Forgive Me, Father (Read 12,836 times)

[André DiMera]

Next Week...

Father Matt has some questions.
MATT: Who is responsible for this?

Eric gets a bad feeling.
ERIC: I feel like I'm losing myself.

An old friend returns.
MARLENA: You're not serious.

And there is another shocking event in Salem
ERIC: Oh my...

All this and more next week on FORGIVE ME, FATHER

[Minako98]

André DiMera Will you be posting on Thursday & Friday?

[André DiMera]

Not Thursday, no. But, I will be posting Friday with a special weekend chapter on Saturday

[Minako98]

Great! Thanks

[sportsgirl]

Sounds good!

[fluffysmom]

Thanks André DiMera. Sounds good.

[André DiMera]

Chapter 14

Everyone stood and watched. They were in shock. They didn't know what else to do. Most of them had heard of inverted pentagrams, but never seen one. They had no idea how much more evil it would look in person. Finally, Father Matt made his way to the front of the group standing there. He made the sign of the cross over his heart.
MATT: Who is responsible for this?!
Nobody moved.
MATT: This sign, it is the sign of our old enemy, the Devil. I have no idea who might have done such a thing.
A deacon, holding a bucket, walked up. He handed the bucket to Father Matt.
MATT: Thank you.
Father Matt threw the contents of the bucket, it was holy water, over the pentagram. The fire fizzled and died. Hope walked up.
HOPE: Father, we have some questions for you.
MATT: One moment, please, Officer Brady.
Matt walked to the center of the group.
MATT: These are dark times, there is no denying it. Only last week, the church was vandalized. I thank you, all of you, for helping us clean the mess. And now, it seems, a servant of the Devil himself has left us a message. But my friends, we must not listen to him. For he is the path to all evil. He will try to tempt you, all of you, but do not let him. If you need help, my office door is always open. The service for tonight shall go as planned. But, before we proceed, I ask that you pray with me.
Everyone in the group bowed their heads.
MATT: Dear Lord, our Father, help us to get through these trying days, when the evil of Your foe, the Devil, surrounds us at every turn. Help us to find light in the dark places. Guide us to ever walk in your ways. Help us to remember that, by Your Grace, we have been saved through Jesus Christ, our Lord. And help guide whatever lost soul has revealed the sign of the Devil this night. Lead this person to You and Your forgiveness. In Your name we pray.
CONGREGATION: Amen.
MATT: Please, go in and take a seat. I shall be in in a few minutes.
As the rest of the congregation walked in, Bo and Hope walked over to Father Matt.
BO: Father Matt, excellent to meet you. I'm Officer Bo Brady, Hope's wife.
MATT: Ah, yes. I've heard much about you.
HOPE: We have a few questions for you.
MATT: Ask away.
BO: Have you any idea who might have done this?
MATT: No one that I know personally.
BO: You know, not to get off topic, but you look really familiar. Did your family come from Salem?
MATT: No. However, I did have an uncle who lived here a while ago.

[MrsM]

Hmmmmmmmm

[sportsgirl]

Hmmmm an Uncle of Father Matt's?? This sounds like it will be very interesting.

[fluffysmom]

Interesting about the uncle...

I hope they find the person who is performing the evil acts.

[André DiMera]

Chapter 15

ST. LUKE'S
It was now after the service. As they had discussed earlier, Eric went to confession. Madison was waiting outside for him. Eric made the sign of the cross over his heart.
ERIC: Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It's been about two weeks since my last confession.
MATT: What can I do for you, son?
ERIC: I...
Eric thought for a moment.
ERIC: I don't know. I'm being tempted by earthly things. My body is telling me to give in to them, but my heart and mind are telling me not to. That if I do, I'm playing into the devil's hands.
MATT: And have you given into this temptation.
ERIC: No. But, I have dreamt of it. My dreams and some of my thoughts are unpleasing to God. More than anything, I just feel lost. I have this feeling, like I'm losing myself, the man I used to be.
MATT: Is there anything else you wish to confess?
ERIC: No.
MATT: Very well. As no actual sin has been committed, apart from having sinful thoughts, the only penance I can give is to say a prayer against temptation. Part of our Lord's Prayer, in fact, talks about temptation. "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil". Also, speaking about temptation, in St. Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians, the tenth chapter, it is written: "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." Now, do you have an Act of Contrition?
ERIC: I do.
Eric folded his hands.
ERIC: O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell. But most of all because I have offended you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life. Amen.
MATT: Upon this, your confession, I, by virtue of my office as a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, announce the grace and forgiveness of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. In His stead and by His command, I forgive you for all your sins. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.
ERIC: For His mercy endures forever. Amen.
Eric made the sign of the cross over his heart. Meanwhile, Bo, Hope, Marlena and John were walking out of the church.
MARLENA: This friend you keep mentioning, who is it?
HOPE: They won't tell me either.
JOHN: He came to mass tonight. Look over there.
Marlena and Hope looked towards the church and saw a figure approach them.
MARLENA: Oh, you're not serious. Is it really him?
BO: Yep. It's really him.
HOPE: Then he is alive again.

[fluffysmom]

I hope Eric can fight his temptations.

Hmmm....wonder who it is.

[MrsM]

Who is it?

[André DiMera]

Chapter 16

BRADY PUB
The next morning, John, Marlena and their special returning guest were sitting down to breakfast.
MARLENA: I still can't believe it's really you.
The person she is talking to is revealed to be Tony.
TONY: Well, I'm as surprised as you are that I made it out alive.
MARLENA: Explain to me one more time how you got out.
TONY: After that nasty accident, Stefano faked my death...again. He hid me away in a secret location in England. So, for a few years, I was held prisoner there. It wasn't all bad. It was more of a palace than a prison. For whatever reason, Stefano wanted me alive.
MARLENA: And then you got rescued.
TONY: By John, yes.
JOHN: It was during that investigation I mentioned. I tracked the culprit to England, got rid of him, and found Tony. Together, we found Bo. And now, we're back here.
MARLENA: Well, I, for one, am very glad you're back.

ST. LUKE'S
Bo and Hope were talking to Father Matt.
BO: You're sure there hasn't been any other suspicious activity?
MATT: Positive. The only disturbances were last week's break in and last night.
BO: Any idea who might be doing it?
MATT: No. I would hope that it's just a group of pranksters. However, my gut tells me that there is something else going on here. Something dark.
HOPE: I see. Thank you, Father.
MATT: No trouble.
Father Matt stood up. He shook Bo and Hope's hands, then turned to walk away.
HOPE: I was just wondering...
Father Matt turned back.
MATT: Yes?
HOPE: That uncle of yours. The one you said lived in Salem for a while, what was his name?
MATT: Frank.

[Kpatch]

I'm just catching up, only through Chapter 9 but just wanted to say that this is a fantastic story, André DiMera. So realistic and true to character. Great dialogue too. I think this may be your best story yet. Can't wait to catch up with the rest of it.