A BIT OF CATHOLIC HUMOR!

Muldoon lived alone in the Irish countryside with only a pet dog for company. One day the dog died, and Muldoon went to the parish priest and asked, 'Father, my dog is dead. Could ya' be saying' a mass for the poor creature?'

Father Patrick replied, 'I'm afraid not; we cannot have services for an animal in the church. But there are some Baptists down the lane, and there's no tellin' what they believe. Maybe they'll do something for the creature.'

Muldoon said, 'I'll go right away Father. Do ya' think $5,000 is enough to donate to them for the service?'

Father Patrick exclaimed, 'Sweet Mary, Mother of Jesus! Why didn't ya tell me the dog was Catholic?

Since all the animals loved St. Francis of Assisi, is the joke really on Father Patrick for not just blessing the dead dog in context of some prayer to St. Francis?

The problem with ethnic jokes is that they play on stereotypes that often become obsolete. "Irish jokes" from an earlier era played on the stereotype of the Irish not being too intelligent. Like the Irishman that fed his horse sawdust, to save on the cost of hay. And then complained that the horse died, "Just as he was beginning to like the taste of sawdust."

So, since we all know educated Irish today, this joke is from an earlier era, but it was still going around in the late 20th century. People are slow to learn that groups change. I think much of the anti-Israeli sentiment we find on this forum reflects the fact that there is too much cognitive dissonance in many people's minds that Israel is populated by Jews that are not timid, and not about to be led to slaughter like sixty years ago. Many people have a long learning curve oftentimes.

A Cardinal is rushed to hospital with appendicitis. As he's undergoing surgery an unmarried woman in the next theatre dies in childbirth.

When the Cardinal comes round the surgeon decides to tell him he's given birth to a baby boy. The Cardinal is horrified but decides to do the right thing so far as the circumstances allow. He introduces the child as his ward, and says he's the boy's uncle, and to all intents and purposes brings him up as his own.

Many years later the Cardinal is on his death bed, and he beckons his 'son' over for one last word.
'You know I've looked after you all my life, and let you think I'm your uncle, now it's time I told you the truth.'
'It's alright,' replied the boy. 'You're really my father aren't you.'
'God no,' replied the Cardinal. 'I'm your mother, the Pope's your father.'

This isn't a joke about the Irish being dumb, it's about the church...
This joke is relevant today as it was a hundred years ago.

Shouldn't this joke [?] be in the "Really Bad Joke" thread?