Do you know the way to San Jose? Just follow the dancers.
That’s how the Rite of Election is done in that California diocese.
A blogger for the diocese explains:
In our Diocese of San Jose, we have dancing books for the Rite of Election. Now hold on before you start groaning as you imagine young waifs in tights and leotards flitting about the altar.Our Scriptural tradition has many stories of dancing–but the kind of dancing that comes out of ordinary, everyday people. David danced before the Lord, Miriam danced on the seashore, the women took up garlands and danced at Judith’s victory, and even John the Baptist did a little jig in his mother’s belly at the voice of Mary’s greeting.
And in our ritual, all of us dance–I mean, all of us, trained or not. When we dip our hand into the font, make the sign of the cross, bow low in reverence, raise arms in prayer, extend hands in peace and blessing, we are dancing. We are doing choreographed movement; we are expressing our faith, our joy, through our bodies.
This is what we do at our local Rite of Election, but just turned up a notch. The joy that our Rite of Election elicits–and the dancing that comes out of that joy–is often surprising for both the many long-time Catholics and “newbies” who come to our cathedral expecting a long, sober, restrained lenten ritual.
You’ll want to read the rest. It describes the whole thing. And check out a video of last year’s event, below. God love ‘em all.
Rite of Election 2009 video, Diocese of San Jose (hi-res) from Diana Macalintal on Vimeo.
posted February 24, 2010 at 10:51 pm
I don’t know deacon, I think some of them look pretty mortified…like “I didn’t know I was signing up for this.” But yes, God bless them all…and welcome to our beautiful, dysfunctional family.
posted February 25, 2010 at 3:25 am
They seem to have a lovely church building, and thumbs up for the incense.
“the dancing that comes out of that joy-often surprising for both the many long-time Catholics and “newbies” who come to our cathedral expecting a long, sober, restrained lenten ritual.”
Hmmm, it IS Lent, so a beautiful “restrained lenten ritual” would be a good catechesis for the elect and candidates, and the long-time Catholics. I’m grateful we had a beautiful and restrained Rite of Election in Oakland.
posted February 25, 2010 at 10:17 am
Hmmm, Let’s see what the Holy Father has to say…
“Dancing is not a form of expression for the Christian liturgy. In about the third century, there was an attempt in certain Gnostic-Docetic circles to introduce it into the liturgy. For these people, the Crucifixion was only an appearance…Dancing could take the place of the liturgy of the Cross, because, after all, the Cross was only an appearance. The cultic dances of the different religions have different purposes – incantation, imitative magic, mystical ecstasy – none of which in compatible with the essential purpose of the liturgy as the ‘reasonable sacrifice’.
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger
(now POPE BENEDICT XVI)
SPIRIT OF THE LITURGY
Ignatius Press
Page 198
posted February 25, 2010 at 12:45 pm
I like the litany of the different parishes. I also like that they are using the Book of the Elect that Charles illustrated with his woodcuts so many years ago! It is nice to see it being used so beautifully!
posted February 25, 2010 at 2:36 pm
My goodness this is precisely why we go to the Traditional Latin Mass. This is all that is wrong with today’s liturgy, touchy feely, am OK your are OK type of thing. The persons standing up there with the books billboard style just look silly. No thanks, I’ll pass.
posted February 25, 2010 at 4:17 pm
Yep, I was a seminarian who resided in this diocese many years ago. I sure do remember stuff like this going on. Some things do not change.
*Sigh*
Regardless, God bless them, and God bless all of us.
posted February 25, 2010 at 9:36 pm
They looked embarrassed – trying to manufacture joyful dance is not the same thing as the actual joyous dancing you see at weddings, celebrations, etc.. Better to stick to the ritual with dignity and the real joy of the occasion will show.
posted March 10, 2010 at 10:35 am
What foolishness.