Well, Jim, that's an interesting anachronism. Interesting that the good Archbishop disapproves only of "imported" dances, particularly on Sunday. He seems to approve of Irish dances.

I used to chaperone dances in the parish hall of a Polish parish in Milwaukee in the 1960s. We did have a problem with girls smuggling alcohol inside their purses, and then the boys would get hold of it and get drunk and have fights. We had a bunch of young seminarians chaperone, but then one got beat up. After that, I was the only one allowed to chaperone because I was the only seminarian who knew all the kids. The kids liked playing bodyguard for me. Wherever I went, I was surrounded by three or four tough-looking boys.

They didn't do any Irish dances there....
No polkas, either - but adult dances at Milwaukee Catholic churches had polkas, and the Chicken Dance. Favorites at California Catholic dances for adults are "YMCA," "Give Me that Old-Time Rock 'n" Roll," and "Boot-Scootin' Boogie."

There was a beautiful, brilliant, wonderful young woman in that youth group who had a desperate crush on me. She was in tears when I told her I was intent on becoming a celibate priest....
Oh, but she was beautiful. The kind of woman you write songs about, years later. Her name was Merri. Tall, with long, silky hair and a beautiful smile. And a big heart....and I broke it - but I'll never forget her.

-Joe-