A priest from Ireland was assigned to a Texas diocese.

One morning, Father O'Malley rose from his bed. It was
a fine spring Day in his new Texas mission parish. He
walked to the window of his bedroom to get a deep
breath of the beautiful day outside. He then noticed
there was a jackass lying dead in the middle of his
front lawn. He promptly called the local police
station. The conversation went like this:

"Good morning, this is Sergeant Jones, how might I
help you?"

"And the best of the day te yerself. This is Father
O'Malley at St. Brigid's . There's a jackass lying
dead in me front lawn. Would ye be so kind as to send
a couple O yer lads to take care of the matter?"

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

There was dead silence on the line for a long moment.

Father O'Malley then replied: "Aye, 'tis certainly
true, but we are also obliged to notify the next of
kin