contributions with us.
I also said I was recommending my friends do likewise.
The first dancing episode was also the last.
We never saw another one in the time I was there. Good riddance.
I don't believe our current very orthodox Catholic parish would allow post-menopausal biddies in tights and leotards into the sanctuary . . . or any other kind of dancer for that matter.
Traditional country music didn't have drums. Modern music did. Miss Minnie Pearl led the opposition.
DOn't tell me RCs don't listen to CM.
On the other hand I think they continue to discourage pube to pube events, in general.
The groups I was thinking of are mostly "fundamentalist", not "Pentecostal". Besides, there are Catholic Pentecostals (who seem to have begun practicing in secret ~ at least the ones I know aren't publicising it as much now as they did 20 years ago).
No, I don't listen to country music. Sorry. Thanks for explaining the drum controversy. I had no idea.
America is definitely a strange place once you get outside of town.
LOL, I never considered that point of view! Good point. Your perspective also applies sometimes to the so-called "music ministry". These people can't sing their way out of a paper bag, they choose songs (not hymns) that are inappropriate and occasionally even heretical, and they seem to forget the Mass is not a concert for the greater glory of themselves.
If it didn't come through in my original post I was just trying to be funny.
Bepto Pismol!!!
1Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.
2Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
3Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
4Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
5Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
6Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.
We're men, we're men in tights
We roam around the forest looking for fights
We're men, We're men in tights
We rob from the rich and give to the poor, that's right
We may look like sissies
But watch what you say, or else we'll put out your lights
We're men, we're men in tights
Always on guard defending the people's rights
La, la, la, ....etc
We're men, manly men, we're men in tights Yeah!
We roam around the forest looking for fights
We're men, we're men in tights
We rob from the rich and give to the poor, that's right
We may look like pansies
But don't get us wrong, or else we'll put out your lights
We're men, we're men in tights, tight tights
Always on guard defending the people's rights
When you're in a fix, call for the men in tights
We're Butch!!
For goodness sakes, don't give them any ideas!
Or maybe it means that the congregation are just immensely relieved that it's over and they don't have to pretend to enjoy that silliness anymore.
I've been through some bad times in churches, but thank God, I never had DANCE inflicted on me...
1 Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle: let his praise be in the church of the saints. 2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: and let the children of Sion be joyful in their king. 3 Let them praise his name in choir: let them sing to him with the timbrel and the psaltery. 4 For the Lord is well pleased with his people: and he will exalt the meek unto salvation. 5 The saints shall rejoice in glory: they shall be joyful in their beds.
6 The high praise of God shall be in their mouth: and two-edged swords in their hands: 7 To execute vengeance upon the nations, chastisements among the people: 8 To bind their kings with fetters, and their nobles with manacles of iron. 9 To execute upon them the judgment that is written: this glory is to all his saints. Alleluia.
Psalm 150
Praise ye the Lord in his holy places: praise ye him in the firmament of his power. 2 Praise ye him for his mighty acts: praise ye him according to the multitude of his greatness. 3 Praise him with sound of trumpet: praise him with psaltery and harp. 4 Praise him with timbrel and choir: praise him with strings and organs. 5 Praise him on high sounding cymbals: praise him on cymbals of joy: let every spirit praise the Lord. Alleluia.
*These psalms are not prescriptive for Liturgy. They are descriptive of what ALL creatures must do - praise God. WE do that.
Furthermore,the "new song" is a celebration of the triumph of God over gentile nations.THe Christian counterpart is...Apoc 5:9 And they sung a new canticle, saying: Thou art worthy, O Lord, to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; because thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God, in thy blood, out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation.
*Y'all are free to do what you want to Praise God. We Christians base our Mass upon the Holy Sacrifice of the New Covenant re-presented at every Mass...
Very true.
Certain music is in appropriate too.
Yes, as a matter of fact, it has. It was only at one Mass. The last few times I went, they were gone.
But thanks for the heads-up. I will keep him in mind.
He looks like he's in drag as an Orissa temple dancer . . .
Wow have the Black Robes fallen far . ..
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