Chapter 5: Sins Of The Spirit

Heather O'Hagan was a quiet girl, a studious girl, but above all an obedient girl. She was rarely admonished, and never chastised as she always tried to do what she was told by her parents, by her teachers, and above all by the Priest. Her childish confessions rarely moved to anything more serious than envy, though on occasion she admitted telling the odd white lie, and occasionally to being nasty to one of her six younger siblings.

Father Creggan was a very old man, and even older in spirit than in years; however it was not a fashionable parish and there was little sign of a replacement until Father Reilly came along as curate, specifically asking for this parish as he had been born and brought up in the area. He was also ambitious and thought that he could make his mark in an environment where the parish affairs were very run down, mostly because the elderly priest simply could not cope. Indeed, Father Creggan welcomed the young man and told him within a week of his arrival that he had a completely free hand; after that evening the old man rarely left the manse except to go into the church for his daily office.

Father Reilly quickly became a great favourite among the younger women, and they vied for his attention, being what was known as 'well set-up'. He was tall and well-built, having played rugby for his University in his younger days, which were not so long ago. The confessional was supposed to be anonymous, but with only two priests it was obvious which one was hearing confessions on any particular day, and the women seemed to have rather more sins when it was Father Reilly. Some of their sins were explained to him in more detail than to the older priest; it is doubtful if the old man's heart would have stood the strain of hearing some of the more lurid sins, though they were always by way of impure thoughts, rather than deeds.