Dances

420. Whether They Are Licit. Dances must be distinguished into gravely indecent dances and honorable, or only slightly indecent, dances. Gravely indecent dances are those which are undertaken by persons of different, or even of the same, sex with gravely obscene uncoverings or gestures or gravely immodest touches; honorable or slightly indecent dances are said to be those in which uncoverings, gestures, and touches occur only if honorable or only somewhat indecent.

But if the holy Fathers of the Church with one voice gravely reprehend and reprobate all dances, it must be noticed that the choreal games of that time were far different from those of our time, although also in our time dances are held which must be entirely reprobated. For forming a judgment concerning their liceity in practice, attention must be paid both to the kind of dances and to the character of the persons.

1. Gravely indecent dances are a proximate occasion of sinning that is morally universal; for the rarest person will be one who is not basely moved by things of this kind. Therefore they must be said to be gravely illicit, unless true necessity compels one to attend them.

2. Dances that are not gravely indecent commonly contain only a remote occasion of sinning; therefore it is not licit to frequent them without cause, but when a just cause exists it is licit to attend them, and this cause must be graver in proportion as the danger of sinning is greater.

a. Just causes from which it is licit to frequent dances of this kind are: custom; once or twice in a year for relaxing the mind; for more easily finding an occasion of marriage; for not displeasing a suitor; for satisfying those inviting one to dances, etc. A graver cause is the command of parents, fear of gravely offending a husband, parents, etc.

b. In order that the danger of sinning which the dances themselves present to those frequenting them can be judged, this must be noted: alpha. A general rule which can be applied everywhere cannot be established, but attention must be paid both to the custom of places and to the different character of persons. beta. In general public dances, especially those which are held among unmarried persons of different sex in taverns, contain much greater danger than those which are held in private houses. gamma. Some dances which in our time are very much in use do indeed contain greater danger because of the closer pressing of embraces which they require, but in general they cannot be said to be gravely indecent, and therefore not illicit of themselves because of a proximate occasion. delta. Great danger of sinning also exists, especially in the country, in going to dances and especially in returning from them.

3. Honorable dances, even among persons of different sex, are of themselves indifferent and therefore of themselves licit.

Dances are indeed indifferent of themselves, but as they are now held, they are never entirely immune from danger of sinning. The freer conversation between persons of different sex, the handling of hands, stirring musical harmonies, the excitation of the nerves from the use of alcoholic drink, the night time, etc., always contain some danger, at least slight; therefore dances of themselves are to be recommended to no one, indeed rather they are to be dissuaded from all.

4. Dances of masked persons are almost always to be reprobated as illicit; for they put on a mask so that they can do more freely what the restraint of shame would have hindered.

Note. 1. Although it cannot be affirmed that those who go to dances are ordinarily moved by an evil end, for often they attend merely for the sake of joy and recreation, nevertheless those who attend them with an evil intention of lust manifestly sin gravely by this very intention.

2. In a particular case it must above all be considered whether dances are for the penitent a proximate occasion of sinning. If they are not a proximate occasion for someone, as far as can be done he must be warned not to attend them; but the confessor cannot by his right demand that the penitent, under penalty of denial of absolution, promise that he will not go to them. If they are a proximate occasion for someone, he likewise cannot demand this promise when this twofold condition exists: namely, if the penitent is compelled by a grave cause to attend them, and if by suitable precautions he can and will make the proximate occasion remote. But if there were no necessity of attending them, the penitent who refused to avoid them could not be absolved.

It is never lawful to co-operate formally with another’s sin, for it is obviously to wish evil, which is always sinful. Nor is it lawful to co-operate materially with the sin of another when the action of the secondary agent is itself wrong, as is also clear. But provided the action of the secondary agent is not itself wrong, but right, or at least indifferent, and he has no evil intention, and furthermore there is a just cause for permitting the sin of the principal agent, material co-operation in the sin of another is not wrong. In such circumstances, the secondary agent does nothing that is wrong in itself; he foresees, it is true, that another will take advantage of his action in order to commit sin, but the secondary agent is only bound to prevent this out of charity, which does not bind with relatively serious inconvenience, and this is present whenever there is a just cause for permitting the sin of the principal agent. This is merely the application of the principle of a double effect which was laid down in the Book on Human Acts.¹

The cases to which this doctrine may be applied are very 732) numerous, but the safe application is difficult and attended with risk. The chief difficulty lies in determining the gravity of the cause which will justify one in co-operating materially in another’s sin. No general rule can be laid down on the point beyond saying that a graver cause is required when there is question of a graver sin, when the co-operation is more proximate, and when it is more probable that the sin would not be committed at all if the co-operation were denied. The following examples taken from approved authors are given as illustrating the application of the doctrine, and they may be used to show what may be done in similar cases.

(a) I may lawfully ask for the sacraments from a bad priest, though he commits sin in administering them, for he need not sin thereby unless he likes, and his malice should not deprive me of the benefit of the sacraments to which I have a right.

(b) A dealer may sell to all buyers things which are in themselves indifferent, though they can be put to a bad use, as firearms, unless he is certain that they are required for a bad purpose. Even in the latter case a correspondingly serious inconvenience or loss will excuse his selling, especially if his refusal will not hinder the sin on account of the buyer being easily able to procure what he wants elsewhere.

(c) Intoxicating drink may not be sold to one who has already had too much. Many authors, however, allow this to be done when it cannot be refused without provoking to violence and quarrelling. This excuse would rarely avail in England at present, because the law forbids such sale, the strong arm of the law thus being on the side of morality.

(d) It is not lawful to sell things of which the use is ordinarily sinful, except when their lawful use is guaranteed. And so booksellers are not allowed to sell infidel or immoral books except to such as require them for good reasons and with the requisite permission. The same doctrine applies to drugs and instruments used for immoral purposes, as well as to poisons. Publishers, too, sin by publishing books which are dangerous to faith or morals. Compositors and others employed in printing should not work for firms which are known to publish bad books; as they are usually ignorant of the nature of the work which they help to bring out, their ignorance, the remoteness of their co-operation, and the ease with which other workmen can be found to supply their place, will ordinarily excuse them from sin if an odd bad book or two are published by an otherwise respectable firm.

(e) Dancing may be a perfectly innocent amusement and it may be a dangerous occasion of sin. No general rule, therefore, can be given as to when dancing must be avoided. Much depends upon the company who join in the dance, upon the way of dancing, and upon the subjective disposition of the dancers. If there be nothing objectionable in any of these respects, there is no reason why a young man or a young woman should not be allowed to dance with due caution. If there be ground for objection, and especially if sin has already been frequently committed in similar circumstances, there is an obligation to abstain, unless the occasion of sin is necessary and can be made remote by taking proper precautions. If sin only follows occasionally, there will be no strict obligation to abstain from dancing, provided due precautions be taken in future.

(f) The question of theatre-going is settled on similar grounds. There are all sorts of theatres and all sorts of plays represented in them, and.all sorts of actors and actresses. To go and listen to a bad and suggestive play arouses the passions, leads to sin, and encourages evil in many ways. It will, then, as a rule, be grievously sinful to go to the theatre to see such a play. The confessor will usually be able to judge best whether in any particular case it is lawful to go to the theatre by asking whether in the past it has frequently led to sin. If it has done so, it is a proximate occasion of sin, and must be avoided as far as possible. In other cases, unless the play or the theatre is known to be bad, there will be no strict obligation to refrain from going.

¹ St Alphonsus, lib. 2, tract. 3, n. 63.

III. Cooperation in dangerous amusements. 1. To perform plays or dances notably dishonorable is gravely illicit, and no excusing cause seems able to be admitted. The same must be said of plays notably contrary to religion (cf. St. Alphonsus, III, 428). A somewhat milder judgment seems to have to be made about musicians.

2. To concur in introducing plays of this kind, if the concurrence is necessary, cannot be excused. Nor in practice will an excusing cause be present, even if the concurrence is not necessary. But to favor plays or dances of this kind by applause is formal cooperation.

3. To introduce amusements which indeed are not in themselves dishonorable, but are dangerous to very many, is of itself a grave sin (n. 551).

I. "Dances according to themselves are not evil, nor acts of lust, but of joy" (St. Alphonsus, III, 429). Nevertheless, they can be illicit by reason of the end, for example for the sake of seeking lust, which more easily happens in masked dances than in others; by reason of danger, especially because of the manner in which they are held; by reason of scandal; likewise by reason of danger arising from the fact that young men and girls, after dances have been held, go home without a companion. Besides this, even respectable dances should therefore also, as far as can be done, be kept away, because, especially if they become more frequent, they foster levity of mind both in young men and in girls, and diminish their devotion. Children's dances (bals d'enfants) likewise are greatly to be disapproved.

As regards the danger attached to dances, note: dances which are held publicly are commonly more dangerous than those which are led among a few families; likewise there is greater danger in dances which are conducted with masks; dances of the wealthy, by reason of dress, and popular dances, by reason of levity in acting and speaking, not at all rarely carry grave danger with them; and generally the matter depends much on social condition and education.

II. As regards the proximate occasion which dances are naturally suited to constitute, I would say as follows:

1. Very immodest dances, whether by reason of dress or nakedness, or by reason of the manner in which they are conducted, are commonly a proximate occasion of sinning.

2. Fairly immodest dances create a proximate occasion for many, especially young men. To these are numbered many dances used today, which require a close embrace of the dancers and also furnish occasion for contacts of bodies. The reason why the said dances, although fairly immodest, constitute a proximate occasion only for many - but not commonly, especially as regards girls - is this: because the mind during dancing is distracted to other things and especially occupied with rhythmic movements, which keeps many from intense impure thoughts.

3. Respectable dances by reason of themselves are a proximate occasion for some. They can, however, easily be - and this is also to be applied to other dances - a proximate occasion by reason of the lack of a companion on the return.

Corollary. Very immodest dances are to be prohibited. As regards others which are a proximate occasion for the penitent, one must see whether they create danger by reason of themselves or by reason of the lack of a companion. If the first has place, the dances themselves are to be wholly prohibited to the penitent, unless a grave reason excuses, for example the absolute will of parents or of a husband; and this prohibition, if the matter concerns fairly immodest dances, is to be urged even more because of the scandal attached to them. If the second happens, the obligation of not going home without a companion is to be urged.

III. Those who introduce dances easily sin gravely, whether by promoting them, or by holding them, or by giving over a house for holding them. If, however, the custom flourishes in all neighboring parishes, it is almost equivalent to existence in one's own parish. Besides this, innkeepers are bound to take care that all things are done respectably.

IV. Where the custom of dances does not exist, the pastor and confessors should prudently keep them away, even respectable ones. Where it exists and cannot prudently be abolished, one must labor so that they are not prolonged too much, and so that young men and girls do not return home without a trustworthy companion. Besides this, pastors and confessors, insofar as it can prudently be done, should turn the faithful away from dances.

It is not always easy to determine in particular cases when a thing is obscene from its very nature, but the following general rules can be given:

(a) Pictures, statues and other images are obscene, when they represent scenes of immoral or sexual acts, or lascivious attitudes or postures; also, when they represent nude or partly nude human figures, ut quando depinguntur verenda adultorum vel pectora aut partes minus honestae mulierum.

(b) Female dress or adornment is lascivious, when there is a notable display of the person through abbreviated skirts, necks, and sleeves; or a suggestiveness expressed in transparency of material or a closeness of fit that brings out the lines and curves of the figure; or in an extremity of fashion whose striking color or design will make the wearer conspicuous and direct special attention to her physical charms.

(c) Plays on the stage or moving picture screen are obscene by reason of the lesson taught (as when purity is derided or impurity condoned), by reason of the thing represented (as when the main theme is impurity, or when acts of impurity are represented or suggested, or when sexual passion is emphasized), or by reason of the players (as when they are noted for immorality, or when their dress is indecent, or their language objectionable).

(d) Dances are obscene in themselves when the postures, movements, or contact of the dancers is indecent; they are obscene by reason of the dancers, when these are indecently attired. Public dance halls, cabarets, road houses, and night clubs—where there is no supervision and young girls come unattended to dance until late hours with men unknown to them, and where there is intoxication and boisterousness—are the natural haunts of the obscene dance, but it may be found even in more respectable places.

(e) Books or other writings contain obscenity When they inculcate or recommend impure acts, or advise how these may be committed; when they treat sins of impurity or narrate immoral facts or stories in such a manner as to make vice seem alluring or pardonable to the intended reader; when an erotic composition by language, allusions, details, sympathetic treatment, etc., gives prominence to animal passion.

Formal Cooperation with Evil Dances or Plays.—(a) Cases of formal cooperation on account of explicit intention to do harm are those of the originators of sinful dances and the writers of indecent plays. (b) Cases of formal cooperation on account of implicit intention to do harm are those of the managements that produce bad shows, organize bad dances, or make the arrangements or issue the invitations for these affairs.

Material Cooperation with Evil Dances or Plays.—Material cooperation is lawful, if the cooperation is not itself intrinsically wrong, and if there is a sufficient reason for permitting it.

(a) Cases of immediate material cooperation are those of players and dancers who have harmless parts in the performance. A very grave reason, such as avoidance of penury, is considered as sufficient excuse here, at least for a time.

(b) Cases of proximate material cooperation are those of musicians or singers, who do not perform lascivious music; of spectators, who show no approval of the evil that is done; of those who buy tickets but do not attend. A more serious reason is required in the musician at the dance than in the musician at the play, for the former directs the dance, while the latter only accompanies the play. Likewise, a more serious reason is required when one attends often, or when one’s patronage is essential to the success of the occasion, than when one attends only rarely, or when the play or dance does not depend on one’s presence or patronage.

(c) Cases of remote material cooperation are those of the owners who rent their theatres or dance-halls or cabarets, of ushers, guards, box-office employees, stage hands, etc. It is held that profit is a sufficient reason to justify the owners in renting their places, if the theatrical company or dance management can readily find other places in case they are sent away. The ushers, guards, and the like are excused, if they cannot easily find other employment; but this does not justify gazing on immodest spectacles or laughing at or applauding obscene jokes.

Are you bound to give up temporal goods in order to avoid scandal? R. Negatively, ordinarily speaking; for either a great loss of money must be suffered, and charity toward neighbor does not urge with so great an inconvenience; or there is only a light loss of money, and this, since it could occur rather often, already easily becomes grave. Besides, it would harm the common good, because an occasion would be given to wicked persons of extorting and seizing others' things, and it would be harmful to the wicked themselves, since thus they would be confirmed in their depraved will. Ordinarily speaking; for if, in some particular case, grave inconvenience ceases, and the scandal were not of Pharisees but of little ones, then either temporal goods must be given up, or the scandal must be calmed through some admonition. L. 52; S. Th. 2. 2. q. 43, a. 8.

Note: From those things which have been said about touches, it is clear what must be said in particular about kisses, embraces, and dances; these can be gravely base, lightly base, and honorable, according to the various mode in which they are done. L. 417, 429, 430; E. M.

What about entrance into taverns; about dances and comedies; about dwelling with women? - Entrance into eating-houses and taverns outside necessity is altogether forbidden to clerics, C. Clerici 15 de Vit. et honest. cler. And certainly this is too opposed to clerical modesty and gravity.

To be present at dances, both public and private, and at public comedies, synods everywhere, after Trent s. 22, c. 1 de R., s. 24, c. 12 de R., prohibit clerics under the precept of obedience, as Benedict XIV notes, de Syn. l. 11, c. 10, both because of the grave disgrace of the clerical state which usually arises from this, and because of the danger to which the holiness of clerical life is exposed, and because of the grave scandal of laymen. C. 15 de Vit. et honest. cler.; L. l. 3, n. 427, 429.

Nevertheless this does not prohibit clerics, for the sake of honest recreation and exercise, from acting in those representations or being present at them which are held in communities, with the rules of modesty and temperance, however, observed. There are also certain public spectacles which do not seem so unbecoming to clerics, such as military exercises, horse races, enclosures of wild beasts, feats of jugglers, extraordinary musical gatherings, etc. Here the whole matter must be judged from the nature of the thing itself, from the custom of the region, from the place, from the frequency, from the quality of the person, and the like. And it must be observed that vain and lascivious music is also prohibited in Churches, but by no means pious music, which by its harmony can excite to devotion. Trent s. 22 de Observ. et vit., etc.; Benedict XIV, encyclical Epistle Annus qui, February 21, 1749, § 3 ff.; Notification 37; S. R. C., July 7, 1894, n. 3830.

By Decree of the Vicariate, July 15, 1909, the clergy, both secular and regular, are prohibited at Rome from being present at public Cinematographs, without any exception. A. A. S. v. 1, p. 600.

Dwelling under the same roof with women is prohibited to clerics, unless they need them and they are free from every suspicion. Such are presumed to be blood relatives in the first and second degree and relatives by affinity in the first; but not likewise in the second, unless one owes reverence to the other, as the widow of an uncle or of a nephew; nor likewise strangers, unless they are both of proved virtue and regularly of advanced age. All these things must be in the estimation of the Ordinary. Advanced, that is, they must be at least forty years old. Regularly; for it is lawful to dwell with younger women, the wives of one's servants, or maidservants or attendants of those who are of the household. C. 1, 9 de Cohabit. cler.; C. 27, d. 81; Trent s. 22, c. 1 de R., s. 25, c. 14 de R. The reason is the danger of fall and of scandal. Benedict XIV, Instructions 82, 83; de Syn. l. 11, c. 4, n. 7; Pirhing l. 3, t. 2, n. 2, 3; Reiffenstuel l. 3, t. 2, n. 8; E. M.

34. That we may proceed in order, we shall set forth three things: 1. we shall explain the general doctrine; 2. we shall speak of dances in particular customary in our time; 3. we shall indicate the practice of the confessor.

35. 1. There are three classes of dances. The first is per se modest, the second per se gravely immodest, the third per se lightly immodest.

Dances per se modest are those which, without any wholly base end or immodest external act, while musical instruments are sounding, are performed among persons of the same sex or even of different sex; although the hands of a man and woman mutually grasp one another, yet lightly, according to the manner customary among honorable persons and in honorable dances. For this "is per se no fault, or at most is venial, because generally in this there is no danger of lust, or only a light one." Gury, 234. Now then dances of this kind are in no way per se illicit, because they are indifferent in themselves and are prohibited by no law. Nevertheless they are often immodest per accidens by reason of the danger which can easily be found even in those modest dances. St. Thomas, on Isaias, c. 3; and 2.2, q. 168, a. 2; L., l. 3, n. 429.

36. Corollaries. 1. Those who are so weak that they undergo grave danger of sinning in dances must abstain from them under mortal sin, unless perhaps at some time a certain necessity urges and means are applied so that the proximate danger of consent is absent. On the contrary, says Tamburini, l. c., c. 8, de Chor., n. 3, if from experience you have known that danger of this kind is not present to you, I think that you are in no way guilty of mortal sin by dancing in this way or by looking at those dancing.

2. To dance modestly or to be present at honorable dances from some necessity, or from the decorum of one's state, without probable danger of sinning, is no sin; because a sufficient reason is given for permitting the sins of others, if there are any. Hence marriageable girls are excused from sin by dancing decently when they cannot be absent from dances held in the father's house, or among neighbors or relatives, or cannot refuse dancing without being mocked, or without displeasing parents or betrothed men requiring them.

3. Indeed, to be present at honorable dances, even without necessity, yet with danger and notable scandal excluded, and to dance decently in them, not only is not mortal, but can easily also be free from every sin. For sometimes men are found, and not rarely women, to whom even in dances among persons of different sex no danger, or a very remote danger, threatens. But although these are to be dissuaded from dances, nevertheless a promise of avoiding dances would be demanded from them imprudently and unjustly under denial of absolution. - G. 243.

37. Dances per se gravely immodest are those which, with men and women mixed, or indeed even separated, are undertaken with obscene gestures, immodest touches, dishonorable songs, indecent nakednesses, and those things gravely repugnant to modesty. There is no one who denies that these dances are altogether illicit. Cf. St. Thomas, l. c., a. 3. - To these dances per se immodest belong dances which take place in taverns, to which dissolute men and dissolute women of every kind come together. But in no way is it lawful for an innkeeper, for attracting more guests, ordinarily to admit gravely base dances in his buildings, just as neither is it lawful to set before them for reading public newspapers which evidently and ordinarily are opposed to good morals. G. 256. To this also, generally speaking, are referred dances with masks among persons of different sex. For experience establishes that games of this kind are allurements to lust and an efficacious cause of immodesty. G. 244.

38. Finally, dances per se lightly immodest are those in which lightly dishonorable gestures, touches, songs, and adornments are had. These dances, as is clear, per se speaking, are not gravely illicit, but only lightly, because they are only lightly dishonorable. Nevertheless per accidens they can very easily be gravely illicit by reason of the danger of lethal fault which can very easily be found in them.

39. Corollary. 1. The threefold corollary established above regarding dances per se modest also has place, yet with due proportion, regarding these dances that are per se only lightly immodest.

40. 2. The dances customary in our time, concerning which the controversy is greatest, are those which in French are called valse, polka, galop, and others similar to them; to all of which this is special, that a man and a woman clasp one another in mutual embrace, and thus, held together, proceed by dancing in a circle. - Now then there are many indeed who universally hold these dances as per se immodest, both because that excessive proximity of bodies proceeds all the way to the very compression of bodies, with the greatest danger, as is clear of itself, of venereal delectation, and because those dancing, clinging together and separated from others, so that it is as if one man alone with one woman alone, are also in great danger of speaking obscene things. Hence they say that those cannot be absolved who indulge in the aforesaid dances and do not wish to renounce them. "Nevertheless there are not lacking upright men who say that these very dances can be done in a manner not so indecorous, although commonly they are very dangerous." Gury-Dumas, Cas. 233. Wherefore also as regards these more recent dances, it will belong to the confessor to judge concerning particular cases, from the manner, circumstances, gravity of the motive, gravity of the danger, etc. G. 242.

41. 3. As regards practice, these things generally can be at hand for the confessor. 1. "The confessor ought especially to attend to these two things, namely to the danger of the person of the penitent, that he may restrain it, and to the reasons which he can have for assisting at dances, that he may indulge him or at least not act so rigidly. For the faithful occur not rarely who, from a grave cause or moral necessity, are impelled to take part in dances." Gury-Dumas, Cas. 234. - 2. "If no hope is given of removing dances from the midst, as most frequently happens, excessive severity will harm the salvation of souls; for many, thinking these amusements to be lawful or not gravely illicit, are unwilling to abstain entirely from them; they desert confession, the Eucharist, and sacred sermons." Bouvier, l. c., de chor., 8. - 3. "He, on the contrary, who treats penitents assisting at dances kindly, by persuasion and prayers turns them away from dangers of this kind, furnishes them salutary counsels that they not expose themselves to danger; if they have fallen, he rebukes them paternally, defers absolution for them, and finally, when they are contrite for grave things admitted, although he does not judge them immune from every sin, absolves them, admits them to communion at least at Easter, consults much more efficaciously for their salvation and profits the good of religion." Bouvier, l. c. - 4. Generally speaking, "dances, as they are accustomed to be done, are always dangerous; therefore confessors... ought to turn young persons of either sex away from them as much as they can," Bouvier, l. c., although they have not yet gravely relapsed. But then let the confessor proceed with due charity, and rather by way of counsel. Let him commend to his penitents certain spiritual exercises, pious reading, prayer, etc.; and, with the grace of God helping, he certainly will not be frustrated in the very best outcome of the matter. Cf. St. Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life, part 3, ch. 23.

242. • Dances or saltations, as they are commonly made, are full of danger and scandal, and entangle innumerable souls in the snares of the devil; and the holy Fathers unanimously inveigh against this kind of play. Yet not all dances equally carry the same evil or danger.

Principles. - I. Dances per se, even among persons of different sex, are not illicit, if they are done in an honorable manner, that is, with every impure touch, gesture, or act removed. The reason is, because dances per se are indifferent, nor are they prohibited by any law. - Thus commonly ¹⁷. - St. Lig. l. 3. n. 429.

¹⁷ Compare the doctrine of St. Thomas, which we brought forward above in the notes to n. 32. Q. 7.

II. Dances which are dishonorable by reason of nudities, the manner of dancing, words, gestures, songs, can be gravely illicit, as is clear. But among these many count the more recent dances, which in French are called la Walse, la Polka, le Galop, and others similar to these. But it will belong to the Confessor to judge concerning particular cases from the manner, circumstances, gravity of motive, etc.

III. In practice, generally any dances whatever among persons of different sex are to be impeded as much as can be done, because as they are usually held they are for the most part dangerous. Hence Pastors and Confessors ought to turn subjects and penitents away from them as much as can be done. - Thus commonly the Doctors of our age, and directors of souls.

243. Resolves. - 1º Those who are so infirm that they incur grave danger of sinning in dances ought to abstain from them under mortal sin; unless perhaps sometimes a certain necessity urges, and at least probably the danger of consent is absent.

2º To dance modestly or to be present at honorable dances from a certain necessity, or from the decency of one's state, without probable danger of sinning, is no sin; because there is given a sufficient reason for permitting the sins of others, if any there are. Hence girls destined for marriage are excused from sin by dancing becomingly, who cannot be absent from dances held in the paternal home, or among neighbors or relatives, or cannot refuse dancing, without being derided, or displeasing parents or suitors requiring them.

3º Indeed to be present at honorable dances, even without necessity, danger and notable scandal nevertheless being excluded, and in them to dance becomingly, is not only not mortal, but can also easily be free from every sin. For sometimes men, and not rarely women, are found to whom even in dances among persons of different sex, no danger or a very remote danger threatens. But these, although they are to be dissuaded from dances, nevertheless a promise of avoiding dances would imprudently be exacted from them under denial of absolution ¹⁸. - Bouvier.

¹⁸ In circumstances of this kind, not only imprudently, but also unjustly and therefore not without grave sin would absolution be denied; for absolution, when the penitent is present rightly disposed, is not an act of liberality, which the Confessor may either grant or refuse according to his whim.

35. 6. Concerning dances. Dances (danses, bals) of themselves are not sins, but often become an occasion of sin by reason of nudities, songs, gestures, touches, etc. Hence dances are of themselves lawful, provided they are done with honorable persons and in an honorable manner, namely by avoiding nudities and touches and other things of this kind which provoke lust; but, since they are dangerous, let them be done rarely and cautiously, not for the sake of pleasure, but for the sake of usefulness.

Some hold that dances called waltz, polka, mazurka, schottische, etc., can never be permitted; nevertheless in practice women, even honorable ones, today take part in these and contend that they do nothing evil, because they attend so much to rhythmic movements and music that they do not think of sensual pleasure.⁴ Wherefore the matter cannot be prohibited in a general and absolute manner, but in individual cases, according to the circumstances of persons, the custom of places, the manner of dancing, etc., it must be judged whether dances of this kind are, for a determined person, a truly proximate occasion of sin or of scandal; nor can they be permitted unless both dangers have been removed.

⁴ Berardi, De Recidivis et occasionariis, 5th ed., 1897, t. II, n. 188; Ami du Clerge, t. XIX, 1897, pp. 401, 663, 1064, 1069.

Another and greater danger is had when, after the dance has been had, young men lead girls home, as happens in certain regions: for while they walk or ride together, alone with alone, there is a much more proximate occasion of sinning; wherefore parents must not tolerate this practice, at least regularly.

Concerning dances St. Francis de Sales rightly writes:⁵ "Ordinarily they include danger, dissipate the spirit of devotion, weaken spiritual powers, render charity cold, and excite six hundred kinds of depraved affections in the soul; wherefore they can be frequented only circumspectly and with the greatest prudence." - Where the custom of dances does not flourish, pastors will take care that this not be introduced; where it exists, they will prudently strive to restrain abuses, by private rather than public admonitions; by promoting works of sincere piety and the frequentation of the sacraments, sometimes they will be able to remove the matter from the midst, or at least to free it from many dangers.

⁵ St. Francis de Sales, Introduction, part III, c. 33.

411. - 1. Dances in themselves are neither evil nor acts of lust, but of gladness. Cf. St. Thomas on chapter 3 of Isaiah.

2. In the concrete, however, they are dangerous and cannot be praised.

Therefore, for a just cause, such as custom, the decorum of one's own state, or the command of parents, to lead them or attend them, unless there is a probable danger of sin, will not be unlawful. Cf. Palmieri, Opus theologicum, vol. 2, treatise 6, no. 995.

Nevertheless, care must be taken that those dances in which the impure signification is sufficiently manifest not be participated in. We would speak more severely of these than of certain dances, such as the waltz, which some rigorously prohibit. For although in these women are, as it were, excessively in the hands of men, custom, and also the necessity of attending to rhythmic movements, diminish the force of exciting lust, so that they can be exercised honorably. Cf. what was said above, no. 203.

3. Dances which are proposed indiscriminately to all are more to be disapproved than those which are reserved for selected persons. But whether more sins are committed at the "popular" dances of the public squares than at the dances of the rich can be doubted. The clothing of the people is more modest; the license of words and actions is more audacious.

Indeed, in the country annual dances are sometimes conducted sufficiently innocently; and where there is such a custom, it is to be feared that, if they are suppressed, graver excesses will be committed on that day. Wherefore Berardi in no way disapproves of them in his region.

4. In masked dances, the occasion of ruin is easier. Nevertheless, even here the circumstances and the condition of the person must be weighed. Cf. Palmieri, vol. 2, treatise 6, no. 995.

Berardi treats this argument extensively, De occasionariis, nos. 165-170.

5. In certain places dances of children

of both sexes are instituted. These are not to be praised. For they are foreign to a genuine education, and, although venereal concupiscence may be presumed absent from them, they serve only to foster the worldly spirit of vanity.

But concerning what is to be counseled, cf. above, no. 203.

615. 3. Dances and spectacles, although in themselves they are something indifferent, are nevertheless very frequently accustomed to produce grave scandals and to be proximate occasions of sinning gravely. Certainly it is never licit to institute dances in which, by reason of nudity, gestures, etc., something notably dishonorable is externally done; but if these things do not occur, although the sins of many to be committed on the occasion of dances are feared, those who institute them from a reasonable cause, or who are present at them, cannot in themselves be said to be liable to grave sin. A cause is required that is the graver in proportion as the occasion of sinning is more proximate. In our times it is often most difficult to turn the faithful away from instituting and frequenting all dances. Therefore let the parish priest and confessor strive according to their powers that young persons be present at dances more rarely, that nothing dishonorable be perpetrated there, and that a proximate occasion of sinning be absent. - Almost the same thing ought to be said of spectacles and cinematographic exhibitions. But in our times not a few spectacles are wicked, both on account of things represented against religion or good morals, and on account of the immodest dress of those representing. Since in ordinary cases someone can more easily exempt himself from the obligation of assisting at these spectacles than from the moral compulsion of assisting at dances, it seems that a stricter practice with respect to spectacles than with respect to dances should ordinarily be observed.

II. Dances among persons even of different sex, according to themselves, that is, depraved circumstances excluded, are not dishonorable but indifferent things, because of themselves they are acts not of lust but of joy and art; in practice, however, they are dangerous and rather often an occasion of sinning. From three especially important circumstances they can become gravely dishonorable:

a) From a depraved end, for instance of indulging lust, e.g., for procuring venereal delights for oneself, exercising malicious or base touches, or having base conversations; this especially happens in masked dances, bals masques, in which, no longer restrained by the rein of shame, they do what they would not dare to do if known.

b) From grave danger of sinning mortally, e.g., by reason of dress, words, gestures, contact, songs, and other circumstances, even before or after the dances, when young men lead girls home; especially by reason of the manner of dancing, e.g., with the breast of the woman pressed closely opposite the breast of the man, so that the woman is as if in the hands of the man. All these things dispose to carnal commotions; nevertheless this is not necessarily dishonorable, as is established from the testimony of those dancing and is understood from the fact that the mind is distracted to many other things and has need of attending to rhythmic motions, waltz, galop, schottische, mazurka, cotillion, etc.²

² Cf. Dict. de Theol., art. Danse.

c) From grave scandal, whether direct, because young men by conversations, embraces, touches directly solicit girls to sin, or indirect, when either the manner of dancing is indecent in itself or has a sufficiently open amorous and impure signification, as in modern dances, e.g., tango, fox-trot, one-step, shimmy, boston, blues, samba, charleston, etc., from which signification or indecency they can scarcely be freed;³ - or women, whether where there is not a custom, or where there is a custom, in an excessively exaggerated manner, uncover the breast immoderately, so as thus to provoke to lasciviousness; with greater reason, if they walk naked or almost naked.

³ Thus is the common judgment concerning contemporary dances of ecclesiastical authority, e.g., the Archbishop of Paris; the bishops of Belgium, 1914; Benedict XV, 6 Jan. 1921; Council of Mechlin, n. 59, and of lay persons who still have care concerning the moral matter; concerning this see Jose Germain, Danseront-elles? The following can usefully be compared: Vuillermet, Les catholiques et les danses nouvelles; la Vie diocesaine, May 1922; N. Revue Theol. 1924, p. 32; Kiselstein in Rev. Eccl. de Liege, Sept. 1924; Stanvaert in Coll. Gand, March 1925; A. Janssen, Les Danses modernes.

But if dances are an occasion of sinning lightly, they are lightly dishonorable.

Hence: 1) if the grave danger which dances bring is proximate and no grave cause is present for going to them, they are to be avoided under mortal sin, because the occasion is free;

2. if grave danger is proximate and at the same time a grave cause excuses, such as a grave offense of husband, parents, or brothers, a public office compelling one to assist, vigilance to be exercised over a spouse, light or no sin will be present, because the occasion is morally necessary, provided nevertheless that one intend an honorable end, not himself do dishonorable things, and fortify himself against the danger with due cautions by which the occasion becomes remote;

3. if the danger is remote or light, he who commits himself to it from a reasonable cause can be excused from every sin. Such causes are accustomed to be custom, the end of relaxing the soul once or another time in the year, of more easily finding an occasion of marriage, of not displeasing a husband or suitor, of satisfying neighbors or friends inviting to dances, of not exposing oneself to mockery, etc.

The danger cannot be defined by a general norm, but in individual cases must be judged according to circumstances, especially from the experience of each one, also from circumstances:

a) there are circumstances so dishonorable that regularly they are for all a proximate occasion of sinning: then they are to be held as such, unless a special reason demonstrates that this occasion is absent for someone;

b) on the contrary that which generally is not a proximate occasion can be an occasion for some very infirm individual, and a sin, unless he is so fragile that he everywhere sees an occasion of sinning;

c) much more dangerous are accustomed to be public dances which are held in taverns among persons of every kind than those which are held in private houses: for external sins are accustomed to occur more rarely in honorable society;

d) indeed the custom of frequently going to public dances will rarely be without proximate occasion;

e) nor are dances of boys and girls to be praised. For even if concupiscence is presumed absent, they are good only for fostering the worldly spirit of vanity and are a danger to innocence.

III. The duty of the confessor. - a) The first will be to turn all away from dances, or at least from their frequency, as much as he can, especially parents and girls, to whom it should be inculcated that they are opposed to the Christian spirit, as fostering sensualism, and are not necessary for marrying: gently nevertheless, rather by persuading indirectly than by threatening directly. To this can be applied the things said by St. Augustine concerning drunkenness: "These things are taken away not sharply, not harshly, not imperiously, but more by teaching than by ordering, more by admonishing than by threatening," St. Thomas, II-II, q. 150, a. 1, ad 4.

b) To the penitent wishing to go to dances, let the confessor weigh the danger of the penitent by asking for what end he wishes to go; whether he has already several times sinned because of dances, or at least was subjected to grave movements of lust; by inquiring concerning circumstances of manner, time, place, persons, e.g., of what sort those dances are accustomed to be, whether immodest gestures intervene in them, whether kisses are demanded, whether it is a simple running about without acts of this kind; likewise whether scandal is not to be feared for him or another, for one or for several in particular.

c) But if he cannot persuade, let him take care to diminish the danger by admonitions and safeguards, e.g., that the penitent set before himself an honorable end; preserve modesty, especially in dress, gesture, and speech; yield in no way to vicious sympathies, whether of others toward himself or of himself toward others; after the dance close the entrance to depraved imaginations.

d) The confessor cannot deny absolution, unless it is a proximate occasion of sinning or the manner of dancing is altogether base.

e) Yet he can act more severely with those who introduce dances somewhere, or a new dishonorable manner of dancing or of dressing oneself, or alone preserve them, or without sufficient reason permit them at home, or otherwise cooperate with them; or with innkeepers who admit dishonorable dances. In all these things, nevertheless, let him always proceed with great prudence.

1440. - By the name of dance in Moral [Theology] comes the act of dancing, not insofar as it is considered in itself alone, but insofar as it is joined with diverse circumstances, either depraved or dangerous, on which the whole guilt of dances depends.

Depraved circumstances are, e.g. - obscene embraces, touches, conversations, nakednesses, gestures, - a depraved intention, - the character of scandal (concerning which n. 295. 8°), - grave prohibition of parents, - an ecclesiastical law forbidding them, etc. Circumstances of this kind render dances illicit per se; other circumstances make them more or less dangerous, or an occasion of sin. Here we treat of dances primarily under the character of an occasion of sin.

1441. - The general rule to be held in this matter is this. If the danger which dances bring is grave or probable, and no grave cause is present for approaching it, dances must be avoided under mortal [sin]. - But if the danger is light or not probable, or if a grave cause excuses, then either a light sin or none will be present. Therefore the quantity of the danger and the gravity of the cause must be attended to.

I. The Quantity of Danger. In order that this may be known, the criteria of the probability of danger handed down n. 1430 must be consulted; and hence 1) it must be considered whether the penitent at other times has been present at dances, and whether on account of them he has sinned frequently or not. If he has sinned frequently, and now the circumstances are not so different that it ought to be presumed that this time he will not sin, it will be most clearly established that the danger is grave. - But if from the particular experience of the penitent no conjecture can be made, then 2) the rule must be taken from those things which commonly happen. - But what commonly happens? Commonly these are found in grave danger:

a) Both women and men, if they approach dances not only on some one occasion, e.g. once or twice in a year, but with great frequency. The reason is that frequency of this kind is accustomed on one side greatly to excite lust, and on the other side to take away the will of praying, of frequenting the Sacraments, and of employing cautions which would be especially necessary for avoiding sins. Add that in the case no help can be expected from God, because no necessity is accustomed to compel anyone to approach dances frequently and very often.

b) Those girls of common condition who carry before themselves much levity, joined with much beauty or womanliness, especially if they are also very lustful and have their own lovers at those dances. For it is established by experience that young men, with girls of this kind on occasion of dances, abound in special flatteries, - i.e. in closer embraces and claspings of hands; likewise in conversations not only amorous, but also not rarely altogether obscene; - and finally, if they can, they kiss them and shamefully touch them, whether in the intervals when they cease from dancing from time to time, or even in the very act of dancing, especially when the very quality of the dance offers an opportunity of this kind, whether of kissing or of shamefully touching. But it is established by the same experience that these girls are accustomed to consent to the temptations of men, at least by words and internal delectation. Therefore it must altogether be said that they are placed in grave danger.

c) Those leading the dances called Round dances, as our Bishops warn. See n. 295. 8°.

But what if some girl wishes to approach dances not too frequently, but only once or twice in the year, and is sufficiently well conducted, and does not carry before herself the levity described above; will she cast herself into grave danger?

"I judge," says Berardi, "that grave danger as to a girl of this kind ordinarily is not present. I am moved by experience. For those girls having sufficient fear of God, who once or twice in the year are present at dances, if they are asked whether on account of dances they have committed some mortal sin, whether by deed, by word, by thought, whether in the very act of dancing or afterward, ordinarily respond negatively."

But it is asked whether these things which have been said for girls concerning whom in the case are valid also as to dances called Round dances?

Resp. Those dances, although in general, nevertheless not always and in every case, or among persons of every kind, are immodest; and this especially for this reason, that not all in dancing employ embraces so close, and that proximity of breast and face so indecorous, which commonly are employed; for those dances can take place even if some distance is preserved in the embraces. It is true that the matter greatly depends on the will of the man; but, if an honorable and well conducted girl, such as is supposed in the case, seriously says that she does not wish to be so closely pressed, certainly she will not be pressed in that way by force. Wherefore, as regards our present case, the words which our Bishops use concerning these dances, whether in the decrees of the Plenary Council of Baltimore II, or in the Pastoral Letters cited n. 295. 8°, cannot be objected; for they call those dances immodest only in that sense, that today they commonly, not that they necessarily, are conducted immodestly (as at present carried on). - Therefore, saving a better [judgment], this would be my practice as to those dances. To all indeed I would most vehemently dissuade them, but I would not prohibit them to all indiscriminately, or to each individual, under denial of absolution; nevertheless certainly to those who would lead them either a) immodestly, or b) frequently, or c) with relative proximate danger, or d) with scandal of others in places where either they are not accustomed to be led, or the warning of the Bishops, concerning which n. 295. 8°, is urged. These things concerning the quantity of danger.

II. But for making a judgment concerning the degree of fault in approaching dances, it is not sufficient to weigh the degree of danger which is found in them; but it is necessary also to weigh the cause which impels one to approach the same dances. For if the danger is not of great moment, causes also not of great moment can excuse from every fault, even venial. But if the danger were grave, grave causes alone could excuse. But what will be causes not of great moment, and what kinds will be grave causes? Causes not of great moment are accustomed to be, e.g., the end of relaxing the soul; of more easily finding an occasion of Matrimony; of not displeasing a lover; of satisfying neighbors inviting to dances; of not exposing oneself to some censure or ridicule, etc. But grave causes can be, e.g., if a woman were going to render her own husband hostile to herself, or if a girl would give occasion of great disturbance in her family, because her parents have announced dances in their own house, or her brothers have already agreed with companions that they are going to lead their sister to dances appointed by common counsel, etc. Yet in order that causes of this kind truly ought to be considered grave, it is necessary that no means be present by which the aforesaid disturbances can be avoided.

1442. - Query. How should confessors and Pastors conduct themselves as to dances?

Resp. 1° Let them avoid excess and defect of zeal against them. They exceed who inveigh against them with too much force and without any prudence. They are deficient who are touched by no care to impede them.

Resp. 2° Confessors: a) As to absolution to be denied or conceded, let them follow the rule handed down n. 1441. b) Even in cases in which the confessor does not deny absolution, he would conduct himself badly if he permitted dances with so much facility that he would not even give counsel of abstaining from them. For, however much dances may seem innocent, they are always dangerous, by reason both of the loss of devotion and modesty, and of the danger of implicating oneself in premature and inconsiderate loves. Wherefore the confessor, as much as he prudently will be able, must employ every care so that he may either avert penitents from dances, or at least diminish the aforesaid dangers by some admonitions and opportune means. These admonitions are chiefly the following, namely, that the penitent 1° form a right intention; 2° preserve modesty in all things, especially as to clothes, gestures, and conversations; 3° in no way yield to vicious sympathies, whether of others toward himself, or of himself toward others; 4° after the dance, revolve in mind holy and congruent reflections, which close entrance to depraved thoughts.

Resp. 3° The Pastor: a) Let him have persuaded to himself that by dances great dissipation is produced in the Parish, and, whether directly and proximately, or indirectly and remotely, occasion is given to many sins; whence he will take care according to his powers that he impede them, or at least diminish them. b) Let him use the necessary prudence, so that he may choose the more apt way which conduces to this end. - First indeed he will obtain much, if, rightly satisfying all the duties of the office of a good pastor, he instills into the faithful committed to him the fear of God, hatred of sin, care of the soul, and benevolence and esteem toward himself. Then in this matter he will profit especially if he fosters piety in girls.