A young priest, newly assigned to his parish, felt anxious about hearing his first confessions.
Wanting to prepare properly, he asked an experienced old nun for advice.
The nun smiled and said, “It’s quite simple, Father. When someone confesses a sin, just respond gently—something like ‘Say three Hail Marys and try not to repeat it.’ And if you don’t understand what they mean… just nod wisely.”
Feeling reassured, the priest went to the confessional.
The first parishioner, a woman, whispered, “Father… I have sinned. I committed adultery.”
Remembering the advice, the priest nodded and said, “Ah yes… understood. Say three Hail Marys and try not to repeat the sin.”
Next, a man entered and confessed, “Father, I stole some money.”
The priest nodded again, gaining confidence. “Say three Hail Marys… and consider returning what you took.”
Then a nun stepped in.
After a pause, she said, “Father… I have fallen in the garden.”
The priest froze. Unsure what to do, he leaned forward and quietly asked, “Sister… how many times?”
There was a long silence.
Suddenly, the curtain flew open and the nun snapped, “Father, I tripped over a hose—I didn’t sign up for a subscription service!” 😄
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