A priest, a Baptist preacher and a Rabbi all served as chaplains to
the students of Northern Michigan University in Marquette.

They would get together two or three times a week for coffee and to
talk shop.

One day, someone made the comment that preaching to people isn't
really all that hard. A real challenge would be to preach to a bear.

One thing led to another and they decided to do an experiment: They
would all go out into the woods; each would find a bear, preach to                and attempt to convert it.

Seven days later, they're all together to discuss the experience.

Father Flannery, who has his arm in a sling, is on crutches, and has
various bandages, goes first."Well," he says, "I went into the woods
to find me a bear. And when I found him I began to read to him from
the Catechism. Well, that bear wanted nothing to do with me and
began to slap me around. So I quickly grabbed my holy water,
sprinkled him and, Holy Mary Mother of God, he became as gentle as a
lamb. The bishop is coming out next week to give him first communion
and confirmation."

Reverend Billy Bob spoke next. He was in a wheelchair, with an arm
and both legs in casts, and an IV drip. In his best fire and
brimstone oratory he claimed, "WELL brothers, you KNOW that we
don't sprinkle! I went out and I FOUND me a bear. And then I began
to read to my bear from God's HOLY WORD! But that bear wanted
nothing to do with me. So I took HOLD of him and we began to
wrestle. We wrestled down one hill, UP another and DOWN another
until we came to a creek. So I quick DUNKED him and BAPTIZED his
hairy soul! And just like you said, he became as gentle as a lamb.
We spent the rest of the day praising Jesus."

They both looked down at the rabbi, who was lying in a hospital
bed. He was in a body cast and traction with IVs and monitors
running in and out of him. He was in bad shape.

The rabbi looks up and very deliberately and painfully says,
"Looking back on it, circumcision may not have been the best way to
start."