Dancing with the family of God

By Mary Regina Morrell
©Catholic Online 2005

"I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named . . . that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith . . . " Eph. 3:15

Each day, on my way to work, I listen to a popular Christian radio station. Today, as I heard the words of a song, "Dancing with my Father God," I was reminded of an evening many years ago when I learned a lot about what it means to be a family that dances with God, and with each other.

To describe the evening I would first have to ask, "Where would you find Chubby Checker, a handful of Benedictine monks, a cornucopia of gyrating teenagers wearing shirts and ties and a colorful crowd of foot-stamping, hand-clapping, suddenly uninhibited adults?"

At a family gathering -- of sorts. There was the usual dinner, sharing interesting facts about our kids, congratulations on their school year accomplishments and college plans, singing, dancing and the one-of-a-kind relative who isn't embarrassed to wear a lamp shade on his head.

What made it an unusual family was the mix -- African-American, Portuguese, Hispanic, Bolivian, Caucasian and a host of others, probably numbering some 300 or more.

Not your typical family gathering, unless you belong to a Catholic school community like St. Benedict's Prep in Newark.

While sitting in the athletic center of this 125+ year old educational institution on the night of my third son's senior banquet I was struck by the commitment, dedication, sacrifice and fidelity to mission that was exemplified by the evening's program.

Earlier in the night we sat at our tables and listened intently as the headmaster recognized every one of the nearly 100 graduating seniors by name, making some unexpectedly anecdotal comment about each of them -- some positive, some tongue in cheek, all honest and showing his interest in their uniqueness. It was reminiscent of a Dean Martin Roast, if you can remember back that far, and everyone loved it, especially the students.

Here was a person who had taken the time to get to know his students and cared about them in spite of their shortcomings -- similar to a good parent.

For the past four years, he, the other monks and lay teachers had locked horns with a variety of intelligent, creative, sometimes hardworking, sometimes lazy, often unruly group of young men to ensure that they would develop into men of good Christian character -- similar to the Apostles.

Later in the evening, we were ushered into the athletic center of this inner city school -- a multi- million dollar facility which was the gift of a very generous benefactor -- for a special student organized program to express appreciation for the sacrifice of parents in providing them with such a valuable education. And, fortunately for this school and these students, it was also made possible through the generosity of a benefactor.

As we sat on the bleachers and marveled at the sound system, instruments and colored lights on the stage set before us, we listened to the headmaster announce the unexpected guest -- Chubby Checker! The rest of the evening is history.

While Chubby was singing I kept thinking about the Pointer Sisters, and their song, We Are Family. There under the flashing lights, with moms and sons challenging Chubby Checker to the twist, with 40 "chillin' " teenagers doing the electric slide to 50s music, with the headmaster moving slowly through the crowd wearing a satisfied Mona Lisa smile, it was apparent that we were a family committed to a mission. Working and sacrificing together -- parents, monks, teachers, benefactors, alumni and students -- had made this not just an adequate school, but an exceptional one, one that kept its doors open against incredible odds to instill a powerful motto in its students: Whatever hurts my brother hurts me. Family. The Church from which Catholic schools like this spring is strong in the image of family -- family of God, family of believers, the Holy Family which serves as our model.

Families working together can accomplish anything. Two thousand years of building on the apostolic tradition of the Church can attest to that.

The Catechism refers to family as the domestic church -- a microcosm of the Universal Church. It is in this image that every Catholic school and every Catholic parish should see itself -- a family that works tirelessly at molding the heart of Christ into every person who passes through its doors.

When Chubby Checker finished his performance he left the students with these parting words: "When you leave this building as a graduate, take your faith with you. It will make you powerful."

I believe Chubby is part of the family.

____________________

Mary Morrell is the author of Angels in High Top Sneakers from Loyola Press, a number of reflection journals available through the Office of Religious Education, Diocese of Metuchen, NJ, and mother of six sons.

Contact

Diocese of Metuchen
http://www.diometuchen.org NJ, US
Mary Regina Morrell - Associate Director, Office of Religious Educationp, 732 562.1990

Email

mmorrell@diometuchen.org

Keywords

dancing, family, God

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