Rollin'
wid
da
whaaat?!
What the heck is a 'Benedict bounce'?
At Birmingham's Oscott College, Cardinal Keith O'Brien thanked our beautiful leader Pope Benedict XVI with a message that,
"Already in Scotland we are talking about the ‘Benedict bounce’. Be assured, Holy Father, that we are bouncing back. You are reassuring us that Christianity is alive and well in our countries." Quote extracted from this Catholic Herald article.
Believe it or not, the 'Benedict bounce' was already in existence before it was brought to the limelight by Cardinal Keith O'Brien. Used back then as a term to describe the healthy and growing state of the Catholic priesthood in Scotland (a 400% rise in ordination this year from last), it's now also a motto for the ordinary Catholic to express our joy at every single treasure we have found from Pope Benedict XVI's visit, and our desire to spread that joy in all our true colours. Boys and girls, we truly are experiencing the wave of enthusiasm now known as the 'Benedict bounce'.
Who on this planet is doing the Benedict bounce?
Well... clearly the Scottish Catholics are living up the Benedict bounce - after all, they created it! And Catholics all over the rest of the UK are living it up too.
Congregations are throwing thanksgiving masses and parties to celebrate this historic and successful visit bringing bounce back into the parish community.
All over the country, clergy and seminaries are looking forward to a bounce in applications to join the priesthood.
Lapsed Catholics are attributing part of their rediscovery of their faith and/or the Catholic Church to the Benedict bounce.
The Telegraph are pretty sure the Benedict bounce will bounce Anglicans into the Roman Catholic Church.
Catholic clothing organisation Catholics with Attitude are producing a range of 'Benedict bounce' items to go on sale on their website.
Borders weavers and Ingles Buchan, the St. Ninian tartan makers are experiencing massive demand for their limited edition tartans according to the Southern Reporter due to the Benedict bounce.
Catholic Youth workers are on a mission to bring World Youth Day to a UK city! How major is that y'all? Proof that 'Youf' are truly rollin' with the Benedict bounce!
On twitter, people from all the way in Singapore are wanting some 'Benedict bounce' to hit their side of the world!
Birmingham businesses benefited when Benedict bounced to Cofton Park with an impact worth £12.5mill to their local economy.
Why are people doing the Benedict Bounce?
We, as Catholics, are excited at the prospect that our Christian mission has been re-fueled and reinvigorated with the visit of our Holy Father. With as much joy as we can muster, we're here to profess our faith, and live as a witness to Christ's purpose here on earth. Having said that - our enthusiasm for the Benedict bounce ought also to help those who are in need of our love and compassion - people such as sexual abuse victims, as well as other vulnerable and disadvantaged souls in our society... like the elderly, disabled and the homeless.
Behind the 'Benedict bounce' is a serious message that “God created me to do Him some definite service” - PBXVI, and that we must actively commit ourselves to the service and become witnesses to the Christ's gospel in which God has called us to be the bearers of. Still, that's not going to stop us from rollin' with the Benedict bounce in style and with enthusiastic conviction! We're living it because we want to!
What does the Benedict bounce mean to you?
Comments welcome ^_^
