We feel early retirement will be the most suitable thing for you.
Stay on at St. Mary's for a few months. Stay 'til January.
It's time to move on, old son.
It's time to move on.
I was planning to replace him in the new year,
but in the light of the wind of it, I decided to give him the push now.
There's a young priest called Greg Pilkington.
Down south at the moment. Wants to come up here, do his bit for the inner city.
- What's he like? - He's a wee bit more orthodox than you.
Mind you, Colonel Gaddafi'd be a wee bit more orthodox than you.
- Yes?
Oh! Put him through.
Hello. Yes.
Fine.
Yes, I've got that. Uh-huh.
- Oh, come in, Father.
Hello.
Hello, Father.
Why did you do it? - Because he sacked me.
- Well, we've all got to go eventually. - It was the way he did it.
I gave it my life. In return, I got a cup of tea, a biscuit...
and ''It's time to move on, old son.''
Oh, he looked up from what he was writin'.
''It's time to move on, old son.''
Hi. Sorry I wasn't here to meet you.
- Matthew Thomas. - Greg Pilkington.
- Uh, Maria Kerrigan. - Hello.
Hello.
- So, uh, tea? - Well, that would be nice.
Right.
Sitting Bull.
Nobility, even in defeat.
So, uh, she's our housekeeper?
Yeah.
It's an article of faith-- isn't it-- somewhere between transubstantiation...
and papal infallibility:
Housekeepers must be ugly.
- Sorry.
Nice word:
scapegoat.
It dates back to an old Jewish custom.
They used to invest all the sins of the tribe into a goat.
Then kick it up the backside so it escaped into the hills taking all the sins with it.
And we've got a scapegoat today.
It's that mythical beast called society.
Drug addiction; alcoholism;
gambling; prostitution; violence.
They're not our sins anymore.
They're not the fault of the individual anymore.
They're society's fault.
- Well, I'm sorry, I don't understand that.
What did you think?
Interesting.
You didn't like it.
I found it offensive.
You expect less of the people because they live in a poor parish.
I find that offensive.
Patronizing.
Really?
- ♪ And there's a guard ♪
- ♪ And a sad old padre ♪
♪ On and on we'll walk at daybreak ♪
♪ Again I'll touch the green, green grass ♪
♪ Of home ♪
♪ Yes, they'll all come to see me ♪
♪ In the shade of that old oak tree ♪
♪ As they lay me ♪
♪ 'Neath the green green grass ♪
♪ Of home ♪♪
Undignified? Yes.
- Thanks. - You didn't buy any drinks.
Matthew.
The creation of mankind only started on the sixth day.
- It hasn't stopped yet.
We're taller than we were a thousand years ago.
We're fitter, faster. We live longer.
We're better educated.
More informed.
So, creation...
is an ongoing process.
And if you interfere with it,
aren't you spitting in the face of God?
If you exploit your work force,
- don't you spit in the face of God? You do.
If you kill and maim,
throw people out of their homes, turn your back on the elderly,
if you shut down schools and hospitals,
force people out on the dole--
In fact, if you do anything...
to prevent one single human being reaching their full potential,
aren't you interfering in creation...
- and spitting in the face of God? Yes.
That's what I believe.
That's my truth.
That's what made me become a priest,
- and makes me remain a priest.
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
And also with you.
Let us offer each other the sign of peace.
- Peace be with you. - Peace be with you, son.
Peace be with you.
- Peace be with you. Peace be with you.
- Peace be with you. - Peace be with you.
Peace be with you, Father.
- Peace be with you, Maggie. - Peace be with you, Father.
- Peace be with you. - Peace be with you, Father. I know what you're thinkin':
Any minute now, he'll take
Peace be with you.
It wasn't a sermon. It was a party political broadcast on behalf of the Labour Party.
- There's social sin and there's personal sin. - It's just sickening!
- I think we should put more emphasis on the social. - There's just sin.
Matthew, you can't change the rules just because they don't suit you; There's just sin.
Are you judging me?
For God's sake, get rid of her.
I was in South America for four years.
In the village I was in,
you had to have a woman, otherwise you were ignored.
So I got one, fast.
Where is she now?
She's still there.
- She served her purpose? - Well, that's what you wanna hear, isn't it?
So, yeah... I dumped her.
You're very certain of yourself, aren't you, Greg?
- Well, I'm not. - Yes!
- A few months in this parish, you'll be a lot less certain.
- A few years-- - No, I've looked around at other priests--
A few years and you'll be utterly confused. A few years--
Those middle-aged trendy lefties jumping up with excitement every time a factory closed...
- or a war breaks out! - A few years more and you might learn a little bit of humility.
Spiritually empty, fastening onto other people's misery, fighting other people's fights!
Anything to fill the emptiness inside! To hell with that!
We're priests. We're not bloody social workers. We're priests!
Sacraments; reconciliation;
moral guidance; that's our job.
Moral guidance. For God's sake, Matthew.
Moral guidance from a man with a bit on the side.
If you're gonna judge, you should know all the facts.
- We love each other. He's asked me to marry him.
That means him leavin' the priesthood, so I've said ''No.''
Oh, not because I'm a martyr to the faith.
Because one day he might regret it, and I don't want to see that look in his eyes if he does.
Anything else you should know?
Oh, yeah.
I seduced him. He didn't seduce me.
I've got a few bob stashed away...
and I'm in a pension scheme in work, so we won't be destitute when he pops his clogs.
Anything else you want to know, I'll be out there washin' your pots and pans,
takin' a scrubbin' brush to your underpants.
Okay?
I'm sorry.
Right.
Can I ask you to be discreet?
Of course.
I was thinking of doing some home visits.
Counterproductive.
I disagree.
What the bloody hell do ya think you're doin'?
Nope. You put it out there.
Holy water.
Hello. Is this a Catholic home by any chance?
Piss off!
- Hello?
Hello? - Are you Catholic?
Who is it? What--
Are you Catholic? - Who is it?
- Get down. Oh, look, no one's in, mate.
Come on.
- Hello. - Hello.
Do come in.
Thank you.
- Hi. Hello.
- Please, sit down.
Thanks.
We're Jehovah Witnesses actually.
Through this holy anointing, may the Lord in His love--
- Through this holy anointing, may the Lord in Put him in here.
Through this holy anointing, may the Lord in His love and mercy help you with the grace...
of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
- May the Lord who frees you from sin, save you and raise you up. - Relatives stay here, please.
- Nurse, you can-- - That's my Dad. I need to go in with him.
Let's all leave him here. It'll be all right.
So, the Lord's my Shepherd, then?
- Yeah. - And something more personal?
- Did he have a favourite song? - Yeah.
He's gettin' cremated.
Oh, yeah.
It was ''Great Balls Of Fire.''
Two pints of lager.
♪ Bom-bom-bom-bom, you shake my nerves and you rattle my brain ♪
♪ Bom-bom-bom-bom Too much lovin' drives a man insane ♪
- ♪ You broke my will Oh, but what a thrill ♪ - You'll do yourself an injury.
♪ Goodness, gracious Great balls of fire ♪
♪ I laughed at love 'cause I thought it was funny ♪♪
- Hey, Fr. Greg! - Oi.
Fr. Greg! Fr. Greg! Fr. Greg! Fr. Greg!
- Come on, Father, give us a song. - Fr. Greg! Fr. Greg! Fr. Greg!
A song! Come on, Father, give us a song!
Give us a song, Father. Give us a song.
Uh... could I say, could I say something instead?
- About tomorrow.
I don't want to put a damper on things.
I know that people like to take communion at a funeral,
and some of you might feel that you can't.
- In the morning, I'll be in the confessional just before we start,
and I promise it won't get heavy.
- Or even now in the backyard if you'd like. No way.
Not in the backyard. - Yes, well, I--
- I have put a damper on things, haven't I? - No, you, come on, Father.
Come on. Hey, Bob. Bob, go on and give us a song then.
Bobby! Bobby! Bobby! Bobby! Bobby!
♪ The road is long ♪
Lovely. Go on, son.
♪ With many windin' turn ♪
♪ That leads us to ♪
- ♪ Who knows where ♪ - ♪ Where ♪
♪ Who knows where ♪♪
He was a bastard, Father.
Never a day went by without me wishin' him dead.
- But now he's gone, you miss him. - I miss him.
I miss the bastard.
Will you absolve me, Father?
- There's nothing to absolve. - Oh, please, Father?
God the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of His Son...
has reconciled the world to Himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us...
- for the forgiveness of sins.
♪ For you stole Trevelyn's corn ♪
- ♪ So the young might see the morn ♪
♪ Now, a prison ship ♪
♪ Lies waitin' in the bay ♪
♪ Low lie the fields of Athenry ♪
♪ Where once we watched the small free birds fly ♪
- Good night, Father. - ♪ Our love was on the wing ♪
♪ We had dreams and songs to sing ♪
♪ It's so lonely ♪
♪ 'Round the fields of Athenry ♪
- ♪ By a lonely prison wall ♪
♪ I heard a young man calling ♪
♪ Nothin' matters, Mary when you're free ♪
♪ Against the famine and the crown ♪
- ♪ I rebelled, they ran me down ♪ - Matthew?
- ♪ Now you must raise our child ♪
♪ With dignity ♪♪
Paper, mate?
- Here ya are, love.
♪ Judge me now ♪
♪ Won't you go home ♪
♪ Judge me now ♪
A pint of bitter, please.
♪ Judge me now ♪
Thank you.
♪ Judge me now ♪
♪ See you now ♪
♪ Watching you ♪♪
Are you a Catholic?
Takes one to know one.
Bye.
- Come in.
You, uh, you switched the light off in the hall.
Yeah.
Yeah, well, uh... I always keep it on.
''At my window a little light will keep burning.
All may come in. The arms of a friend are waiting.''
Tammy Wynette?
It's, um... John the 23rd, actually.
Do you wanna talk?
I'm a bit tired.
Okay. Good night.
It's doin' me head in, this predestination business. Honest to God, it is.
And Judas and all that, yeah. I mean, he redeemed us, didn't he?
Judas, not Christ.
All Christ had to do was go to the cross and-- bang, that's it.
He's in Heaven and we all worship the ground He walks on.
Poor old Judas, he's got to betray Him, then hang himself,
then go down in history as a right dirty bastard.
Now, that's sacrifice, ya know what I mean?
But God made him, do ya know what I mean?
Judas, Saddam, Adolph and Joe, He made 'em.
Now, that's a bit tight on the human race. You know what I mean?
but it's even tighter on them, isn't it?
I mean, could you imagine them queuing up to be born and God turnin' 'round saying,
''Listen, Saddam, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but you're gonna be a tyrant.
You're gonna gas the Kurds and destroy Iraq.''
-Well, he'd say, ''No, ta, I'll go to the back of the queue if it's all right?'' -Hi.
Well, wouldn't you?
Hey!
- Somethin' wrong? Uh, no.
No? Sure?
Shh. Shh.
- Good morning. Good morning, Father.
- And how many do you smoke? - About ten.
- A day? - Yeah.
- Well, how do you pay for them? - I use me dinner money.
- What? So you don't eat? - I rob Lisa Unsworth's butties.
Well, that's got to stop.
It will! She brings cheese and onion now and she knows I can't stand 'em.
Well, suppose someone robbed your car?
- I haven't got one. - Well, suppose you had?
- I'd get a weed on. Yeah. - Exactly.
I'd get a... ''weed on'' too.
- You haven't got a car. - Well, Fr. Matthew's?
- That won't get robbed, though, will it? - Because he's a priest?
Because it's crap.
Through the ministry of the church, may God give you pardon and peace.
And I absolve you from your sins. In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
That's it, Lisa.
There are others waiting.
He makes me do things.
- Who? - My dad.
What sort of things?
All sorts.
Sex?
Does your mother know?
You must tell her.
Tell him it's got to stop.
Tell him you've seen me and I said it's got to stop.
Promise?
And you'll come back and see me?
♪ That Title so Wondrous Fills all our desire ♪
♪ Ave, Ave ♪
♪ Ave, Maria ♪
♪ Ave, Ave ♪
- ♪ Ave, Maria ♪ - Ahhh.
- The Body of Christ. - Amen.
The Body of Christ. - Amen.
- The Body of Christ. - Amen.
♪ Ave, Ave ♪
- The Body of Christ. - Amen.
♪ Ave, Ave ♪
- ♪ Ave, Maria ♪♪ Amen.
The Body of Christ.
♪ I'm just an ordinary duck ♪
♪ You'll see me in the streets ♪
♪ Wandering 'round Liverpool ♪
♪ With wellies on me feet ♪
♪ I live just up by Scotty Road ♪
♪ I think that you'll agree ♪
♪ There's nowt much there to look at... but ♪
♪ It's home sweet home to me ♪
- Father? - Yeah?
Keep your nose out of my business.
♪ I never had much luck ♪
♪ I don't care I'm happy ♪
♪ I'm... Googy the Liverpool Duck ♪
♪ Half our house supports the reds ♪
♪ The other half the blues ♪
♪ It's murder on a Sat'day night ♪
♪ If either of them lose ♪
♪ The Liver bird's a mate of mine ♪
♪ He went to our old school ♪
♪ So when you see him think of me ♪
♪ When you're in Liverpool ♪
♪ His name is Googy Googy-- ♪♪
You shouldn't have come here.
I came here to see you.
Are we going to see each other again?
- Look...
phone me.
Take it.
Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.
May the Lord be in your heart and help you to confess your sins with true sorrow.
What did she say?
I can't tell you that.
She's my daughter.
I can't break the seal of the confessional. You know that.
A man once paid 24,000 pieces of silver...
for the right to commit incest.
Do you know who sold him that right?
Pope Alexander Vl.
Incest is evil.
Incest is human.
- It's the most natural thing in the world. - The most unnatural.
Of course,
you're the expert, aren't you, Father?
You've never been with a woman,
let alone fathered a child, but you're the bloody expert.
You ask any man-- any proper man-- you ask him,
when does he stop pattin' his daughter's bum?
When she's 12? When she's 14?
And why does he stop pattin' it?
Cause she doesn't like it? Cause he doesn't like it?
Or... 'cause he does like it, but, uh...
where's it gonna stop, huh?
I've dedicated my life to the study of incest...
and there's nothing anyone can tell me about it.
- Least of all you. - I can tell you it's a sin.
- It's one of the gravest sins of all.
Can I have your permission to talk to someone about this?
There's help available...
- and therapy. - I don't need help.
I don't need therapy.
I'm not your textbook case. I'm no sexual inadequate.
I've just seen through all the bullshit, that's all.
lnhuman, is it? Unthinkable?
So why go to all the trouble of making laws against it?
Why does every society in the world put a taboo around it?
I'll tell you why.
It's the one thing... we'd all like to do.
Deep down.
- In here.
And what does Lisa think?
All right, okay. Quiet for a minute.
Listen, please. Listen.
Can anybody tell me what this song is really about?
- Shaggin', Father.
Wrong, no. Can anybody give me a more sensible answer to this?
It's about... relationships.
- Yes, right, absolutely. It is about relationships.
What is the most essential part of a relationship?
- Love, Father. - Absolutely right. Love.
- Passionate commitment from one human being to another.
♪ You couldn't really have a heart in there ♪
♪ Like you hurt me and these solemn truths ♪♪
Get Miss Shaughnessy.
It's all right, Lisa. It's okay. It's okay. It's all right.
Get Miss Shaughnessy now!
Okay. Okay, Lisa. Shh. Shh.
Lisa, can I have your permission to talk to your mother...
- about what you told me? - No.
- Is there anyone else you'd like me to talk to? - No.
You must come and see me again.
Do you promise?
Here we are, chief. - You promised last time.
Look at me. Look at me!
Promise.
Come on, Chicken. Thanks very much, Fr. Greg. Will you come in for a cup of tea?
Yes, thanks.
There ya go, Father. Thank you.
- Lise. - Ta.
It could be an adolescent thing? Apparently it happens to kids of her age.
Everything all right?
Lisa!
- Hello, Father. - Hello.
Fr. Greg brought her home.
- Do you want a cup of tea, love? - Yeah. Thanks, love.
Hey. You okay?
Yeah.
So... what brought it on?
I don't know.
And where were you?
In class. - Class?
You all right now?
That's a girl.
There ya go, Phil. - Thanks, love.
- Maybe you shouldn't leave her on her own. - Oh, we don't.
If I'm not with her, Phil is.
Fr. Greg, did you get a new cartridge?
- Sorry? - For the photocopier?
I've got 300 Housing Action
Bye.
Bye, then. Thanks again.
You all right?
Yes.
I can't go into details.
If I intervene, I could stop someone's suffering,
but that means--
Breaking the seal of the confessional, yeah.
I know what you're going through.
What would you do?
I'd drop a hint.
Um, Lisa Unsworth doesn't look too good.
It's these fits, they get her down.
Do you think it's that?
- Or do you think it might be something else?
- From the Parish team listed below.
Hello. St. Mary's. Fr. Greg speaking.
It's Sister Kevin here. That young girl you mentioned,
- there is something else.
There's a big lump of a bully standing in front of me,
and she's been stealing Lisa's packed lunch.
Right. Well--
- Thank you for letting me know. - Thank you.
Good-bye.
- Right, Fr. Greg, I'll get this over to Brian. - Okay.
Hello. Social Services. Social Services.
- I need to speak to someone about a child at risk. - Hold on, please.
Hello. Can I help you? Can I help you?
- No.
- Yeah, ta-ta, Phil. - Ta-ta, Chris. See ya.
- Yeah? - It's got to stop.
- Look, she's taking fits because of what you're doin'.
Piss off!
All right?
They used to ask a question when we were in seminary.
- It was a sort of standard question.
A man tells you in confession that he's poisoned the altar wine.
Do you still go out and say Mass?
Oh, thanks.
No, I had no problem with that.
I'd go out and say Mass, drink the wine.
There's a bit of the martyr in all of us.
But when it's not you suffering,
when it's someone else suffering,
and you know you could stop it just by speaking out--
Geronimo! Give us a cup of coffee. Go ahead.
- Bugger off! - There it is.
- Just leave my flask. Leave my flask! Don't touch that. - Come on.
- What's wrong with ya? - Just beat it!
Come on, give us a swig.
Not very nice, is it, eh?
Not very Christian!
He wasn't human enough, the Son of God.
He had certainty.
Heaven, everlasting life, He knew it all with absolute certainty.
Well, give me that, and, fine, no problem, you can crucify me as well.
All the agonies of the world, no bloody problem whatsoever...
because I'd be certain that God exists.
But I'm not certain.
All I've got is faith.
Then something evil comes along,
grinning, sickening evil,
and faith just runs away in terror.
Do you want to come back to my place?
The day before He suffered,
He took bread in His sacred hands,
and looking up to Heaven, to You, His almighty Father,
He gave You thanks and praise.
He broke the bread, gave it to His disciples and said,
''Take this... all of you and eat it.
This is My body...
which will be given up for you.''
When supper was ended, He took the cup.
Again, He gave You thanks and praise.
Gave the cup to His disciples and said,
''Take this, all of you, and drink from it.
This is the cup of My blood,
the blood of the new and everlasting covenant.
It will shed for you and for all,
♪ Judge me now ♪
so that sins may be forgiven.
Do this... in memory of Me.''
- Body of Christ. - Amen.
Body of Christ. Amen.
- Body of Christ. - Amen.
Body of Christ. - Amen.
- Body of Christ. - Amen.
Body of Christ.
- Amen.
Body of Christ. Amen.
- Body of Christ. - Amen.
Body of Christ. - Amen.
Who was he?
No idea.
And you couldn't give him communion?
No.
I never denied anyone communion.
They had more right to receive it than I had to give it.
Have you always been celibate?
But I'm not proud of it.
It's a gift from God.
He gave me the gift of celibacy.
He gave you certainty of vocation.
Two totally different gifts.
I want both.
Ah, now, that's being greedy.
Sitting in my room, sweating.
I turn to him for help.
I see a naked man...
utterly desirable.
I turn to him for help and he just makes it worse.
Up there in my room...
that's my Gethsemane.
I understand humanity then; every sin, every compulsion.
I understand it all.
Saliva, racing pulse, adrenaline;
the ecstasy before the fall.
And, Matthew--
What I should say is, Matthew, I can't smile and hug...
and preach the beauty of creation,
because inside here there's just sin and sickness and evil and--
Whoa.
I was going to get out, Greg,
when I was your age.
But it would've broken my mother's heart.
So I waited.
By the time she died...
it was too late.
There was nothing else I could do.
Get out now, Greg,
while you still have your health and strength.
Love who you want, when you want.
Get out.
I can't get out.
God wants me to be a priest.
I don't think it, I don't just... believe it.
I know it.
I'll pray for you.
And what about them new flats they built, eh? You remember them, don't you?
I know what you're gonna say, Tommy.
They rent them in no time at all. It's houses they want...
with a front and a back garden.
- That is what they want. - Yeah, you're right. Those flats are what they wanted.
And they rent them in no time at all!
Look, what I'm saying is housing isn't the answer on its own.
There's a whole load of other stuff. I mean, jobs for a start.
How's Lisa?
Um-- Uh, well, she's fine. Uh, she's with her dad.
Just a minute, let's get one thing quite straight, ehh--
Before you put 'em in decent houses you gotta get 'em a decent education, decent jobs...
- and decent God knows what! - That is not what I'm saying, Tommy.
- What're you gonna do with us then?
Maroon us all on a desert island until you've got everything just there?
You can't just put 'em in a house with hot and cold water and say, ''There you go.
That's my bit.'' I'm talking about values. I'm talking about changing attitudes.
God, give me patience! - Changing attitudes takes...
- a bit of money and it takes education.
- I'm sorry, I can't go on with this.
There you are. It must've been
something you said.
Do something!
Don't just hang there, you smug, idle bastard! Do something!
Feminists and liberals, that's all you need, isn't it?
Ooh! Early finish, eh, Philly?
- I'm gonna tell someone. That's what you'd do.
She's a 14-year-old girl. You wouldn't see her suffer.
You'd say, you'd say, ''This girl is me.
This girl is all-suffering humanity. For this I came.''
You wouldn't give a damn about the church and its rules and its regulations.
The secrecy of confession-- How can that be good...
when it allows evil to thrive?
You'd speak out!
You'd speak out. I know you'd speak out.
Our Father who art in heaven,
- hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses...
- as we forgive those who trespass against us. - Hiya.
- And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen. - Mmm.
But you could speak out. You were the Son of God, for God's sake.
You could make the rules. You were the Son of God. I'm not!
I'm just a priest. I'm a, I'm a, tuppence, ha'penny priest...
- and I can't take on 2,000 years of history!
That would be pride. That would be arrogance.
They'd, they'd crucify me.
Our Father who art in heaven,
- hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses...
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.
I look around for an example. I'm in the depths of despair.
I look around for an example, and all there is is you.
But you perform miracles. You change water into wine.
You raise the dead. You, you cured the sick.
What kind of example is that? How could you possibly know despair?
''Oh, well, I'm feeling a bit low today. I think I'll, I'll raise somebody from the dead.''
How could you, with that kind of power, know what I'm going through right now?
- Lisa!
No, no.
- No, no, no. - What are you doin'?
What're you doin', Phil? What're you doin'?
What're you doin'? What're you doin'?
- You animal, you animal, you animal, you animal!
Get down them stairs now! Get down! Get down them stairs now!
-Maggie! You animal! You animal!
Listen to me, Maggie!
- Oh, God! Oh, God!
- Maggie! It's me! - Oh, God! You're an animal! You're an animal!
- Our Father who art in heaven,
- Maggie! - hallowed be Thy name.
- Listen to me! - Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth...
- Calm down! - as it is in heaven.
- Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses...
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.
- Get out! - Yeah, right!
Get out! Get out of our house!
Get out, get out, get out, get out.
Lisa, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Sorry.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, sorry.
Careful.
And this is the eighth:
- ''Jesus Meets the Sorrowing Women.''
You can see the women crying because...
Jesus is in such a pitiful state.
- Jesus doesn't want their tears.
He's saying to them, ''Weep not for me,
but for thy children.''
The prayer we usually say here goes,
- ''My Jesus, laden with sorrows,
I weep for the offences I have committed.''
You knew.
What kinda man are ya?
The ninth is, uh...
''Our Lord Falls for the Third Time.''
I hope you burn in hell.
- That's a good one.
Hi.
Well, what did you expect? You treated me like a bloody leper!
And for God's sake, grow up, Greg!
I love you.
- Shit! - Oh, God!
Dates of birth?
Twentieth of September, 1964
Occupation?
What's your job?
Priest.
Catholic?
Yeah.
You little devil!
♪ When you walk through a storm ♪
♪ Hold your head up high ♪
♪ And don't be afraid ♪
♪ Of the dark ♪
Guilty.
- How long have you been a priest?
It's in your interest to talk to me;
put your side of the story.
♪ Of a lark ♪
♪ Walk on through the wind ♪
♪ Walk on through the rain ♪
♪ Though your dreams be tossed and blown ♪
♪ Walk on Walk on ♪
♪ With hope in your heart ♪
♪ And you'll never walk alone ♪
♪ You'll never walk alone ♪
♪ Walk on through the wind ♪
♪ Walk on through the rain ♪
- ♪ Though your dreams be tossed ♪ - Greg?
- ♪ And blown ♪ - Shit!
♪ Walk on Walk on ♪
- ♪ With hope in your heart ♪ Greg?
- ♪ And you'll never walk alone ♪♪
- Aaah! - What've you done!
- God! Don't touch me! - It's all right.
- Hang on.
Oh, God! Oh, God!
- Oh! - It had slipped out.
Jesus. Jesus.
Oh.
- Thanks. - You're welcome.
Why didn't you tell me?
I tried. I couldn't.
What're you gonna do?
We'll say Mass together.
We'll quote John, Chapter Eight: ''Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.''
- I can't do that. - Oh, you've gotta do it.
No, you see, I can't. I've just taken 24 paracetamol.
All done.
Yes? - Good news. He'll live.
- That's good news?
Compassion, ladies and gentlemen.
You sin, you go to a priest, you expect compassion.
If you expect it from him, shouldn't he expect it from you?
Compassion, forgiveness, understanding.
- Has the Pope said anything about this?
He's got the right to some privacy!
What's Matthew been saying?
Well, he's been very supportive.
He thinks... being gay has made me a good priest;
human, compassionate.
He thinks that all that's happened recently has made me a better one;
more human... more compassionate.
Go out and commit mass murder, he'd want you canonized.
When you say you want to carry on serving God--
Well, that's good.
The best way for you to serve God is to disappear.
The best way for you to serve God is to piss off out of my diocese. Is that clear?
- Yes.
Good.
Here, I brought you some grapes.
Thank you.
Betty and George Hunt ask our prayers for Betty's sister...
who's recovering from an operation.
- Jean Parkinson gave birth two days ago, but the baby's...
not all that well, and so we remember Jean and her baby daughter in our prayers.
Charles and Ruth ask for our prayers for their son, John,
who's in hospital after a road accident.
And of course, Katy Bull asks for our continuing prayers for her husband, Kevin.
For these people and all of our ill and suffering,
we ask God's help as we remember them in our prayers.
- Lord, hear us. - You've forgotten somebody.
Father?
Fr. Greg... who's recovering in hospital.
Yes.
Sorry.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Hi.
- Greg, you've got a visitor. Right. - Thank you.
I'm sorry.
When you get better,
we can see each other again, yeah?
I don't think it's a good idea.
I'm sorry.
God bless.
Yeah, you too.
So, what now?
Well, I've told ya. We say Mass together.
Look, I really appreciate it, Matthew, but I can't.
- You've got to do it. - Well, what about the Bishop?
Oh, bugger the Bishop.
Something wrong, Sean?
- Oh, no, Father. - Good.
- Saying Mass together? - Yeah.
You won't need me then?
You're not absolutely essential, no.
You're leaving?
- The Bishop's told me to. - It's our parish!
I won't be your cause, Matthew. I won't be your crusade.
Is that how you see it?
- Can I see Lisa, please? - No.
- Lisa, I'm so sorry. - I'm closing the door now, Father.
- Please forgive me. - I don't want to close it in your face.
- Forgive me, Lisa. - But I will if I have to. Will you go now, Father?
- Forgive me. - Will you go?
- Hello. - Yes?
Fr. Greg Pilkington.
- Pardon? - Side door.
So, you've hurt your neck, have you?
No, I'm a dedicated follower of fashion.
Thank you.
Dinner at 7:30. Dead pig.
Do you think God gives a damn?
War. Famine. Disaster.
Millions slaughtering each other.
With all these things on his mind, do you really think God gives a damn...
about what men do with their dicks?
Do you ever doubt in the existence of God?
I do. It's not war, famine and disa-- I mean, the--
These things make me angry, yeah, but they don't make me doubt Him.
- But when I look at the church today...
and see careerists and hypocrites...
and... Pharisees thriving...
- in positions of power,
then... I doubt the existence of God.
How could He let this happen?
That judge--
What's he called? Denning.
He said,
he'd rather see innocent men rot in prison...
than for the British legal system to be ridiculed.
He put pomp and ceremony, the cap and gown,
before the principle itself.
That's what we're doin' now.
Churches, cathedrals, bishops, popes.
All the trappings of power.
We care more about that than the thing itself.
The teachings of Christ,
love and compassion...
for all mankind.
All mankind.
- Men, women,
black, white,
old, young,
gay, straight.
All right, up your end a bit.
- Watch the back, Billy. - All right, go back if you want. Yeah, yeah.
Careful. Take it easy.
My car!
They've taken my friggin' car!
It's just one of the trappings of power that you despise so much, Matthew.
Along with the roof over your head, the food in your belly,
and the clothes on your back, you bloody hypocrite!
Hello.
Dominus tecum.
Um, et cum spiritu tuo.
Tota die pluit.
Eh-- Yes. Yes.
Scio te penitus.
Te es pustula in corpore Christi.
Pustula vivens spirans monstruosa.
lam iamque in pus et cruorem...
et foetorem eruptura.
You've lost me, I'm afraid.
I said, I know all about you.
You're a boil on the body of Christ.
A monstrous, living, breathing boil,
ready to erupt at any moment into pus...
and blood and stench.
I think I preferred it in Latin.
You'll be paid a pound for every Mass you say,
and you're not to go out after dark.
Fine.
Benedic, Dominus...
nos et haec tua dona.
Do any of you read the Notes and Queries page in The Guardian?
Look, I know you don't want me here.
But in a way, hasn't God sent me?
- You've broken the vow of celibacy, that's all. - Bollocks!
So you should demand to be treated the same as any other priest.
- Heterosexual, homosexual, it doesn't make any difference. - Utter bollocks!
You've broken a man-made rule, that's all.
It's there for the protection of property to keep it away from the widows of priests.
- Christ was celibate. - It's there for the mobility of labour.
- No wife, no kids, so you can kick a priest... - Christ was celibate.
-from one end of the earth to the other. -Christ was celibate!
Look, Matthew, the church gives us everything: money, food, shelter, respect.
And all she asks in return is celibacy.
Christ gave his life.
All we're asked for is celibacy and we can't even manage that.
- Christ didn't ask us to be celibate. It's man-made. - Solemn vows!
- It's a man-made thing. - ''Do you solemnly swear?''
That's our currency, Matthew: Solemn vows.
And we debase them because we can't even stick to them ourselves.
What's his name?
Graham.
- Do you love him? - I despise him.
Satan comes in many forms.
This is the man who gave you his body.
How dare you talk like that?
In the name of God, Greg, you gotta ask yourself--
Now, look at me, look at me when I'm talkin' to ya!
To call another human being Satan, I mean--
What kind of religion is that?
What kind of sick, twisted brainwash...
have you been through?
His sole purpose in life is to tempt you into sin, is that what you're sayin'?
You're Christ and he's just the bloody serpent.
Is that what you're sayin', you arrogant prick?
I think I love him.
Yes.
Do you want him?
Yes.
All the time?
A lot of the time.
And is that sinful?
Sick.
So... to itch for a man is sick;
to want to scratch that itch, to want to make love to another man, that's sinful?
Yes.
And to want to go on scratching, to live with another man--
Well, that's permanent sin. That's evil.
That's ''depart from me, ye cursed'' stuff, right?
Yes.
Is there any sense...
any intellect, any...
common humanity in that kind of bullshit?
- What're you laughin' at?
- You laughin' at me? Yes.
Don't patronize me, Greg.
I patronize you?
I live it, Matthew.
You think you can just walk in here and spout some glib Guardian reader crap,
and bang, all's right with my world; I'm reconciled to my nature.
Cue the uplifting music.
I-- Who's the arrogant prick now?
What's he doin' now?
I want you to say Mass with me.
- I can't.
I want this door left open.
I beg your pardon! - Matthew...
he's chaperoning us.
I don't believe it! Jesus!
Give it to me, big boy!
How-How was it for you?
You owe it to them.
To confront, to challenge, to teach.
I can't.
Come over on Sunday. Say Mass with me.
I can't.
Big Chief Sittin' Bull wouldn't hide himself away.
He'd have reservations.
I'll see you.
- Good luck. - If you don't hear from me in three days,
send out a search party.
Well?
Abi et futue te ipsum, sordide senex.
Yeah.
Go and look that one up, you old bastard.
♪ All walk in the light ♪
♪ Walk in the light ♪
- ♪ Walk in the light ♪ - Okay?
- ♪ Walk in the light ♪ - Yeah.
♪ Walk in the light of the Lord ♪
There ya are. There's the bum boy.
Tsk-tsk-tsk!
Shh!
Shh! Shh, shh, shh.
Sit down, please.
Would you please sit down?
As you can see, Fr. Greg's here with us today--
I'm sorry, Father, but this... is out of order.
- This is definitely out of order!
Why?
Why? Have you Jeremy Beadle stashed somewhere? Have ya? Eh?
- Because this a joke. This is a laughingstock. Yeah.
You, you are making a laughingstock of my faith. You know that?
Come on, Charley. Hey, Euan, come on. We're going out of here. Come on, get movin'.
- Will you tell me why? - Oh, for God sake, Father!
You shouldn't need telling, should you? Come on, get out of here!
Hey, I-- I am supposed to have respect for that!
Hey! Oh, yeah!
I am supposed to take communion from that!
Oh, aye! Hey, you're doolally, do you know that? Come on!
Okay.
If you don't like it...
if you can't give this man compassion...
- then go.
I don't want ya sittin' here!
If you're too English... too anally retentive...
- too embarrassed to make a scene.
If you object to this man's presence, then go.
Go! Go on! Go!
It's in the Bible.
The Bible! Do you read the Bible, you, you pervert?
It's there in black and white!
''You shall not lie with a male as with a woman.
It is an abomination!''
''In my Father's house there are many mansions.''
- We're all sinners. All of us. Excuse me.
That's why Christ went to the cross.
''And the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire!''
''Let him who is without sin among you cast the first stone.''
''Keep my statutes and my laws...
and do none of these abominations!''
''Judge not... that you be not judged.''
Gaagh!
''Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me...
- You know what the Holy Father says about it. You know! - and I forgive him?
- as many as seven times? - I don't suppose you listen to the Pope either, do ya?
Jesus said to him, I do not say seven times...
but 70 times seven.'''
''And Lot's wife looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt.''
Who was the first to see him when he was risen?
Mary Magdalene, a prostitute.
Jesus wept!
How dare you turn your back on this man!
How dare you do this...
and call yourselves Catholics?
Will you say something?
I'm here to ask your forgiveness.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ...
the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
This is my body which will be given up for you.
Through him, with him in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honour is yours, Almighty Father, for ever and ever.
Amen.
- Peace be with you. - Peace be with you.
This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
Happy are those who are called to His supper.
The body of Christ. Amen.
- The body of Christ. Amen.
The body of Christ.
- The body of Christ. - Amen.