The Catholic Church on social dancing • Are dances occasions of sin? 

We went to a lovely couples dance, and the people were so friendly! A nice woman even collected our car keys and stored them in a bowl

Ecclesiastes 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh. A time to mourn, and a time to dance.

As far as the clergy promoting modern dances I agree that they should not….I don’t believe a priest should attend the wedding celebration and be dancing at these celebrations. But…..as far as physical contact in dancing , such as square dancing , polkas, etc. We have physical contact with people everyday…..we have old friends whom we hug and shake hands with them when we see them. We even have old customs like the Italian men who kiss you on both cheeks when greeting you. Anything can be an occasion of sin…..today, just walking outside my home.🙏 or sitting across the table from the opposite sex. O good St Joseph, pray for us , Holy, blessed Mother, keep us under your mantle. Pray your rosary daily🙏

I learned in my classes in psychology that lust can mimic love up to two years. I see that weekly as couples who now have a young child that come to the station to do child exchanges are no longer a couple They have to be on camera to be civil with one another. It’s the little one who usually is crying that suffers, and this is what they’re taught in relationships. As far as dancing, my mom said I arrived in this world “dancing “. It was me alone dancing or line dancing. It was my outlet and sanity. I heard the music and it’s time to dance. There was no hidden agenda. But as you said over and over what was taking place at these functions that led to some type of end goal of sin.

Please read the Saints regarding the reasons why the Church viewed dancing as an evil distraction. Saint John Vianney includes the thoughts of Saint’s Augustine, Chrysostom, and others in his sermon “Be Religious or Be Damned”. As the Saint of Parish Priest’s, Saint Vianney could read hearts …he listened to confessions all hours of day and night. His sermons are worth our attention.

Pray for a catholic America . Mv

As a Catholic we are in the world but not of it. Everything in moderation but do not sin. Anything could be an occasion of sin.

You don't always need to be touching to have bad thoughts.

Oh, so who is thinking dances are LESS debaucherous today?

I would think that the problem would not just be where the couples touch each other but at least two other components. The first is the attire and whether it is modest. The second would be the movements of the dancers such as twisting your hips, twerking or other vulgar movements.

The dances themselves may not be sinful but they could be an occasion of sin. We as Catholics have always been told to avoid the near occasions of sin.

Great! A Catholic double feature online tonight! First, a local moderated program with guest speaker and live Q&A for local people, and now, What Catholics Believe! Waltzing? Sounds hard to believe all dancing is forbidden to all Catholics for all time? Dancing that involves undue physical intimacy, immodesty, or is lewd or to inappropriate music as to whip up the lower passions, no, shouldn’t be done by Catholics! St. Francis de Sales writes regarding dancing for social purposes and it is, in my opinion, good advice for the average layman. Formal dances where there is propriety observed in dress, music, and behavior. Needless to say, dancing while intoxicated with alcohol or drugs, or for the purpose of enjoyment of pleasures restricted to married persons, are not for Catholics. I see no problem with formal ball dancing, ballet or dance as part of a musical play, so long as it’s decent, is okay. Folk dancing that is truly a cultural event not opposed to Christian morals is suitable. If in doubt, ask yourself if Our Lord and Our Lady would be able to watch, or if they’d be compelled to leave. As to a Catholic picnic or barbecue being sinful, that’s almost laughable. We’re having a parish picnic/barbecue on Oct. 1st after 10:00 Mass. Everyone brings a dish or something to share. The kids get to play organized games or just run and use the playground. There are rowboats, singing, different games, active and board games. A small group of young people from a Catholic run Irish school of dance will perform. The only other dancing might be an Irish jig if enough musicians attend. Our priest will certainly be present, although I doubt he’ll do the Irish jig! If people get drunk, which they won’t--there’ll be beer, ale, wine spritzers for adults only, but most people will prefer soda, juice, water. I suppose some couple could sneak off and engage in sinful behavior, or kids will spend their time staring at a screen, sexting and listening to lewd music, but that’s unlikely as most parents don’t allow phones on Sunday, and Fr. only allows them to adults, turned off, not at all in the confessional and preferably left in the car or locked in the cupboard in the parish hall. Exceptions are those adults who may need to receive an urgent call, like a first responder, person with the young, elderly, or sick at home. Then, it has to be on vibrate only. I do think these sort of rules can and should be changed as assists towards good social relationships with fellow Catholics and growth in holiness. In our chapel, many people drive hours to attend Mass coming from places afar where they and their children have no contact with traditional Catholics except on Sundays and Mass days. In my case, I drive two+ hours one way from the US into Quebec for Mass. It’s mostly young families who speak mainly French. Only the few older folks including the one priest speaks English. I live alone far from neighbors, and those few I have are not Catholic. The closest two live the “alternative” lifestyles. They’re friendly enough if you wave hello as you drive by, but we’ve nothing in common. They’re definitely not open to hearing about the Faith. I have only a few family members still living, all non-practicing Catholics or “nones,” those who have religion whatsoever, not even baptized. We all live thousands of miles from one another with one exception, a sister who is 750 miles away. If we have a social gathering at church, I really enjoy it and it encourages me to persevere in the faith, language barrier aside! It’s edifying rather than tempting to me because my home companions are three dogs and a cat. Better, though, to be alone, than to be chained to evil or abusive companions who lead you into sin. Of course, Our Lady and Our Lord, plus the Saints are with me, but as said the little child, she likes “to be with someone who has skin on!”

SO........DANCING WITH OUR SPOUSES IS STILL ALLOWED?

Well this isn't 1916 and this isn't Baltimore. To my knowledge there are o no valid authentic Roman Catholic Bishops in the former diocese of Baltimore. It's a moot issue it doesn't pertain to any of us are the church. The old standard avoid the near occasion of sin is the rubric to go by.