"Jimmy, come on." "You're serving today." "Christeeeen!" "Where's my pants?" "On the bed." "If they had teeth, they would've bit you." "If my pants had teeth..." "Jimmy!" "Go to the store, buy me the newspaper and cigarettes." "Can't." "I'm serving mass." "I'm an alter boy." " Hey, Kevin!" " Hey, Jimmy!" " There you are." " Overslept." "Well, you made it." "I'll do the cruets if you light the charcoal." "You think I'm fat?" "You're alright." "What?" "Clothes don't fit?" "No, they fit." "You're gonna be going to the bakery after mass." " I am?" "Why don't you go?" " I'm gonna be making breakfast." " I can make breakfast." " When have you ever?" "Funny man." "Good morning, Father." "Good morning, Father." "Be seated." "What do you do when you're not sure?" "That's the topic of my sermon today." "Last year, when President Kennedy was assassinated, who among us did not experience the most profound disorientation?" "Despair?" "Which way?" "What now?" "What do I say to my kids?" "What do I tell myself?" "It was a time of people sitting together, bound together by a common feeling of hopelessness." "But think of that!" "Your bond with your fellow being was your Despair." "It was a public experience." "It was awful, but we were in it together." "How much worse is it then for the lone man, the lone woman, stricken by a private calamity?" ""No one knows I'm sick."" ""No one knows I've lost my last real friend."" ""No one knows I've done something wrong."" "Imagine the isolation." "Now you see the world as through a window." "On one side of the glass:" "happy, untroubled people, and on the other side: you." " God Bless you, Sister." " Thank you." "I want to tell you a story." "A cargo ship sank one night." "It caught fire and went down." "And only this one sailor survived." "He found a lifeboat, rigged a sail..." "and being of a nautical discipline, ... turned his eyes to the Heavens and read the stars." "He set a course for his home, and exhausted, fell asleep." "Clouds rolled in." "And for the next twenty nights, he could no longer see the stars." "He thought he was on course, but there was no way to be certain." "And as the days rolled on, and the sailor wasted away, he began to have doubts." "Had he set his course right?" "Was he still going on towards his home?" "Or was he horribly lost and doomed to a terrible death?" "No way to know." "The message of the constellations--- had he imagined it because of his desperate circumstance?" "Or had he seen truth once..." "Straighten." "Up." "and now had to hold on to it without further reassurance?" "There are those of you in church today who know exactly the crisis of faith I describe." "And I want to say to you:" "Doubt can be a bond as powerful and sustaining as certainty." "When you are lost, you are not alone." "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost." "Amen." "Please rise." " Hey, Father." " Hey, Champ." "That was some sermon." "Did it mean something to you?" "I want to do that." "I want to be a priest." "You'd be a good one, I'm sure." "Here." "Take a look." "See?" "She's dancin'." "Kinda neat." " Yeah." " Here." "You try." "That's for you." "Take it." " Thank you, Father." " You're welcome." "Like Noah's Ark, girls." "Two by two." "Morning, Sister James." "Good morning, Father Flynn." "Beautiful day." "Not too bad." "How are the criminals doing today?" " Not bad, Father." " Good, Father." " Morning, Champ." " Morning, Father Flynn." "You wash those hands today, Mister London?" "I washed 'em, Father." "I don't know." "They're a different color than your neck." " Good morning." " Good morning, Father." " Sister, are we having the test today?" " Tomorrow, William." " Is it long division?" " Among other things." " Sister." " Good morning, Sister." " How much of it will be long division?" " Boy!" "William London." "Come up here!" "Come smartly now." "Don't make me wait." " What did he do?" " He touched Sister James." "The dragon is hungry!" "You don't touch a nun." "Take out your history books, please." "Turn to page 683." "Yes, Ralph." " I forgot my history book." " You can look on with Raymond." "Mr. London?" "Do you have your history book?" " No, Sister." " Share with Mr. Malloy, please." "Do I have to?" "His breath stinks!" "I'm sure Mr. Malloy's breath is just fine." "Be seated." "Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the 32nd president of The United States." "That barrette out of your hair, Miss Horan." "Yes, Sister." "Morning, Sister James." "Continue." "Franklin D. Roosevelt, together with Abraham Lincoln and John Fitzgerald Kennedy, was perhaps our greatest president." "When he assumed office, 13,000,000 people in this country were unemployed." "They'd lost hope." "And President Roosevelt said to these people:" ""The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."" "What did he mean by that?" "James?" "I think he was trying to say there's nothing really wrong, you know?" "So don't get so emotional." "Maybe..." "Maybe he was saying that the world is good and we need only work together to overcome our problems." "What's this, Mr. Conroy?" "I don't know, Sister." "You don't know you have a wire coming out of your ear?" " No." " Huh?" "Huh?" "No, Sister." "I didn't." "You come with me, boy." "Go." "Who knows what the New Deal was?" "I love this song." "This past Sunday." "What do you think that sermon was about?" " Sister James." " Huh?" "What was Father Flynn's sermon about?" "Well, Doubt." "He was talking about Doubt?" "Why?" "Excuse me, Sister?" "Well, sermons come from somewhere, don't they?" "Is Father Flynn in Doubt?" "Is he concerned that someone else is in Doubt?" "I suppose you'd have to ask him." "No, that would not be appropriate." "He is my superior." "And if he were troubled, he should confess it to a fellow priest, or to the Monsignor." "We do not share intimate information with priests." " No." " That's true." " What are we saying?" " I want you all to be alert." "I am concerned, perhaps needlessly, about matters in St. Nicholas School." "Academically?" "I was not inviting a guessing game, Sister Raymond." "Missy!" "Get away from her." "And sit down." "May I join you, Sister Aloysius?" "Yes." " Chicken Chow Mein." " Sister Veronica's favorite." " It's very good." " I like the noodles." "I like the crunch." " What happened to William London?" " I sent him home." "Oh dear." "So he's still bleeding?" "Yes." "His nose just let loose and started gushing during the Pledge of Allegiance." "Was it spontaneous?" " What?" " His nosebleed." " What else would it be?" " Self-induced." "You mean you think he might've intentionally given himself a nosebleed?" "Exactly." "No." "You are a very innocent person, Sister James." "William London is a fidgety boy." "If you do not keep right on him, he will do anything to escape his chair." "He would set his foot on fire for half a day out of school." "Here." "Sister, allow me to help you." "Your sleeve." "Mmm." "Let's see." "Oh thank you, Sister." " Sister Veronica is going blind." " Oh how horrible!" "If they find out in the rectory, she'll be gone." "So, if she looks unsteady, take her hand." "Ordinarily, I assign my most experienced teachers to eighth grade, but I am working within constraints." " Are you in control of your class?" " I think so." "Usually more students are sent down to me." " I try to take care of things myself." " That can be an error." "You are answerable to me," "I to the Monsignor, he to the Bishop, and so on up to the Holy Father." "There is a chain." "Make use of it." " Candy?" " Cough drops." "Candy by another name." " How is Donald Miller doing?" " Steady." "Good." "That girl..." "Noreen Horan." "I've seated her as far away from the boys as possible." "Doesn't do much good." "Just get her through." "Intact." "What's this?" "The wind is so... peripatetic this year." "Is that the word I want?" "Is something the matter?" " What?" " Is something the matter?" "No." "Why?" "Is something the matter?" " I don't think so." " Well, then, nothing's the matter then." " Yes." " What's this?" " A pen?" " A ballpoint pen." "The students are not using them for assignments, I hope?" " No, of course not." " I'm sorry I allowed even cartridge pens into this school." "Always the easy way out these days." "Every easy choice today will have its consequence tomorrow." " Mark my words." " Yes." "Ballpoints make them press down, when they press down, they write like monkeys." " I don't allow them ballpoint pens." " And yet here one is." "Penmanship is dying all across this country." "I hope not." "You should frame something." "Put it up on the blackboard." "Put the Pope up." "That's the wrong Pope." "He's deceased." "I don't care what Pope it is." "Use the glass to see behind you." "The children should think you have eyes in the back of your head." " Wouldn't that be a little frightening?" " Only to the ones who are up to no good." "Relax." "Put it up there." "All right, now." "The thing about shooting from the foul line is it's psychological." "All right, come up with a routine." "All right, shift your weight, move your hips..." "Hey, you think that's funny, Ralph?" "You know what's funny is you never getting a foul shot." "All right, concentrate on the routine, and you'll forget to get tensed up." "All right, go ahead, Jimmy." "Good man." "You listen." "That's good." "All right, now sit down." "Everyone." "Good." "On another matter, I've noticed several of you guys got dirty nails." "I don't want to see that." "I'm not talking about the length of your nails, I'm talking about cleanliness." "See?" "Look at my nails." "All right, they're long," "I like them a little long, but look at how clean they are." "That makes it okay." "The climpity-clomp." "Clomp clomp clomp." "Harder than a herd of elephants." "You are wicked!" "No, I told her, "You're her mother!" "You raised her, you fed her, YOU tell her she's fat!"" " Oh!" " But wait, how fat is she?" " What, the mother or the daughter?" " The daughter." " I never met the daughter." " What about the mother?" "Fat!" "Father, we having practice after school?" "If you guys want it, we can have it." "Let me know." "The Fascist governments of Germany and Italy were already working together." "They formed the Pact of Steel." "The Pact of Steel was a military alliance between Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler." "Mister London, get back in your seat and stop bothering Miss Horan, please." "Now, who can tell me" "Yes?" "Yes." "Of course, Father." "Donald?" "You should go to the Rectory." "Two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven." "Go one, two, three, touch." "One, two, three, kick." "And back, side, front, kick." "Back, side, front..." " Raymond, what are you doing?" " The mashed potato." "You're supposed to be doing the bossa nova." "But I know the mashed potato." "All right, now follow." "Back, side, front, kick." "Back, side, one, two, three, kick." "Back, side, front, kick." "Back, side, front." "Okay." "Let me get in front of you so that you can see what I'm doing." "One, two, three..." "Okay." "Donald, are you feeling ill?" "No." "You sure?" "Are you all right?" " Good afternoon, Sister." " Good afternoon, Sister James." "Sister, can I speak with you about Donald Miller?" " Is he being accepted?" " He has no friends." "That would be a lot to expect after only two months." " Has anyone hit him?" " No." "Someone will." "And when that happens, send them right down to me." "I'm not so sure anyone will." "This parish serves Irish and Italian families." "Someone will hit Donald Miller." "He has a protector." "Who?" "Father Flynn." "What?" "He's taken an interest." "I told you to come to me, but I hoped you never would." "Maybe I shouldn't have." "So it's happened." "What?" "I'm not telling you that!" "I'm not even certain what you mean." "Oh excuse me there, Sisters!" "No bother we're done here!" "Come, Sister." "What have you seen?" "It is unsettling to look at people with suspicion." "I feel less close to God." "When you take a step to address wrongdoing, you are taking a step away from God, but in His service." "What have you seen?" "Good afternoon, Sisters!" "Good afternoon, Mrs. Carson." "Why the cat?" "Because there's a mouse." "Want some tea?" "If you don't want to dance with her, don't dance with her." " Well, is it wrong?" " No." "But what if the girl turns you down?" "You have the right to ask a girl to dance." "All right, she has the right to turn you down." "The trick is don't take it to heart." "What if they ALL turn you down?" "Well, then you become a priest." "All right, next question." "What have you seen?" "He called Donald Miller to the Rectory." " What for?" " A talk." " Alone?" " Yes." " When?" " A week ago, during class." "Why didn't you tell me?" "I didn't think there was anything wrong with it." "Of all the children." "Donald Miller." " I suppose it makes sense." " How does it make sense?" "He's isolated." " I don't know that anything is wrong!" " Our first Negro student." "I thought there would be fighting." "A parent or two to deal with." "I should have foreseen this possibility." "How could you imagine it?" "It's my job to outshine the fox in cleverness." " That is my job!" " But maybe it's nothing!" "Then why do you look like you've seen the Devil?" "It's just the way the boy acted when he came back to class." " He said something?" " No." "It was his expression." "He looked frightened and he... put his head on the desk in the most peculiar way." "And..." "And one other thing." "There was..." "I think there was alcohol on his breath." "There WAS alcohol on his breath." "Years ago at St. Boniface there was a priest..." "But I had Father Scully then." "Here there's no man I can go to, men run everything." "We are going to have to stop him ourselves." "There we go!" "She got him!" "It takes a cat." "Yes it does." "Yes it does." " This towel will never be dead white again." " Yes it will." " Mrs. Carson!" " I'm fine." " What happened?" " There's a branch down." " Are you alright, Sister?" " She didn't see it." "I'm fine." "Just bushwhacked." "No need for a fuss." "You just go lie down." "I'll bring you some tea." "Come on." "Mister McGuinn?" "Could you look in on the courtyard?" "A branch has fallen." "A branch has" "Watch your step here, Sister." "I'll cut it up." "The world is crashing, Michael." "I haven't heard a wind like that since I left Mullingar!" "I've never known a wind like it." "The wind has changed." "What are you doing out here, Conroy?" "I talked in class, Father." "Waiting for Sister Aloysius." " She know you're here?" " She knows." "Good morning, Father Flynn." "Good of you to come by." "Good morning, Sister Aloysius." "How are you today?" "I'm very well, thank you." "Mister Conroy." " Yes, Sister." " Mister Transistor Radio." "Multiplication table 10x in its totality delivered to me tomorrow morning." "Legible, Boy!" "Return to class." "Go." "Go, go." "I'd invite you in, but we're just short Sister James." " Hear that wind last night?" " I certainly did!" "Did I hear Sister Veronica had an accident?" "Yes, Sister Veronica fell and practically killed herself." " Is she alright?" " Oh, she's fine." " Her sight isn't good, is it?" " Her sight is fine." "Nuns fall, you know." "Nah, I didn't know that." "It's the habit." "It catches us up more often than not." "We go down like dominoes." " Am I past the time?" " Not at all." "Good morning, Father." "Good morning, Sister." "I'm sorry I was delayed." "I ran into Sister Veronica." " How is she?" " I'm afraid she has a bit of a bloody nose." "I'm beginning to think you're punching people." " Sister?" " First William London and now ..." "Never mind." "Well, come in, please." "Sister..." "Please." "Sit." "Have a seat." "I actually have a hot pot of tea." "And close this but not quite for form's sake." "Father, would you care for a..." " Would you have a cup of tea, Father?" " I would love a cup of tea." " Sister, perhaps you could serve him?" " I'd be glad." "And yourself, of course." "Would you like a cup of tea, Sister Aloysius?" " No, I've already had my cup." " Is there sugar?" "Sugar?" "Yes!" "Yes." "It's somewhere here." "I put it in the drawer for Lent last year and never remembered to take it out." "Ah, it mustn't have been much to give up then." "I'm sure you're right." "Here it is." "I'll serve you, though for want of practice, I'm, I'm a little clumsy." "I see your fingernails." "I wear them a little long." " The Sugar?" " Yes." " One?" " Three." " Three?" " Sweet tooth." "Two..." "Three..." " Sister, you care for sugar?" " Never!" "Not that there's anything wrong with sugar." "Well, thank you, Father, for making time for us." "We are at our wit's end." "Well, I think it's an excellent idea to rethink the Christmas pageant." "'Cause last year's effort was a little woebegone." "Oh, I loved it!" "But I love all pageants." "The hymns!" "O Little Town of Bethlehem, O Come O Come Emmanuel," " O Come All Ye Faithful..." " All right." "Thank you, Sister James!" "So what do you think, Father?" "Is there something new we could do?" "Well, we all love the Christmas hymns, but it might be jolly to include a secular song." "Secular?" "Yes." "IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS." "Something like that." "What would be the point of a secular song?" "Just fun." " Or FROSTY THE SNOWMAN." " That's a good one." "We could have one of the boys dress as a snowman and dance around." "Which boy?" "We'd do tryouts." "FROSTY THE SNOWMAN espouses a pagan belief in magic." "The snowman comes to life when an enchanted hat is put on his head." "If the music were more somber, people would realize the images are disturbing and the song heretical." "I've never thought about Frosty The Snowman like that." " It should be banned from the airwaves." " So." "Not FROSTY THE SNOWMAN." "Oh, IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK LIKE A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS would be fine, I suppose." "Parents would like it." "May I ask what you're writing down?" "With that ballpoint pen?" "Oh." "Nothing." "It's an idea for a sermon." " You had one right now?" " I get them all the time." "How fortunate." "I forget them so I have to write them down." "Oh." "What is the idea?" "Intolerance." " Would you like a little more tea, Father?" " Not yet." "It's a new time, Sister." " What's new about this?" " Something inside of people is new." "There is nothing new under the sun." "The Church needs to change." "We should sing a song from the radio now and then." " Take the kids out for ice cream." " Sweet tooth." "Maybe take the boys on a camping trip." "The point being?" "We should be friendlier." "You know, the children and the parents should see us as members of their family." "But we are not members of their family." "We're different." " Why?" "Because of our vows?" " Precisely." "I don't think we're so different." "You know, Sister, I would take some more tea." "And they think we're different, yeah?" "The working class..." "The working class people of this parish trust us to be different." "Uh, I think we're getting off the subject." "Yes, you're right." "You're right." "Back to it." "Yes, Sister Raymond?" "Well you tell her to wash her face and her neck and report to me at three." "Yes." "Excuse me." "The Christmas pageant." "We must be careful how Donald Miller is used in the pageant." "Easy there, Sister." "All right, what about Donald Miller?" "We must be careful, in the pageant, that we neither hide Donald Miller nor put him forward." " Because of the color of his skin?" " That's right, yeah." "Why?" "Oh come, Father." "I think he should be treated like every other boy." "Well, you yourself singled the boy out for special attention." "You held a private meeting with him at the Rectory." "A week ago?" "Yes." "What are we talking about?" "Donald Miller?" "The boy acted strangely when he returned to class." "He did?" "When he returned from the Rectory." "A little odd, yes." "Can you tell us why?" "How did he act strangely?" "He..." "I'm not sure how to explain it." "He... he laid his head on the desk, and... some..." " Do you mean you had some impression?" " Yes." "And he'd come from the Rectory so you're asking me?" "That's it." "Did you want to discuss the pageant, is that why I'm here, or is this what you wanted to discuss?" "This." "Well." "I'm a little uncomfortable." " Why?" " Why do you think?" "The boy's well-being is my responsibility." "His well-being is not at issue." "I'm not satisfied that that is true." "He was upset when he returned to class." " Did he say something?" " No." "What happened in the Rectory?" "Happened?" "Nothing happened." "I had a talk with the boy." " What about?" " Private matter." "He's twelve years old." "What could be private?" " Should I get the phone---?" " No." "I object to your tone." "This is not about my tone..." "or your tone, Father Flynn." " It's about arriving at the truth." " Of what?" "You know what I'm talking about." "Don't you?" "You're controlling the expression on your face right now." "Aren't you?" "My face?" "What exactly are you accusing me of?" "I am not accusing you of anything, Father Flynn." "I am asking you to tell me what happened in the Rectory." "I don't wish to continue this." "And if you're dissatisfied with that, I suggest you speak to Monsignor Benedict." "I can only imagine this unfortunate behavior is the result of overwork." "Have a good morning." "Sister." "Sister." "There was alcohol on his breath." "When he returned from his meeting with you." "Alcohol." "I did smell it on his breath." "Well?" " Let this alone." " No." "Take your time, Father." "Would you like some more tea?" "You should've let it alone." "Not possible." "Mr. McGuinn caught Donald drinking altar wine." "When I found out, I sent for him." "There were tears." "And he begged not to be removed from the altar boys." "I took pity on him." "I told him if no one else found out, I would let him stay on." "Oh, what a relief!" "That explains everything!" "Thanks be to God!" "Look, Sister, it was all a mistake!" "And if I talk to Mr. McGuinn?" "Oh, talk to him by all means." "But now that the boy's secret's out, I'm going to have to remove him from the altar boys." "That's what I was trying to avoid." " You were trying to protect the boy!" " That's right." "I might have done the same thing!" "Is there a way Donald could stay on the altar boys?" "If the boy drank altar wine, he can't continue as an altar boy." "Of course." " Are you satisfied?" " Yes." "Well, I'll be going." "I have some writing to do." " Intolerance." " That's right." "I'm not pleased with how you handled this, Sister." "Sister." "Well." "What a relief!" "He cleared it all up." " You believe him?" " Of course." "Isn't it that it's easier to believe him?" "But we can corroborate his story with Mr. McGuinn." "Yes." "These types of people are clever." " Well, I'm convinced!" " You're not." "You just want things to be resolved so you can have simplicity back." "I want no further part of this." "I'll bring him down." "How can you be so sure that he is lying?" "Experience." "You just don't like him!" "You don't like it that he uses a ballpoint pen." "You don't like it that he takes three lumps of sugar in his tea." "You don't like it that he likes Frosty the Snowman." "And you're letting that convince you of something terrible, just terrible!" "Well, I like Frosty the Snowman!" "And I think it would be nice if this school weren't run like a jail!" "And I think it's a good thing that I love to teach History and that I might inspire my students to love it, too!" "And if you judge that to mean that I'm not fit to be a teacher, then so be it!" "Sit down." "Look at that." "You blew out my light." "In ancient Sparta, important matters were decided by who shouted loudest." "Fortunately, we are not in ancient Sparta." "You honestly find the students in this school to be treated like inmates in a prison?" "No." "Actually, they all seem fairly happy." "But they're all uniformly terrified of you!" "Yes." "That's how it works." "Sit there." "Hello, this is Sister Aloysius Beauvier, principal at St. Nicholas School." "Is this Mrs. Miller?" "I'm calling about your son, Donald." "A woman was gossiping with a friend about a man she hardly knew" "I know none of you have ever done this that night she had a dream." "A great hand appeared over her and pointed down at her." "She was immediately seized with an overwhelming sense of guilt." "The next day she went to confession." "She got the old parish priest, Father O'Rourke, and she told him the whole thing." ""Is gossiping a sin?" she asked the old man." ""Was that the hand of God Almighty pointing a finger at me?"" ""Should I be asking your absolution?" "Father, tell me, have I done something wrong?"" ""Yes!" Father O'Rourke answered her." ""Yes, you ignorant, badly brought-up female!" "You have borne false witness against your neighbor, you have played fast and loose with his reputation, and you should be heartily ashamed!"" "So the woman said she was sorry and asked for forgiveness." ""Not so fast!" says O'Rourke." ""I want you to go home, take a pillow up on your roof, cut it open with a knife, and return here to me!"" "So the woman went home, took a pillow off her bed, a knife from the drawer, went up the fire escape to the roof, and stabbed the pillow." "Then she went back to the old parish priest as instructed." ""Did you gut the pillow with the knife?" he says." ""Yes, Father." "And what was the result?"" ""Feathers," she said." ""Feathers?" he repeated." ""Feathers everywhere, Father!"" ""Now I want you to go back and gather up every last feather that flew out on the wind!"" ""Well," she said, "it can't be done."" ""I don't know where they went." "The wind took them all over."" ""And that,"said Father O'Rourke, "is gossip!"" "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, Amen." "Please rise." "What's that bird complaining about?" "What kind of bird is that?" "That a starling?" "A grackle?" "A crow." "'Course it is." "Are you praying?" "I didn't mean to interrupt." "I'm not praying, no." "You seem subdued." "Oh." "I can't sleep." " Why not?" " Bad dreams." "Yeah, I can't sleep on occasion." "Why?" "Do you see that big hand pointing a finger at you?" "Yes." "Sometimes." "Was your sermon directed at anyone in particular?" "What do you think?" "I received a letter from my brother in Maryland." "He's very sick." " Then maybe you should go and see him." " I can't leave my class." "Is it true?" "What?" "You know what I'm asking." "No." "I saw you put an undershirt in Donald Miller's locker." " He left it in the sacristy." " Why didn't you hand it to him?" "I'm trying to spare him further embarrassment." "It's me that cares about that child, not her." "Has she ever reached out a hand?" "That black boy needs help or he's not going to make it!" "If she has her way, he'll be left to his own undoing." "Why do you think he drank the wine?" "He's in trouble!" "And she sees me talk in a human way to these kids and she immediately assumes that there must be something wrong with it." "Well, I'm not going to let her keep this parish in the dark ages!" "And I'm not going to let her destroy my spirit of compassion!" "I'm sure that's not her intent." " That I care about this congregation!" " I know you do." "Like you care about your class!" "You love them, don't you?" " Yes." " And that's natural." "How else would you relate to children?" "That I can look at your face and know your philosophy." "It's kindness." "I don't know." "I mean, of course." "There are people who go after your humanity, Sister, that tell you the light in your heart is a weakness." "Don't believe it." "It's an old tactic of cruel people to kill kindness in the name of virtue." "There's nothing wrong with love." "Love?" "Have you forgotten the message of our Savior?" "It's love of people." "I just feel as if everything is upside down." "There are just times in life when we feel lost." "It happens." "And it's a bond." " Flowers." " To remind me of Spring." "I should be going." " I'm sorry your brother's ill." " Thank you, Father." "I don't believe it!" "You don't?" "No." "Thank you, Sister." "Thank you very much." "Father, I think I've just got to tell somebody." " Hello, Noreen." " I'm in love." " That's wonderful." "Who's the lucky boy?" " Jimmy Hurley." "Have you told him?" " Maybe you should." " Maybe I will, Father." "Jimmy!" "Jimmy Hurley!" "Over here." "Father Sherman..." "You drop something." "It's all right." "Okay." "Be quiet." "I said be quiet!" "The next one of you that speaks out of turn gets sent right to the Principal!" "Now the question was:" "What was Patrick Henry's famous remark?" " Donald." " Sister?" "What was the question?" "Nobody help him." "Jimmy, put your hand down." "Donald Miller, stand up." " What was the question, Donald?" " I don't know, Sister." " That means you weren't listening." " Yes, Sister." "The question was:" "What was Patrick Henry's famous remark?" " I don't know." " "Give me liberty or give me death!"" "James Hurley, down to the Principal's office now!" " Mrs. Miller?" " Yes." "Come in." "Please have a seat." "I was changing a bulb." "I thought I mighta had the wrong day." "You didn't answer." "Huh?" "Oh." "Well, just between us," "Iwas listening to a transistor radio with an earpiece." "Look how tiny they're making 'em." "I confiscated it from one of the students, now I can't stop listening to it." "You like music?" "No." "News reports." "Years ago I used to listen to all the news reports because my husband was in Italy in the war." " You were a married woman?" " Yes." "But then he was killed." " Is your husband coming?" " Couldn't get off work." "I only have a half an hour myself." "I see." "Of course." "It was a lot to ask." "How's Donald doing?" "He's passing his subjects." "He has average grades." "Hmm." "Good." "He was upset about getting taken off the altar boys." "Did he explain why?" "He said he was caught drinking altar wine." "That is the reason." "Well, that seems fair." "But he's a good boy, Sister." "He fell down there, but he's a good boy pretty much down the line." "How is he at home?" "His father beat the hell out of him over that wine." "Oh, he shouldn't do that!" "You don't tell my husband what to do." "You just stand back." "My husband didn't want Donald to come here." " Why?" " He thought he'd have trouble with the other boys." "But that hasn't eally happened." "Good." "That priest, Father Flynn, been watching out for him." "Yes." "Excuse me." " James Hurley, what are you doing out of class?" " Sister James sent me down." " What for?" " Talking." "Well, go back up and shut up!" "Go, go!" "What's going on?" "None of your business!" "Go on!" "Go back to class." "Bullshit." " What'd you say?" " Nothing." " You have twenty minutes you say?" " It's just that I have to walk to work." " Where is work?" " Parkchester." "If I don't start cleaning by noon, I'm not home to let Donald in." " May I walk with you?" " I don't mind." "...eight sixty-fourths." "Who can tell me what the common denominator is?" "Nobody?" "Back already, Mr. Hurley?" " I said, back already, Mr. Hurley?" "!" " Leave me alone." "Who do you think you're talking to?" "This is my classroom, Boy." "Don't you forget that." "I'm sorry." "I'm sorry, Jimmy." "Have you met Father Flynn?" "Just seen him on the altar, haven't met him face to face." "No." "Just, you know, heard from Donald." "And what does he say?" "Oh, you know, "Father Flynn, Father Flynn."" "He looks up to him." "The man gives him his time, which is what the boy needs." "He needs that." "Mrs. Miller, we may have a problem." "Well, I thought there musta been a reason you wanting to see me." "Principal's a big job." "I just want to say though, it's just till June." "Excuse me?" "Whatever the problem is, Donald just has to make it till June." " Then he's off into high school." " Right." "If Donald can graduate from St. Nicholas, he's got a better chance of getting into a good high school." "And that would mean an opportunity at college." "I don't see anything at this time standing in the way of his graduating with his class." " Well, that's all I care about." " I doubt that." "Try me." "I am concerned about the relationship between Father Flynn and your son." "You don't say." "Concerned." "What do you mean, concerned?" "That it may not be right." "Well, there's something wrong with everybody, isn't that so?" "Got to be forgiving." "I work right there." "I'm concerned, to be frank," "that Father Flynn may have made advances on your son." " May have made." " I can't be certain." " No evidence?" " No." "Then maybe there's nothing to it." "I think there is something to it." "I think Father Flynn gave Donald that altar wine." "Why would he do that?" " Has Donald been acting strange lately?" " No." " Nothing out of the ordinary?" " He's been himself." " Alright." " Look, Sister." "I don't want any trouble." "I don't uhh..." "I'm not sure you completely understand." "I think I understand the kind of thing you're talking about." "But I don't want to get into it." "What's that?" "Look, I only have a few minutes." "Not to be disagreeing, but if we're talking about something floating around between this priest and my son, it ain't my son's fault." " Oh, I'm not suggesting that" " He's just a boy." " I know." " Twelve years old." "If somebody should be taking blame, it should be the man, not the boy." " I know." "I agree with you completely." " You're agreeing with me, but I got called to the principal if you know what I'm saying." "I am concerned about Donald's welfare." "You honestly think that priest gave Donald that wine to drink?" "Yes, I do." "Then how come my son got kicked off the altar boys" " if it was the man that gave it to him?" " I know." "The boy got caught, the man didn't." " So you're giving my son the blame." " No." "No problem my son getting blamed." "And you know why that is?" "Perhaps you should let me talk." "I think you're getting upset now." "Sister, you ain't going against no MAN in a ROBE and win." " He's got the position." " And he's got your son." "Let him have him then." "What?" "It's just till June." " Do you know what you're saying?" " Know more about it than you." "I believe this man is creating or may have already brought about" " an improper relationship with your son." " I don't know." "I know I am right." "Why you gotta know something like that for sure when you don't?" "What kind of mother are you?" "Excuse me, but you don't know enough about life to say" " a thing like that, Sister." " I know enough." "You know the rules maybe, but that don't cover it." "I know what I won't accept!" "You accept what you gotta accept and you work with it." "This man is in my school." "Well, he's gotta be somewhere and maybe he's doing some good, too." "He is after the boys!" "Well, maybe some of them boys want to get caught!" "That's why his father beat him." "Not the wine." "What are you telling me?" "I'm talking about the boy's nature now, not anything he's done." "You can't hold a child responsible for what God gave him to be." "I'm only interested in actions, Mrs. Miller." "But then there's the boy's nature." " Leave that out of it." " Forget it then." "You're the one forcing people to say things." "My boy came to your school 'cause they were going to kill him in the public school." "His father don't like him." "He come to your school, kids don't like him." "One man is good to him." "This priest." "Then does the man have his reasons?" "Yes." "Everybody does." "YOU have your reasons." "But do I ask the man why he's good to my son?" "No." "I don't care why." "My son needs some man to care about him and to see him through the way he wants to go." "I thank God, this educated man with some kindness in him wants to do just that." " This will not do." " It's just till June." "I'll throw your son out of this school." "And why would you do that if it didn't start with him?" "Because I will stop this." " You'd hurt my son to get your way?" " It won't end with your son." " Throw the priest out then." " I am trying to do just that." "Then what do you want from me?" "Nothing." "As it turns out." "Please leave my son out of this." "My husband will kill that child over a thing like this." "I will try." "I'm late." "Sister," "I don't know if you and me on the same side." "I'll be standing with my son and those who are good with my son." "It'd be nice to see you there." "Good morning." "May I come in?" "A third party would be required." "Yeah." "What was Donald's mother doing here?" " We were having a chat." " About what?" "A third party would truly be required, Father." "Why" "No, Sister." "No third party." "You and me are due for a talk." "You have to stop this campaign against me!" "You can stop it at any time." " How?" " Confess and resign." "You are attempting to destroy my reputation!" "Who keeps opening my window?" "!" " What are you doing in this school?" " I'm trying to do good!" "Even more to the point, what are you doing in the priesthood?" "You are single-handedly holding this school and this parish back!" " From what?" " Progressive education and a welcoming Church." "You can't distract me, Father." "This is not about my behavior, it's about yours." "No, this is about your unfounded suspicions." " That's right." "I have suspicions." " Just leave that." "It's not important." "I will decide what's important." "WHY do you suspect me?" "What have I done?" "You gave that boy wine, and you let him take the blame." "That's completely untrue!" "Did you talk to Mr. McGuinn?" "All McGuinn knows is that the boy drank wine." "He doesn't know how he came to drink it." "Did his mother have something to add to that?" "No." " So that's it." " I am not satisfied." " Ask the boy then!" " Oh, he'd protect you." " Why would he do that?" " Because you have seduced him." "You're insane!" "You've got it in your head that I've corrupted this child after giving him wine, and nothing I say will change that." " That's right." " But this has nothing to do with the wine." "Not really." "You had a fundamental mistrust of me before this incident!" "It was you that warned Sister James to be on the lookout, wasn't it?" "That's true." " So you admit it!" " Certainly." "Why?" "I know people." " That's not good enough!" " It won't have to be." " How's that?" " You will tell me what you have done!" "Oh I will?" "Out again!" "Sister James is convinced I'm innocent." "Oh, so you talked to Sister James?" "Well, of course you talked to Sister James." " Did you know that Donald's father beats him?" " Yes." "And might that not account for the odd behavior Sister James noticed in the boy?" "It might." "Then what is it?" "What?" "What did you hear, what did you see that convinced you so thoroughly?" " What does it matter?" " It matters!" "What does it matter?" "I want to know." "Out this window I saw you grab William London's wrist and..." "I saw him pull away." " Are you serious?" " I am." " That's all?" " Yeah." "That was all." "That's nothing!" " What are you doing now?" " I'm writing down what you say." "It might be important when I have to explain why you have to be removed." "This morning, before I spoke with Mrs. Miller," "I took the precaution of calling your last parish." "What'd he say?" " Who?" " The Pastor." "I did not speak to the Pastor." "I spoke to a nun." " You should have spoken to the Pastor." " I spoke to a nun." "You know that's not the proper route for you to have taken, Sister!" "The Church is very clear." "You're supposed to go through the Pastor." "Why?" "You have an understanding, you and he?" "No, you have no right to go rummaging through my past!" "You have a history." "This is your third parish in five years." " Call the Pastor." " Why?" "Ask him why I left!" "It's perfectly innocent." " I'm not calling the Pastor." " I'm a good priest!" "You will go after another child and another child, until you are stopped." " What nun did you speak to?" " I won't say." " I've not touched a child." " You have." "You haven't the slightest proof of anything." "But I have my certainty, and armed with that, I will go to your last parish, and the one before that if necessary." "I'll find a parent." "Trust me, Father Flynn, I will." "You have no right to act on your own!" "You have taken vows, obedience being one!" "You answer to us!" "You have no right to step outside the church!" "I will step outside the church if that's what needs to be done, till the door should shut behind me!" "I will do what needs to be done, though I'm damned to Hell!" "You should understand that, or you will mistake me." "Now, did you give Donald Miller wine to drink?" " Have you never done anything wrong?" " I have." "A mortal sin?" "Yes." "And?" "I confessed it, Father!" "Then whatever I have done, I have left in the healing hands of my confessor." "As have you!" "We are the same!" "No, we are not, we are not the same!" "A dog that bites is a dog that bites!" "Did you give Donald Miller wine to drink?" "No." "Mental reservation?" "No." "You lie." "Very well then." "If you will not leave my office, I will." "And once I go, I will not stop." "Wait." "I can't say everything, you understand?" "There's things I can't say." "Even if you can't imagine the explanation, Sister, remember there are things beyond your knowledge." "Even if you feel certainty, it is an emotion, not a fact." "You will request a transfer, and take a leave of absence until it's granted." "You'd leave me nothing." "It's Donald Miller who has nothing, and you took full advantage of that." "I've done nothing wrong." "I care about that boy." "Why?" "'Cause you smile at him and you sympathize with him and you talk to him as if you were the same?" "You are a cheat." "And that warm feeling you experienced, when that boy looked at you with trust, was not the sensation of virtue." "That could be got by any drunkard with his tot of rum." " I can fight you." " You will lose." " Where's your compassion?" " Nowhere you can get at it." "Stay here." "Compose yourself." "You can use the phone if you like." "Good day, Father." "I have no sympathy for you." "I know you are invulnerable to true regret." "And cut your nails." "I never like to say goodbye." "But there is a wind behind every one of us that takes us through our lives." "We never see it, we can't command it, we don't even know its purpose." "I would have stayed among you longer, but that wind is taking me away." "I will miss it here." "And I will miss you." "But I'm content that the power that propels me does so with superior knowledge" "as to what is for the best, and that is my faith." "I would like to come down now among you and say goodbye, and wish you peaceful hearts and loving hearts." "Goodbye, son." "Happy holidays." "Thank you." "Thank you so much." "God bless you." "Good bye." " Sister James, welcome back." " Thank you, Sister." " You were missed." "How is your brother?" " Better." "Much better." "I'm very glad." "I prayed for him." "It was good to get away." "I needed to see my family." "Then I'm glad you did it." "And Father Flynn is gone." "Yes." "So you did it." "You got him out." "Yes." "Donald Miller is heartbroken." "Can't be helped." "It's just till June." "I don't think Father Flynn did anything wrong." " No?" "He convinced you?" " Yes, he did." " Did you ever prove it?" " To whom?" " Anyone but yourself?" " Nope." " But you were sure." " Yes." "I wish I could be like you." " Why?" " Because I can't sleep anymore." "Maybe we're not supposed to sleep so well." "They made Father Flynn Pastor of Saint Jerome." "Who?" "The Bishop appointed Father Flynn Pastor of Saint Jerome Church and School." "It's a promotion." "You didn't tell them?" "Oh, I told our good Monsignor." "I crossed the garden and I told him." "He did not believe it to be true." "Then why did Father Flynn go?" "What did you say to make him leave?" "That I had called a nun in his previous parish." "That I had found out his prior history of infringements." "So you did prove it!" "I made no such call." " You lied?" " Yes." "But if he'd had no such history, the lie wouldn't have worked." "His resignation was his confession." "He was what I thought he was." "And he's gone." "I can't believe you lied." "In the pursuit of wrongdoing, one steps away from God." "Of course there is a price." "I see." "Oh, Sister James!" "What is it, Sister?" "I have doubts!" "I have such doubts!"