A married man from Ireland entered the confessional and spoke to his priest.

A married Irishman entered the confessional and told his priest, “I nearly had an affair with another woman.” The priest responded, “What do you mean by almost?” The Irishman explained, “Well, we got undressed and rubbed against each other, but then I stopped.” The priest replied, “Rubbing against each other is equivalent to going all the way. You must not see that woman again. For your penance, recite five Hail Marys and place $50 in the poor box.

After leaving the confessional, the Irishman prayed and then approached the poor box. He hesitated for a moment and then began to walk away. The priest, who had been observing, quickly rushed over to him, saying, “I saw that. You didn’t put any money in the poor box!” The Irishman responded, “Yes, but I rubbed the $50 on the box, and according to you, that’s the same as putting it in!”