Father O’Malley, an Irish priest, was transferred to Texas.

He woke the first morning in his new parish to a fine Texas spring day. When he went to his bedroom window to look out on the beautiful morning he noticed there was a jackass lying dead in the middle of his front lawn. He promptly called the local police station.

‘Good morning This is Sergeant Jones. How might I help you?’

‘And the best of the day to yerself. This is Father O’Malley at St. Ann’s Catholic Church. There’s a jackass lying dead on me front lawn.’

Sergeant Jones, considering himself to be quite a wit, replied with a smirk, ‘Well now, Father, it was always my impression that you folks took care of the last rites!’

There was dead silence on the line for a moment, then Father O’Malley replied, ‘Aye, ’tis certainly true… but we are also obliged to notify the next of kin.’