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As soon as she had finished parochial school, a bright young lass named Maura
shook the dust of Ireland off her shoes and made her way to New York where,
before long, she became a successful performer in show business.

Eventually she returned to her home town for a visit and on Saturday night went
to confession in the church which she had always attended as a child. Inside the
confessional Father Sullivan recognized her and began asking her about her work.

Maura explained that she was an acrobatic dancer, and he wanted to know what
that meant. She said she would be happy to show him the kind of thing she did on
stage. Stepping out of the confessional and within sight of Father Sullivan, Maura
went into a series of cartwheels, leaping splits, handsprings and backflips.

Kneeling near the confessional, waiting their turn, were two middle-aged ladies.

As they witnessed Maura's acrobatics with wide eyes, one said to the other: "Will ye
just look at the penance Father Sullivan is givin' out this night, and me without me
bloomers on!"