A man dies and goes to Heaven where he is face to face with St Peter.
The keeper of the Pearly Gates taps his computer keyboard a few times and asks: “What’s your religion?”
The man eagerly replies “Catholic”; knowing full well that this is the one and only true Church which Jesus founded all those years ago. Jesus was after all Catholic Himself.
St Peter looks up and says “Catholic hein? Not another one!”
“Is that bad?” asks the man worryingly.
“It’s that we have quite a few Catholics in here,” continues the Saint, “and we get more trouble from them than any other religion.”
“How so?” gulps the man in a panic.
“Well … they think they know it all for a start. They’re so judgmental too. And they argue so much … There’s a chap we’ve put in a room by himself and he still argues when he looks at a mirror. Something about Latin being the only true Catholic language …
“Do you know … some of them believe they’re the only ones here! We’ve put all the Catholics in one corner of Heaven and told everyone else to keep very quiet when they walk by there so as not to confound their belief.”
“Is that where I’ll go … if I’m accepted in Heaven?” asks the man with some hope in his voice.
“Well …” replies the Saint, “your credentials are in order. We can let you have access to the whole of Heaven where you can meet everyone else; as long as you don’t go around saying that Catholic is best!”
“Agreed … I promise!” says the man with a smile.
“Oh … and one more thing,” continues St Peter, “always carry a tin of sardines in your pocket. In case you come across another Catholic who insists on eating fish on Fridays!!!”
And the moral of this story is: Do we as Catholics set a good example for others to emulate?
