A psalmist writes that God will “turn our tears into dancing” (Ps 30:11-12 ). If you’ve been around children and teenagers, you know there is no shortage of fears and tears especially among today’s young people.
St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church, located in the Mississippi Gulf Coast town of Pascagoula, knows how to turn “tears” into dancing. In 2008—just a few years after Hurricane Katrina destroyed their church—the parish started a dance “Praise Team” for their children and teens, seen in the video below. The inspiration for the program comes from an extension of a St. Augustine quote: “Those who sing, pray twice.”
Parish youth as young as 5 can join the team. They dance in carefully choreographed routines for the parish. They raise their arms and eyes heavenward—a proud display of their devotion. Simone Glaude, Praise Team co-coordinator, says that when they rehearse the music speaks to them on a spiritual level.
“They have to go home and listen to the song and see how they feel about the words,” Glaude said. “It connects them strongly to God.”
And she exclaimed,
“When you dance, you talk to the Lord three times.”
Boosting confidence
The program isn’t just for fun. It’s work and a place of honor for the children. In addition to attending rehearsals at the church and practicing at home, Praise Team members must be active in at least two other forms of service in the church, such as altar serving.
“It helps them become a leader,” Glaude said. “It boosts their confidence, it builds character and it teaches them responsibility.”
Tony Cooper III, pictured below, is the 17-year-old Praise Team captain.
“It helps me feel free,” he said.
It just makes me feel more important as a person.”
About 20 children are part of the team now. There have been as many as 40 in past years. Each team member has plentiful friends and mentors.
“We provide a safe space for them,” said Jasmine Glaude, who is also co-coordinator of the team. “They know that they’re around people that they can trust.”
The children look up to their older peers, who are more than happy to show their smaller dance partners the right moves. Many Praise Team members who have gone on to college return to the church to help out, guiding the children in dance and answering any questions about school, faith or life that may arise.
“The Praise Team has created among them a family atmosphere,” said Taiya Wright, who manages the parish’s youth choir and sports activities. “They are continuously talking to one another, leaning on one another in times of need.”
“There’s another family that I can come home to whenever I need help with anything,” Cooper said. “It’s just a really good group of people to be around all the time.”
The Church as a field hospital
In the years following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Catholic Extension Society helped rebuild the church for this now thriving faith community.
And today, community outreach is a pillar of St. Peter the Apostle.
“This is a hospital,” said Wright. “Everyone who comes here is sick and hurting and in need in some way, shape, form or fashion. And our mission is to help one another be better than we were when we came.”
The Praise Team is a big part of this outreach. At the beginning of each school year they organize a clothing drive for schoolchildren in the community—as well as for adults who need professional clothing for work. They also host a food drive for Thanksgiving to provide meals and other necessities for the homeless.
“When we hand them blankets and canned food, they really enjoy it more because it shows how much thought we put into caring for them,” said Cooper.
In this age of anxiety, St. Peter the Apostle Parish has found a way to bring healthy human connection back into the lives of young people.
“It’s definitely helped me become more social with the people around me,” said Cooper. “Because we’ve set this environment where we put the phones away and we just genuinely talk to each other and interact.”
Amid all the fun, friendship and hours of practice, the children never lose sight of the real purpose behind their hard work.
Cailye Williams, a 14-year-old Praise Team member, said,
It strengthens my faith because when I dance, I feel like I grow closer to God.”
Although Cooper has been dancing in front of the congregation since age 5, he said he still gets nervous before a performance. “But I put that feeling away and just perform, because at the end of the day it’s for God, and we want to do our best to serve Him in any way possible.”
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