BRISTOL — It was as if a little slice of Hollywood had come to St. Elizabeth Parish, if only for a night.
Following weeks of training, several local priests laced up their dancing shoes in the spirit of fun and took to the floor of the parish hall for a fundraiser hosted by the Santo Cristo Feast Committee.
Coined “Dancing With the Priests” — a tribute in the spirit of the popular ABC television show “Dancing With the Stars” — the event featured a dinner of stuffed chicken and wine, followed by cake and coffee, all of which were a prelude to the real entertainment of the night.
"I came here because I wanted to see how priests dance!" exclaimed Maureen Jernigan, of St. Elizabeth Parish.
She was one of more than 300 excited parishioners who came from several surrounding churches to support their representing pastor. There were several present from St. Anthony Parish to cheer on Father Victor Silva, as well as members of St. Mary in Bristol rooting for their pastor, Father Barry Gamache. Some students even visited from the University of Rhode Island to cheer on their chaplain, Father Matthew Glover. Father Richard Narciso, pastor of St. Elizabeth, was the hometown favorite.
Following weeks of training with Lincoln-based Studio One Rhode Island, Father Gamache performed a dignified, classy waltz after a shorter opening dance to "YMCA." Father Silva opened with a rousing jive to "Jailhouse Rock," followed by a crowd-pleasing tango dressed as "Phantom" from the famous Broadway show. Father Glover moved from a lively disco in "Saturday Night Fever" to a boot-clicking two-step in "The Long Lean Man From Texas."
But in the end, it was Father Narciso who brought the house down, and took home first prize, for his spirited cha-cha.
"I wanted an annual event that would bring the parish community together. Something different, something that would show priests are approachable," Father Narciso said, pleased with the success of the event.
All proceeds for the event are earmarked for the parish's signature annual event in June: the traditional Festival of Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres (Lord Holy Christ of Miracles), which echoes the ancient celebration on the island of São Miguel in the Portuguese Azores.
There, the feast is the largest annual religious event, and pays tribute to long-held religious traditions.
Parishioners of St. Elizabeth Church, which opened in 1913, also hold dear their history.
The “Dancing With the Priests” competition was seen as an enjoyable way to support that tradition.
From food preparation to setup and service, the event was entirely run by volunteers.
Judges, who were gleaned from local ballroom dance professionals, owners of local businesses and others awarded points by holding up paddles in the style of the popular ABC television show.
