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The blistering sun beat down on the Parochial House, as the three priests seated at the dining room table, just finished breakfast. Father Ryan, the Parish Priest, sat at the head of the table, and in a most solemn manner, prepared, as he did every morning, to go through the motions of filling his pipe. He had been the P.P. in Saint Luke’s Parish, in the Diocese of Limerick, for many years, with his hard work building it into what it is today. He was a man who always put Church matters before himself, and worked extremely hard. Tall in stature, his appearance portrayed him to be a kind and friendly man. His two assistants, Father Bill Molloy and Father Tom Hynes, were men who were much younger than he was. He had the highest regard for these two young men, who continually went out of their way to try make his burden lighter, by doing more in the Parish than was required of them. Often, they had insisted he stay at home, while they attended to some of his duties, both of them feeling that he had given more than was required. Because of this, he occasionally wondered how other men of his age were inclined to criticize their assistants, whom, he felt sure, were of same caliber as both his young men. They had the will to work for God, as he had when he was their age. Possibly, they might be using different methods and ideas, but their will to work was the same. As he placed his pipe in his mouth, the door of the dining room opened, and in walked Mrs. Desmond, their housekeeper. She had been working at the Parochial House for over ten years at this stage, and had seen many assistants come and go. Of all that she had to housekeep for, she thought that the two present assistants were the nicest men that she had ever met and because of this, went out of her way to ensure that they had all the comforts of home. In her hand, she carried some letters, which she laid in front of Father Ryan, and then turning to the other man seated at the table, asked, " will ye have some more tea? " "No, Mrs. D... thank you" replied Fr. Molloy in the manner, which they had become accustomed to addressing her, and with that she started to clear the dishes. Fr. Ryan slowly went through the mail and as the other two priests' were about to leave the table, they heard his gasp "Mother of God. What next?" as with a shocked look on his face he handed the letter that he had been reading to Fr. Molloy. He studied it for a moment before muttering "I must be dreaming" as an inquiring look came to his face. "What's in it Bill?" asked Tom Hynes, who had never before seen a letter upset their boss, even the one from the Bank Manager who threatened occasionally to repossess their home. "Read for yourself" replied Bill Molloy, handing him the letter, while standing watch, as the expression on his friend's face started to change as he read on. "This has to be some kind of a joke" insisted Tom Hynes in a raised inquiring voice and with that, they both looked to their chief, who had got such a shock on reading the contents of the envelope, that he had placed his pipe on the table and just sat there staring at it. "Fr. Ryan. Are you all right?" inquired Bill, beginning to get a bit anxious, lest the shock that the man had received be too much for him and be the cause of his requiring medical attention. The old priest looked up and silently shaking his head just muttered "what next?" "But maybe this is just a joke" piped Tom. "No, Tom " came the reply "that seal is too uncommon for it to be a joke." Immediately Fr. Hynes looked to the sheet of paper and noted the distinctive seal embedded in the paper which he held in his hand. This he had neglected to note until it had been brought to his attention. He had to agree that the seal was indeed distinctive and that this letter was not a joke. "I suppose all the Parishes got one of these today," mentioned Bill in an inquiring fashion. "Looks like they did, and it gives today's date as the date it becomes effective" replied Tom on again looking at it. "What happens now?" asked Bill. "Well, all I can tell you is that I'm gone well past that stage, so its going to be up to you younger men to put this into effect" stated Fr. Ryan, looking from one of his charges to the other. They both shifted uncomfortably, neither knowing what to say. "I'm going to say a bit of Office anyway" continued the P.P. and standing from the table added "put that letter in the file when you are finished with it" and with that he left the room. "What do you think?" asked Tom when they were alone. "I don't think it's my cup of tea " quickly replied Bill Molloy. "Nor mine for that matter" muttered Tom, refolding the letter and returning it to its envelope. "Telephone, Fr.Hynes" they then heard Mrs. D. call from the hallway. "Excuse me " he said, laying the letter on the table as Mrs. D. came into the room. "By the way, Fr. Molloy, are you going fishing today?" she asked. Bill thought for a moment and remembered making a date with another angling friend for today. "Thanks for reminding me, Mrs. D." he said with a smile and was gone. As she started to tidy the dining room, she noticed the letter lying on the table. Picking it up, she saw it was addressed to the P.P. and bore an Italian stamp. She wondered who he knew in Italy, and just to see if the acquaintance was mutual took a quick look. In a state of semi shock, she automatically returned it to its envelope and in a daze walked from the room. Standing idly by, awaiting her turn to be served, Fanny McCarthy, known to many as the Town Crier, stood, and with cocked ear listened to what was going on between the counter assistant and the customer she was serving "You must be joking Mrs. Desmond," she heard the shop assistant say. "I am not. I saw it black and white myself, priests are to be allowed to get married now, that is Circular Priests" came the reply. Open eyed, Fanny looked at the woman who had just said this, but for once in her life words failed her. She wondered who she was, and where she had got this information and longed for her to complete her business in order that she might question the counter assistant as to who this woman was and where she had got such information. Eventually, Mrs. Desmond completed her shopping and with a 'what do you think of that ' look on her face, nodded to the attendant and was on her way. "I couldn't help overhearing what that lady just said, is it a fact?" she asked as the girl behind the counter smiled. "What about that... circular priests getting married" she blurted without as much as thinking. "And where would she see that in black and white?" asked Fanny, nodding her head in the direction of the lady who had just left the shop. "She's the Priest's housekeeper... she's always first to know things like this " replied the girl. "Straight from the housekeeper's mouth" thought Fanny "this has to be true" and anxiously she awaited the attendant to give her the groceries she had ordered, so as that she could get out and let the general public of the Parish know what further changes they could expect in this now continuing changing Catholic Church. Once on the street, she immediately met someone she knew and relayed the information she had picked up. In a matter of hours the whole Parish was aware of the new concession granted to priests, and the comments were many and varied. The circular clergy of the Parish immediately took a new stance in the eyes of the community. They were watched eagerly by one and all, which they readily became aware of. The clergy, however young or old, made no attempt to change their mode of life; all felt that it would not be proper for them to do such a thing. They were well aware, when, on deciding their vocation in life, that one of the rules was celibacy. Many wondered to themselves if this rule was in fact sensible, feeling that marriage would give them a better insight to family problems and make them more aware of the trials and tribulations that married couples had to encounter. Now, however, that this opportunity had been presented to them, none seemed to want to make the change. They joked amongst each other, endeavoring to seek out each other's views, but all answers seemed covered by the seal of the confessional. When invited to parties, or afternoon tea sessions, they no longer went alone, as each insisted being accompanied by another priest. The young ladies, however, also choose to be selective, since none of them could ever visualize themselves being married to one of those men to whom they listened to preaching each Sunday at Mass. To them, a priest was a person who did no wrong, and being married to one, some would consider restricting. Mrs. Desmond, on the other hand, wondered what would happen to her if any of the men she now cared for got married. Would she still be kept on, or would the new wife take over her duties, and so relieve her of her grand job. She worked hard, and enjoyed taking care of these three men; however, her job was such that it carried some concessions, which included a free room and board. Her room, though small, was more than comfortable and the food, though not extravagant, was always wholesome and nourishing. Finding Fr. Ryan alone in the living room one evening, she decided to clarify her position, by saying in an offhanded manner as he read the paper "Father, what would happen to me if one of you men decided to get married?” Engrossed in the sports column of the newspaper, he stopped reading on realizing she had spoken for longer than usual, only picking up the last word "marriage" which she had said, making him immediately assume that she herself intended taking the plunge. Instantly, he wondered where they would find another to replace her, but asked, "would you consider continuing working for us. "." "Well, I could stay if you wanted me." "Oh, that will be fine" he replied, without as much as considering what her future husband might have to say about that, and happy that there would be no inconvenience, he returned to his paper. With extra vigor, now that she had been told that she would continue to work for them by the boss himself, she whipped around the room as quickly as she could, in order that she might complete this chore as quickly as possible and let the good Father read his paper in peace. Roger Kelly, a man of sixty years, who, though small in stature, like a generator, infused the will to work into his subordinates, sat at his desk in the Bishop's Palace. He read the letter which he had received from Rome, asking him if any of the clergy in his Diocese had yet made any move and taken advantage of the new permission that had now been granted to the clergy. As Bishop, he was a man who was stern but just. He was, however, inclined to take the announcement that had come from Rome as one that had not left the decision to marry up to the individual clergy, but more or less as an order which had to be complied with. The faces of his subordinates flashed through his mind, and while he agreed that some of them were no oil paintings, which may have been the reason that they had been unsuccessful in their attempts to change their marital status, he could not but agree that there were also some fine looking men working with him. He wondered if, in fact, any of them were even trying to comply with this new order, as he considered it, or if possibly they were too shy to make the first move. His memories of all of them in their respective pulpits, preaching, would certainly not give the impression of their being shy, and he wondered if one might be watching the other before making a move. Standing from the desk he walked towards the window and looked on to the well-manicured gardens, which stretched, before his house. "That lawn would want to be cut" he thought, even though it's appearance to an outsider would by no means give that impression, before his returning to the problem which he presently had on hand. . He thought of the other Parish Priests in his Diocese and felt that they, like himself, were belonging to the old school, and would prefer to remain as they were. However, on coming to some of his younger subordinates, he felt that some of them had the looks and manner to attract the attention of the opposite sex. An idea, which had been dangling at the back of his mind, came to the fore. "Those damn dogs." he muttered aloud suddenly, on seeing one of the neighbors pets charging through his flowerbeds, completely distracting his train of thought. He watched the dog run around and then saw him come to a sudden stop beside his favorite rose bush. He saw him sniff at it for a moment, then raise his head forward and cock his hind leg to the rear. "Oh no" he gasped in agony, watching this plant being watered by the hound, who then immediately darted off. Sighing with relief he thought "Now, Where was I, yes, that idea of mine." He weighed up the pros against the cons of what was in the back of his mind, before finally deciding that he had no other choice but to take action, that was, if he wanted this release which the Clergy had received to become effective. "Molloy" he thought, starting back to his desk to put pen to paper. Later that same evening, Fr. Bill Molloy happened to be in the hallway of the Parish House when the doorbell rang. Opening it, he was handed a sealed envelope, which was addressed, to himself. The boy who had delivered it was an altar boy from the Church and before Bill had an opportunity to give him a few pence, he was already charging through the house gates. A cold sweat came to his forehead when he read the contents of the letter, and in panic, he rushed upstairs to Tom Hynes’s room. Without as much as knocking, he burst through the door; in on top of his friend who was writing some letters. Each time he received such a summons, he felt as though he was again back at boarding school, being summonsed to the Rector's office to account for some misdeed or other. "Did he give any reason?" asked Tom. " Tom, you know as well as I, he does not have to give a reason for wanting to see me." Tom Hynes was well aware of this, as he, himself, had on a couple of occasions, received similar calls, and had felt exactly as his friend did at this particular moment. "Maybe he's going to make you a P.P. " he suggested, knowing quite well that there were many older men in the Diocese who would be chosen before his friend, while trying to make light of the meeting between Bill and the Bishop. "Surely you jest!" blurted Bill. "Then maybe he's going to transfer you " replied Tom. Since his previous command visits to their Bishop were ones in which he had received severe tongue-lashings, Bill Molloy had expected this one to be no different. The suggestion that the meeting might be in reference to a transfer never occurred to him, and with an inquiring look he asked " Do you think he might have that in mind?" "Well, that's something you never know. He might have decided that you would be better some place else." The thought of leaving the Parish and the people whom he had been associated with since his ordination did not appeal to him, however, his was not to reason why, and he would gladly transfer to any place his Bishop would suggest. Slightly relaxed on thinking that possibly the reason for the meeting was to discuss something of this nature, he decided to retire early, in order to be fully alert to absorb the instructions the Bishop would give him with regard to this new Parish he was sending him to. He found it difficult to sleep, thinking of the big break that he was going to have to make with all these friends of his, but eventually sleep overcame him. The following morning, more tired than usual, he lay in his bedroom, listening to the alarm clock ring and ring. "Why doesn't he turn that damn thing off" thought Tom Hynes. Eventually, his wish was granted and as he turned over to again go back to sleep, his friend Bill Molloy sat on the side of his bed, rubbing his eyes. Some hours later, he was seated in the large waiting room in the Bishop's residence, still wondering if, in fact, the meeting was going to be about his being transferred. "Fr. Molloy" he then heard a voice call, and on looking towards the door, saw the Bishop's Secretary standing there, who with a smile continued " His Grace will see you now". Nervously he bent to kiss the ring, after which His Grace invited him to be seated in the chair facing the large desk. As the Bishop walked to his chair, Bill took a quick glimpse around the office. This was the first time he had ever taken the trouble to take notice of the place, as he felt slightly more relaxed on this occasion, since he was now convinced that the reason for their meeting was to discuss his transfer, and he was not to be rebuked for some action of his which he now failed to remember. "And how are things going in your Parish?" asked his Grace when he was comfortable in his chair. Instantly Fr. Molloy's eyes stopped wandering and returned to look directly at his superior. "It's a transfer all right" he thought, as this man did not usually question him on the affairs of the Parish in which he worked, and he felt as soon as he said "Very good, Your Grace" he would immediately come back and say "Well, in that case, I need a man of your caliber in such a Parish, and I'm transferring you there." For a moment, he thought of saying that things were not so good, but he was well aware that their Parish Priest kept His Grace informed of all that happened, and it would be pointless for him to say that they were having some kind of problem. Further relaxing, now that he knew for certain that the purpose of their meeting was not a scolding, he smiled while saying "very well, Your Grace. " " I'm glad to hear that, Bill." Oh. definitely , he thought, he must really be sending me out in the sticks, since he is being so nice and speaking to me like this. "By the way " continued His Grace, " what do you think of this new concession, which allows us in the circular community to marry? " Bill felt that this was a most unusual question for the Bishop to ask of him, as normally this would be something he would only take up with the Parish Priest, and instantly he thought " Maybe I am going to be promoted to Parish Priest since he has asked me this question" and excited at the thought of his possible promotion he quipped "Oh, I'm sure it will eventually be to our benefit, it will give our priests a greater understanding of married life and the problems that the married couples in our Parish have to encounter". "And what about yourself?" inquired the Bishop. "No doubt, but this is a definite promotion" he thought on being asked this question, since this was the first time his superior had ever asked him for a personal opinion on any matter, and pulling himself straight in his chair, he answered with the air of a Theologian " Well, I would consider myself part of the old school, and feel that it would be very difficult for me to change at this stage in my life. However, as I said, I feel that the younger priests coming out of the Seminary will take this as something normal, and will have no difficulty in adjusting their way of thinking." He noted the manner in which the Bishop nodded his had in agreement with him. That impressed him he thought, again relaxing in his seat. " What age are you Bill?" asked the Bishop after a couple of second's silence. " Thirty five, Your Grace." "I wouldn't consider that too old to adjust to a new regulation, you didn't seem to have any difficulty adjusting to the many other changes we've experienced in our Church." " True, Your Grace.... but this one is different." href="http://www.maxpages.com/curateslady.html">The Curate's Lady' |
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