<The Reverend Francis Norton woke up Sunday morning and, realizing it was an exceptionally beautiful and sunny early spring day, decided he just had to play golf. So, he told the associate pastor he was feeling ill and talked him into saying mass for him that day.

As soon as the associate pastor left the rectory, Father Norton was out of bed and heading out of town to a golf course about forty miles away. The course was chosen for its distance, being far enough from town that he was pretty sure there could be no accidental meeting of anyone from his parish.

Setting up on the first tee, he was alone -- after all, it was Sunday morning and everyone else was in church.

At that same moment, Saint Peter leaned to the Lord’s ear. "He’s not going to get away with this -- is he?"

The Lord sighed, “No, I suppose not."

Father Norton swung the club, striking the ball dead center, and it sailed high and far, straight down the fairway, dropping to the green and rolling directly toward the pin. Saint Peter’s eyes widened in surprise as the ball came right up to the edge of the hole, and fell in.

A 420 yard hole in one!

Saint Peter was absolutely astonished. Shaking his head in utter confusion, he looked at the Lord. "Why did you let him do that?" he asked. “That was an incredible shot!”

The Lord smiled. "Who's he going to tell?"



Dan