Wednesday, October 06, 2004

Liturgical Dance: Is it permitted at Mass?

Although not specifically mentioned in the instruction "Redemptionis Sacramentum," dance can be included in the overall prohibition on introducing elements not contemplated by the liturgical books.
This was the position I held and about which I asked a few months ago to some in the Archdiocese if that position was correct. The answer I received: It's unclear at the present time.
On recent occasions Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, has publicly criticized certain forms of introducing dance into Western liturgy especially in forms which reduce the sacred rite to a spectacle.
Spectacle is a rather nice way to put it...I have a few other choice words which I will not use. I have a report and some pictures of one of these "spectacles" here.

Zenit article here.

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