The streets were no longer slippery this morning. It was wet but not slick. I went a bit early so I could walk Mother over to church. Fr. Gene decided to have just one Mass this morning. Instead of two. Usually we have an 8:00AM and a 10:30AM. He decided to have just a 9:30AM. The trouble is that he does not announce these things from the pulpit the week before. It IS in the bulletin but not everyone reads that from cover to cover, especially the Sunday Mass schedule which so seldom changes. Frankly, I had not read the schedule myself. The only reason I knew is because I discussed it with Mother and we figured it out. As we were leaving there were tons of people driving into the lot. I am afraid there will really be a ruckus about it.

The Packers played the Bears today in their last regular season game. They won as expected. (The poor Bears are really bad this year, I don't know how they beat us the first time we played, but it was early in the season and we were really struggling then.) Actually their quarterback got sacked NINE times. Dick heard that the first playoff game will be against the Vikings. BOO!!!! HISS!!! He heard that that would be the third game they play against each other this season.

A story that was e-mailed to me the other day, for your amusement.

A priest, a Pentecostal preacher and a Rabbi all served as chaplains to the students of Northern Michigan University in Marquette. They would get together two or three times a week for coffee and to talk shop.

One day, someone made the comment that preaching to people isn't really all that hard. A real challenge would be to preach to a bear. One thing led to another and they decided to do an experiment. They would all go out into the woods, find a bear, preach to it, and attempt to convert it.

Seven days later, they're all together to discuss the experience.

Father Flannery, who has his arm in a sling, is on crutches, and has various bandages, goes first. "Well," he says, "I went into the woods to find me a bear. And when I found him I began to read to him from the Catechism. Well, that bear wanted nothing to do with me and began to slap me around. So I quickly grabbed my holy water, sprinkled him and, Holy Mary Mother of God, he became as gentle a lamb. The bishop is coming out next week to give him first communion and confirmation."

Reverend Billy Bob spoke next. He was in a wheelchair, with an arm and both legs in casts, and an IV drip. In his best fire and brimstone oratory he claimed, "WELL brothers, you KNOW that we don't sprinkle! I went out and I FOUND me a bear. And then I began to read to him from God's HOLY WORD! But that bear wanted nothing to do with me. So I took HOLD of him and we began to rassle. We rassled down one hill, UP another and DOWN another until we came to a crick. So I quick DUNKED him and BAPTIZED his hairy soul And just like you said, he became as gentle as a lamb. We spent the rest of the week in fellowship, feasting on God's Holy Word, and praising Jesus."

They both looked down at the rabbi, who was lying in a hospital bed. He was in a body cast and traction with IV's and monitors running in and out of him. He was in bad shape. The rabbi looks up and says, "You fellows don't even know what trouble is until you try to circumcise a bear."

Love

Mary