News

Moved by the spirit! Dancing priest gives Florida high school crowd a happy shock

November 2, 2019 | | Print Article

Meet Father Ricardo Rivera, a recently ordained priest who works as a senior theology teacher at Cardinal Gibbons Catholic High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Besides having a knack for theology, Rivera’s also got another talent: Busting moves.

Watch:


(Source: Cardinal Gibbons High School FTL)

The father’s got quality moves (versus nightmarish moves)!

Recorded during a homecoming pep rally last Friday, the video above has since gone viral, attracting praise and even jealousy from across the country.

It’s not just that the #DancingPriest has moves — it’s that he made the effort to really connect with his students and “evangelize” in a way he knew they would not soon forget.

Some social media users have wondered though why their former Catholic school teachers hadn’t been as fly, cool, and relatable as Father Rivera.

Look at some of the social media commentary below:

But who is he exactly?

The Miami Herald describes him as a “Puerto Rico native” — one who “practiced the initial steps” to the dance routine seen above on Tuesday.

“But the dancers and cheerleaders didn’t know he had learned the entire routine,” the Herald added.

And so his performance Friday was a literal shocker to everybody, save reportedly for the dance coach.

The response was, of course, one of happy shock from almost everybody, including the cheerleaders, the other students and the rest of the world.

However, Rivera’s performance also attracted a little criticism, some of it from rabid secularists who clearly hate religion, and some of it from miserable cynics.

Look:

FYI, Gibbons is a private Roman Catholic high school that’s sponsored by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami, accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and has been praised by the U.S. Department of Education for its quality teaching.

“In 1987, Cardinal Gibbons was awarded the U.S. Department of Education’s Excellence in Education Award, which was only awarded to 271 of the nation’s finest private and public educational institutions,” the school web’s reads. “Cardinal Gibbons has also been recognized by Broward County and the federal government for its academic and athletic achievements.”

“Today, Cardinal Gibbons has come a long way from its humble beginnings. Our 18-acre campus currently houses 10 academic buildings, an interactive Media and Technology Center, four state-of-the-art science labs and a chapel that seats 300. Since opening in 1961, Cardinal Gibbons has grown to become one of the most well-respected Catholic, college preparatory schools in South Florida.”

Moreover, a study conducted in 2012 by the National Catholic Educational Association found that “students who attend Catholic high schools are more likely to graduate and attend college than students attending other schools,” as reported at the time by the Catholic News Service.

Two years later, the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics reported similar conclusions. It found that only 31.1 percent of public school students were likely to go on to obtain a degree from college versus a whopping 61.9 percent majority of Catholic high school students.

These are called facts.

While cynicism certainly has its place, being cynical and critical over a dedicated priest busting moves to bond with his Catholic students seems like a bit much.

One could argue that the best response to Rivera’s performance would be to just appreciate it for what it is — a great dance routine — and wish blessings on both the father and his adoring flock:

DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW

Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!

$10
$15
$25
$50
Other
$
Success! Thank you for donating. Please share BPR content to help combat the lies.
Vivek Saxena
Latest posts by Vivek Saxena (see all)

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

BPR INSIDER COMMENTS

Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!

Latest Articles