A parish priest was being honored at a dinner on the twenty-fifth
anniversary of his arrival in that parish. A leading local
politician, who was a member of the congregation, was chosen to
make the presentation and give a little speech at the dinner, but
he was delayed in traffic, so the priest decided to say his own
few words while they waited.

"You will understand," he said, "the seal of the confessional,
can never be broken. However, I got my first impressions of the
parish from the first confession I heard here. I can only hint
vaguely about this, but when I came here twenty-five years ago I
thought I had been assigned to a terrible place. The very first
chap who entered my confessional told me how he had stolen a
television set, and when stopped by the police, had almost
murdered the officer. Further, he told me he had embezzled
money from his place of business and had an affair with his
boss's wife. I was appalled. But as the days went on I knew that
my people were not all like that, and I had, indeed come to, a
fine parish full of understanding and loving people."

Just as the priest finished his talk, the politician arrived full
of apologies at being late. He immediately began to make the
presentation and give his talk.

"I'll never forget the first day our parish priest arrived in this
parish," said the politician. "In fact, I had the honor of being
the first one to go to him in confession."