The voice on the other side of the screen was
unfamiliar. John had
expected Father Stark. John always
went on Wednesday afternoons because he would follow the high school kids’
weekly confession and, after them, Father Stark would be bored, tired and apt
to give an easy penance.
The voice coming through the screen was not tired or bored
but frighteningly focused. “These
are weighty sins,” said this someone new, whose voice deepened with the import
of his words.
“Yes, Father.”
“They require an equally weighty act of contrition.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Do you know Bernard from St. Xavier’s Parish?”
“The Jesuit church?”
“Yes.”
“You must beat the holy hell out of him. Don’t hold back.”
“Father?”
“Go in peace.”
“Thanks be to God?”
“It’s not a question, child! Get to it!”
When John found Bernard he was already on the ground being pummeled by a group of high school students.
