Struggling with Something

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nysacerdote

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All these youth festivals are beginning to grind my gears. Maybe I’m too traditional, but I’m only 18, and I grew up with a faith that wasn’t about signing and dancing to music at large festivals. It was about the Mass, the Eucharist, confession, and living the Word; and that was perfectly satisfying for me. And then bishops and priests show up to these things, and are dancing right alongside everyone else like it some big party!!

Am I being to judge mental about the whole thing? What are your thoughts on the subject and/or what I said?
 
Well, first of all, what is wrong with bishops dancing at music festivals? We Catholics are not fundamentalists who frown on any and all innocent diversions, such as dancing. Parishes host dances, including mine. Some of our priests have performed in musicals at our parish. I see nothing wrong with it since it’s not forbidden by God or canon law. 🙂

Also, Advent is not Lent. We are allowed merriment in Advent.

If you don’t care to sing and dance, of course you don’t have to, but there’s nothing intrinsically wrong with doing either activity.
 
If you don’t like this sort of thing, the simplest solution is don’t go or participate. They aren’t meant to make anyone miserable. For those who enjoy them and find spiritual benefit, rejoice that they are praising God. There are certainly worse things for teens and young people (well, anyone) to be doing.
 
nysacerdote said:
All these youth festivals are beginning to grind my gears. Maybe I’m too traditional, but I’m only 18, and I grew up with a faith that wasn’t about signing and dancing to music at large festivals. It was about the Mass, the Eucharist, confession, and living the Word; and that was perfectly satisfying for me. And then bishops and priests show up to these things, and are dancing right alongside everyone else like it some big party!!

Am I being to judge mental about the whole thing? What are your thoughts on the subject and/or what I said?
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Are you referring to: a Mass; a “Praise and Worship” time; a Quinceañera? There are many ways in which we Catholics “celebrate” our Faith. Or is this a “regular” party where people are enjoying themselves and dancing? Remember,

Jesus’ first miracle was at a party – a wedding.
 
Della said:
Well, first of all, what is wrong with bishops dancing at music festivals? We Catholics are not fundamentalists who frown on any and all innocent diversions, such as dancing. Parishes host dances, including mine. Some of our priests have performed in musicals at our parish. I see nothing wrong with it since it’s not forbidden by God or canon law. 🙂

Also, Advent is not Lent. We are allowed merriment in Advent.

If you don’t care to sing and dance, of course you don’t have to, but there’s nothing intrinsically wrong with doing either activity.
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There is a higher dignity about a priest that is incompatible with frivolous things like dancing. Dancing can also draw ridicule, you don’t want to put the dignity of the priesthood through that test. Dancing is always about being the center of attention and it can easily turn into making a spectacle of oneself. If a priest wants to get exercise, let him run anonymously or life weights somewhere, if he wants to be cheered, applauded, liked, emotionally invested, he made a tragic career choice. Check out Youtube vids if you don’t believe me, if you don’t feel there’s anything wrong, then I can’t help you.
 
I just remember that King David was a man after God’s own heart. Even though he was a sinner, he loved the Lord SO MUCH that when they moved the Ark of the Covenant to the temple, David danced with JOY. (He was also a musician.) Some people, like his wife, were offended by the dancing King. But, he was shameless (I’m thinking of that song by Garth Brooks!!!) before the Lord.

I’m not one to show too much emotion or draw attention to myself, but I think the Lord wants us to be JOYFUL in His presence. Just MHO.
 
Robertanthony said:
There is a higher dignity about a priest that is incompatible with frivolous things like dancing. Dancing can also draw ridicule, you don’t want to put the dignity of the priesthood through that test. Dancing is always about being the center of attention and it can easily turn into making a spectacle of oneself. If a priest wants to get exercise, let him run anonymously or life weights somewhere, if he wants to be cheered, applauded, liked, emotionally invested, he made a tragic career choice. Check out Youtube vids if you don’t believe me, if you don’t feel there’s anything wrong, then I can’t help you.
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It is apparent that you personally do not know many, if any priests. Despite their Sacred Calling, they are human beings, just as you and I are.
I grew up in a large Jesuit Parish in South Florida during the 1940’s and early 1950’s and attended its Parochial School.
My parents were very friendly with all of the priests in the Parish, and our home was their “home away from home”. It was no big thing for me to come home from school to find Father so-and-so lounging in our back yard on a beach chair with a beer and his newspaper. We usually had one or more priests at our dinner table every night.
The monthly inter-parish poker game was held on our dining room table.
In short, I grew up knowing priests not just by their Sacred persona, but as human beings- very much like members of my family.
Yes, it is perfectly all right to expect a certain amount of dignity in the public behavior of priests, but to expect that they are continually pious is not only unreasonable, it wreaks an un-necessary hardship on them…
 
George_Stegmeir said:
It is apparent that you personally do not know many, if any priests. Despite their Sacred Calling, they are human beings, just as you and I are.
I grew up in a large Jesuit Parish in South Florida during the 1940’s and early 1950’s and attended its Parochial School.
My parents were very friendly with all of the priests in the Parish, and our home was their “home away from home”. It was no big thing for me to come home from school to find Father so-and-so lounging in our back yard on a beach chair with a beer and his newspaper. We usually had one or more priests at our dinner table every night.
The monthly inter-parish poker game was held on our dining room table.
In short, I grew up knowing priests not just by their Sacred persona, but as human beings- very much like members of my family.
Yes, it is perfectly all right to expect a certain amount of dignity in the public behavior of priests, but to expect that they are continually pious is not only unreasonable, it wreaks an un-necessary hardship on them…
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🙂 My own father was a defrocked priest/seminarian, picture a married priest whose passion is religion, and you’ve pictured my dad. But knowing or not knowing priests misses the point, I don’t want to see a tanned member of a religious society gardening with his bare chest, just because I witnessed him doing that countless times doesn’t make it alright. If you think a priest sipping on a beer, wearing a Speedo is perfectly fine, what can i say? Being a priest is dying to oneself, I understand all priests are not willing or capable to do that. Priests are God’s close guards, they’re not the neighbour you’re having bbq at on Saturday. Is a priest suntanning on a beach surrounded by young women with perfect bodies also acceptable to you? What does the special dignity of the priesthood keep the priests from doing? Can a young attractive priest go to a bar late at night and enjoy a drink or two with a friend? Can he dance in a nightclub? Can he get a nonsexual massage from a woman?
 
Robertanthony said:
🙂 My own father was a defrocked priest/seminarian, picture a married priest whose passion is religion, and you’ve pictured my dad. But knowing or not knowing priests misses the point, I don’t want to see a tanned member of a religious society gardening with his bare chest, just because I witnessed him doing that countless times doesn’t make it alright. If you think a priest sipping on a beer, wearing a Speedo is perfectly fine, what can i say? Being a priest is dying to oneself, I understand all priests are not willing or capable to do that. Priests are God’s close guards, they’re not the neighbour you’re having bbq at on Saturday. Is a priest suntanning on a beach surrounded by young women with perfect bodies also acceptable to you? What does the special dignity of the priesthood keep the priests from doing? Can a young attractive priest go to a bar late at night and enjoy a drink or two with a friend? Can he dance in a nightclub? Can he get a nonsexual massage from a woman?
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Talk about a straw man argument! The original discussion was about dancing with a certain level of decorum at a Christian youth event, and now you’re acting as if this is equivalent to dancing at a nightclub or getting a massage? :confused:
 
Prodigal_Son said:
Talk about a straw man argument! The original discussion was about dancing with a certain level of decorum at a Christian youth event, and now you’re acting as if this is equivalent to dancing at a nightclub or getting a massage? :confused:
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No, I was just wondering where the other poster drew the line when it came to the dignity of priests. A priest having a beer and lounging by his backyard pool was totally acceptable to him, I was wondering where he drew the line and said, “Although no commandment is broken, a priest suntanning on the beach (invariably) among young people, including beautiful young women, is not a good idea”. I had a weird upbringing, my father was as frigid a man as you’ll ever come across, there may be elements of jansenism that was passed on. Perhaps I’m setting the bar too high for priests. But perhaps priests need to be extra careful not to be of the world. There is an element of martyrdom involved in being a priest, especially these days.
 
nysacerdote said:
All these youth festivals are beginning to grind my gears. Maybe I’m too traditional, but I’m only 18, and I grew up with a faith that wasn’t about signing and dancing to music at large festivals. It was about the Mass, the Eucharist, confession, and living the Word; and that was perfectly satisfying for me. And then bishops and priests show up to these things, and are dancing right alongside everyone else like it some big party!!

Am I being to judge mental about the whole thing? What are your thoughts on the subject and/or what I said?
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if you don’t like them dont go, it is as easy as that.God made us diferent and we live our lifes in diferent ways, and i think that is what makes this world interesting and keeps it working.

now, you said living the world, dont you think that attending a party is diferent from living the world? specially since i assume it has to do with some religious event, its not like if they were going to some indecent place.
Robertanthony said:
There is a higher dignity about a priest that is incompatible with frivolous things like dancing. Dancing can also draw ridicule, you don’t want to put the dignity of the priesthood through that test. Dancing is always about being the center of attention and it can easily turn into making a spectacle of oneself. If a priest wants to get exercise, let him run anonymously or life weights somewhere, if he wants to be cheered, applauded, liked, emotionally invested, he made a tragic career choice. Check out Youtube vids if you don’t believe me, if you don’t feel there’s anything wrong, then I can’t help you.
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what if he is a pretty good dancer that dances because he loves to dance? he will not be drawing ridicule, nor he will be doing it for cheerings and applause.

also if he danced and did not know how to, and end up giving some funny spectacle, that does not mean something bad, he could even do it to cheer up people. you know, disrespecting the Priesthood would be making the masses and other events bad, to engage in sexual activity and things related to being a priest, if a priest likes to joke around and make people laugh at parties I don’t think its bad, i would even say that is a good thing that he tries to keep people happy.
 
Robertanthony said:
But perhaps priests need to be extra careful not to be of the world. There is an element of martyrdom involved in being a priest, especially these days.
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I agree, but I don’t think lounging with a beer on a private residence is crossing the line.
 
I too question the same practice…I personally use the “better safe than sorry” model and stand in opposition. A devout and true believer has to be mindful of the 'walk" we are presenting to others, and if there is any doubt it would be better to avoid it than to give cause for concern.

True representation is from “walking” in JESUS CHRIST with a model of love and purity. To elicit anything that is offensive or offends is cause for concern, and anything thing that is not in/of sound doctrine should be abstained from or avoided at all cost.

Events that can be occasion for drunkenness and debauchery is better left to the wind.

Praise be to GOD the heavenly father and his son lord JESUS CHRIST forever>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
 
nysacerdote said:
All these youth festivals are beginning to grind my gears. Maybe I’m too traditional, but I’m only 18, and I grew up with a faith that wasn’t about signing and dancing to music at large festivals. It was about the Mass, the Eucharist, confession, and living the Word; and that was perfectly satisfying for me. And then bishops and priests show up to these things, and are dancing right alongside everyone else like it some big party!!

Am I being to judge mental about the whole thing? What are your thoughts on the subject and/or what I said?
Click to expand...
You are not too traditional. Your view is perfectly sound. God bless you.
 
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