Irish Confession

Use the Term 'Falling' Instead Of 'Cheating'


An elderly priest was upset with the things he was hearing during Saturday
confessions. After his sermon one Sunday morning, he said to his
congregation, "I'm tired of hearing so many people tell me in confession
that they have cheated. For thirty years, people have been saying to me
'I have cheated with Anthony... I have cheated with Mary... I have cheated
with Frankie.' I am sick and tired of hearing this word. From now on, when
you come into my confessional, you will say 'I have fallen with Anthony, or
with Mary, or with Frankie.' No more the word CHEATS. It will be FALL."


About a year later, the old priest retired and was replaced by a younger
man. No one thought to tell the new priest about the change of words in
the confessional. After hearing his first round of Saturday confessions,
the young priest went to the mayor of the town and said to him, "Mr. Mayor,
you are going to have to do something about the deplorable condition of the
streets and sidewalks in this town. Everybody is telling me they are
falling all over the place."


The mayor immediately understood the problem, and he leaned back in his
chair and laughed.


The priest was puzzled, and said, "Mr. Mayor, you shouldn't be laughing!
Your wife told me that just last week she fell three times!"