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The Last Catholic In America Trivia Quiz

If you ever had a parochial education, the 'Last Catholic' books are the funniest and most insightful books ever written about growing up Catholic.

A multiple-choice quiz by Oddball. Estimated time: 7 mins.

Author
Oddball

Time
7 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
14,693

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
6 / 15

Plays
381

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. Which of the following is NOT one of the titles in John R. Powers' series? Hint

The Unoriginal Sinner And The Ice Cream God

The Last Catholic In America

Drinking The Tabernacle Wine

Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up

NEXT>

Question 2 of 15

2. In what Chicago neighborhood does Eddie Ryan return to reminisce? Hint

East Cicero

Seven Holy Tombs

Joliet

Evanston

NEXT>

Question 3 of 15

3. Which of the sisters at St. Bastians did NOT have a nickname? Hint

Sr. Diane

Sr. Bernadine

Sr. Cyril

Sr. Lee

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Question 4 of 15

4. What was a favorite pastime of St. Bastian students out of school on holy days of obligation? Hint

Being altar boys

Sleeping in

Standing outside public schools yelling, 'Suckers!'

Hanging out at Cromie's drugstore

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Question 5 of 15

5. Who did Eddie suspect was responsible for all the evil in the world? Hint

Bert 'the Beast' Benson

Felix 'the Filth Fiend' Lindor

Dirty Shirt Andy

Garbage Lady Annie

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Question 6 of 15

6. TRUE OR FALSE: Nuns preferred girls.

Answer: ('T' (true) or 'F' (false))

7. Attempting to impress a new girl, Eddie takes a stab at being an altar boy, but discovers there's more to it than just following behind the priest. Which of the following did Eddie NOT do? Hint

Set the alter on fire with a dropped candle

Rang the bell before the priest was ready

Wore his cassock inside out

Bumped into the priest

NEXT>

Question 8 of 15

8. Which phrase best described Eddie after going to Confession? Hint

All those 'Hail Mary's'...

Free from sin! Free from sin!

Oh no, I forgot one...I'm doomed

What a way to spend a Saturday

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Question 9 of 15

9. What did Eddie want to name his 'pagan baby'? Hint

Sebastian

Trigger

Consolation

Phillippe

NEXT>

Question 10 of 15

10. How did George 'Bippo' Gelley get his nickname? Hint

He was a chain smoker

From the sounds made when he beat you up.

He looked like a gorilla

He knew magic tricks

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Question 11 of 15

11. According to Coach Venuti, what prevented George from realizing his full potential as a football player? Hint

He got depressed when it rained on him

He was a heavy drinker

He skipped class a lot

He punched out the Homecoming Queen

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Question 12 of 15

12. Who did Eddie believe was the only real teacher he ever had? Hint

Brother Purity

Brother Sens

Mr. Kila

Mr. Kascher

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Question 13 of 15

13. If you were a 'fat and ugly kid', what was the worst thing that could happen? Hint

Never getting in the yearbook

Joining the debate team

Being elected president of the student council

Perenially getting detention

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Question 14 of 15

14. The first major love in Eddie's life was this girl: Hint

Dorothy

Una

Becky

Mary Kelly

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Question 15 of 15

15. Using the titles given in Question 1, which of the books became a musical?

Answer: (Just use the titles above for spelling)

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which of the following is NOT one of the titles in John R. Powers' series?

Answer: Drinking The Tabernacle Wine

The other book in the series was, 'The Junk-Drawers Corner-Store Front-Porch Blues'.

2. In what Chicago neighborhood does Eddie Ryan return to reminisce?

Answer: Seven Holy Tombs

Definitely an appropriate name for a Catholic community.

3. Which of the sisters at St. Bastians did NOT have a nickname?

Answer: Sr. Lee

They were Dynamite Diane, Cyril the Savage who was an expert marksman with blackboard erasers, and Boom Boom Bernadine, who banged kids' heads into a wall. No one DARED give Sr. Lee a nickname.

4. What was a favorite pastime of St. Bastian students out of school on holy days of obligation?

Answer: Standing outside public schools yelling, 'Suckers!'

5. Who did Eddie suspect was responsible for all the evil in the world?

Answer: Dirty Shirt Andy

Alias 'Fat Man Andy', 'the Slob' and 'the Pig', everything Andy touched was tainted. He once traded Eddie some pop bottles for a puppy...who was later diagnosed with rabies.

6. TRUE OR FALSE: Nuns preferred girls.

Answer: True

Girls were rarely, if ever, bothered by the nuns.

7. Attempting to impress a new girl, Eddie takes a stab at being an altar boy, but discovers there's more to it than just following behind the priest. Which of the following did Eddie NOT do?

Answer: Set the alter on fire with a dropped candle

Deborah thought Eddie was the worst alter boy she had ever seen, but thought he was cute anyway.

8. Which phrase best described Eddie after going to Confession?

Answer: Free from sin! Free from sin!

Unfortunately, the elation of being 'free from sin' wore off as he got older.

9. What did Eddie want to name his 'pagan baby'?

Answer: Trigger

The Sister named him Frances, despite Eddie's objection. He had recurring nightmares about being cornered in an alley pleading, 'No, I wanted to name you Trigger' before being executed.

10. How did George 'Bippo' Gelley get his nickname?

Answer: From the sounds made when he beat you up.

The nickname described how George fought. First, a 'BIP' to the gut to double you over, followed by a 'PO' shot to the forehead. At just over 5 feet tall, he had to double you over before he could knock you out.

11. According to Coach Venuti, what prevented George from realizing his full potential as a football player?

Answer: He got depressed when it rained on him

Coach thought someone should follow him with an umbrella if he ever wants to realize his full potential. For the record, he DID punch out the Homecoming Queen after she complained about not being treated like any other guy.

12. Who did Eddie believe was the only real teacher he ever had?

Answer: Mr. Kascher

A substitute teacher, 'Smooth Eddie' Kascher was built like a giant thumb and had a voice that intimidated the class just by calling roll. He was hated by the faculty, stopped lecturing whenever a thunderstorm went through and had everyone play a country in an attempt to rewrite history from 1900 on (when France punched Italy into a locker, he got an 'A' for warfare and an 'F' for diplomacy).

13. If you were a 'fat and ugly kid', what was the worst thing that could happen?

Answer: Being elected president of the student council

By being elected president, not only were you fat and ugly, but you were the FATTEST and UGLIEST kid in school.

14. The first major love in Eddie's life was this girl:

Answer: Una

Eddie recalled that the highest 'peaks' and lowest 'valleys' of his youth belonged to her.

15. Using the titles given in Question 1, which of the books became a musical?

Answer: Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up

Just imagine looking for this title on Broadway!

Source: Author Oddball

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor LadyCaitriona before going online.
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