The Great Parish Picnic Mystery
Every parish picnic has its traditions: burgers on the grill, children running everywhere, someone asking, "Who brought the potato salad?", and at least one person insisting that the weather forecast was wrong.
Last year, everything was going perfectly until Father announced:
"Before we begin, let's pray that everyone has enough to eat."
The prayer had barely ended when someone whispered, "Father... the hot dogs are gone!"
Gone?
A search party was immediately organized. The Knights of Columbus checked the barbecue. The CWL searched the serving tables. The children searched... mostly for desserts.
Finally, little Emma pointed toward the far corner of the park.
"There they are!"
Everyone looked.
A flock of very happy seagulls was having what appeared to be their own parish picnic. One bird had somehow flown away with an entire package of hot dogs, and the rest had joined the feast.
One gentleman shook his head and said, "Well, I guess even the birds heard Father say, 'All are welcome!'"
Without missing a beat, Father replied, "Yes... but next year they'll have to help with cleanup!"
The good news? Nobody went hungry. Someone discovered extra hamburgers in a cooler, another family brought more buns than anyone thought possible, and at least six different people admitted they had baked "just one extra dessert."
As the afternoon came to an end, everyone agreed on one thing:
The best part of the parish picnic wasn't the food—it was the laughter, the friendships, and the joy of spending time together as one parish family.
Moral of the story: If you come to the parish picnic, bring your appetite... and keep one eye on the seagulls!
