March 15, 2012
Last week was my sister’s birthday, so to celebrate she invited the family to her home for a little celebration. Over the course of the afternoon (and a few drinks) we got to talking about our Grandparents, particularly our devout Irish-Catholic Grandmother.
My brother told the story of when she was teaching him to pray the Rosary. I guess she thought it was time for him to move beyond “Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep.” For those of you who weren’t raised Catholic, or who are unfamiliar with saying the Rosary, all you need to know is this: It involves saying the “Hail Mary” again and again.
So my Grandmother told him what to do, gave him a set of Rosary Beads, and left the room. I guess after saying a few Hail Marys, he got bored. From the next room, instead of hearing “Hail Mary Full of Grace…” my Grandmother heard Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na--Batman!
My brother didn’t need to go to Confession for that particular sin. He got his penance when she whipped him across his shoulder blades with her Rosary Beads.
