February 2, 2007

Schools out on the day after the Super Bowl; shepherds place friendly wager on big game

Criterion staff report

Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago and Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein have entered the Super Bowl sweepstakes.

And Catholic school students in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis are getting next Monday off thanks to the Colts’ Feb. 4 Super Bowl appearance.

Archbishop Buechlein announced this week that he has declared Monday, Feb. 5—the day after the Super Bowl—as a free day for archdiocesan schools.

The Colts will surely win, the archbishop said, but even if they do not, all archdiocesan Catholic schools will be closed for the day.

The Archbishop O’Meara Catholic Center in Indianapolis will be closed on Feb. 5 as well.

Archbishop Buechlein said, in part, he wants to acknowledge the good character of Colts Coach Tony Dungy and quarterback Peyton Manning as exemplary public figures.

Archbishop Buechlein and Cardinal George have a lot riding on the game. If the Indianapolis Colts win, Cardinal George will send Archbishop Buechlein a shipment of Chicago’s best ribs. If the Chicago Bears win, Archbishop Buechlein will send Cardinal George a shipment of prime Indiana pork chops.

The cardinal jokingly said he feared the wager might be immoral because the Bears are certain to win. Archbishop Buechlein countered that the cardinal’s premise is untrue. †

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