Lynn Viehl - Darkyn 1 - If Angels Burn (v1.1) by If Angels Burn Page A
Authors: If Angels Burn
Ads: Link
endured over the years.
“John, when you entered the priesthood, you understood that you were giving up your worldly life in the service of Christ. As distressing as this situation is for you, your sister is part of that.” When the young priest began to speak, the bishop lifted a hand. “This is not about Alexandra. This is about you, and your self-doubt. Now I would like to hear the truth. Why are you turning away from your true calling?”
For a moment August thought that he had lost the boy, until he saw the despair well up in John’s dark eyes.
“I’m not fulfilling my promise to God,” the younger man admitted. “I swore I would defend the faith, and I can’t do that anymore.”
“You told me when you were young that you wanted to be a soldier of God,” August reminded him.
“I did. I do.”
“You feel now that you can’t defend the faith if you’re pandering to addicts and whores.” John’s flinch of surprise pleased him. “I have not been unaware of your frustration here at St. Luke’s, my son. In fact, I had hoped you would come to me for reassignment long before this.”
“I can’t… continue, Your Grace. I have to find my sister. After that…” He paused. “There is always something like the Peace Corps. My sister spent a year overseas working as a doctor for them.”
It was obvious that John hadn’t devoted a great deal of thought to the after-that portion of his plans.
“Even if your sister has some sway with the Peace Corps, you can’t go back to Brazil. The scandal is still too fresh, and the Brazilian government would bar you from entering the country.” While the younger man absorbed that shock, he continued. “The church has many different missions, John. What I want you to do is to reconsider your role in the faith. You’ve tried to follow the standard path set for any priest, but obviously that isn’t for you.” He paused for a moment. “I came here today to offer you an invitation to join my order.”
“Your order, sir?” John sounded dull and defeated. “I thought you were a Franciscan like me.”
“I am on paper, for official purposes. My true order is
les Frères de la Lumière
.” August smiled. “That is the fancy French version of ‘the Brethren of Light.’ ”
Now the young priest frowned. “I’ve never heard of them.”
He made a negligent gesture. “Few have. We are not an order of the Catholic church, but we were created to protect it. We are prohibited from discussing our mission and our activities with anyone associated with the church or outside the order, except in cases when a candidate initiate like, you is presented to us.”
“I was presented? By whom?”
“By me. I’ve intended you for the Brethren since I talked you into putting on that collar.” The bishop sighed and selected a finger sandwich. “Your Mrs. Murphy will be the death of me.” After a nibble, he added, “You do know your history of the church, I hope.”
John nodded.
“Three members of the Order of the Poor Knights of the Temple of Solomon founded the Brethren in 1312.”
Confusion clouded the young priest’s expression. “Your Grace, I wrote a graduate paper on the Templars. Most of them were arrested and executed for heresy in 1307. The pope
disbanded
the order in 1312.”
“You are correct about the order. Most of the Templars were put to death, and rightly so, bloodthirsty avaricious bastards that they were.” Giving into the growling demand of his distended belly, August popped the remainder of the sandwich into his mouth and selected another. “Three who were spared knew the danger that still existed, and formed the order without the pontiff’s knowledge.”
John shifted in his seat. “There is no mention in any of the histories I’ve read of a new order being formed out of the old.”
“In those days, protecting the church was more important than serving it. Secrecy was paramount.” He drained the last of his tea. “Ah, that woman
“John, when you entered the priesthood, you understood that you were giving up your worldly life in the service of Christ. As distressing as this situation is for you, your sister is part of that.” When the young priest began to speak, the bishop lifted a hand. “This is not about Alexandra. This is about you, and your self-doubt. Now I would like to hear the truth. Why are you turning away from your true calling?”
For a moment August thought that he had lost the boy, until he saw the despair well up in John’s dark eyes.
“I’m not fulfilling my promise to God,” the younger man admitted. “I swore I would defend the faith, and I can’t do that anymore.”
“You told me when you were young that you wanted to be a soldier of God,” August reminded him.
“I did. I do.”
“You feel now that you can’t defend the faith if you’re pandering to addicts and whores.” John’s flinch of surprise pleased him. “I have not been unaware of your frustration here at St. Luke’s, my son. In fact, I had hoped you would come to me for reassignment long before this.”
“I can’t… continue, Your Grace. I have to find my sister. After that…” He paused. “There is always something like the Peace Corps. My sister spent a year overseas working as a doctor for them.”
It was obvious that John hadn’t devoted a great deal of thought to the after-that portion of his plans.
“Even if your sister has some sway with the Peace Corps, you can’t go back to Brazil. The scandal is still too fresh, and the Brazilian government would bar you from entering the country.” While the younger man absorbed that shock, he continued. “The church has many different missions, John. What I want you to do is to reconsider your role in the faith. You’ve tried to follow the standard path set for any priest, but obviously that isn’t for you.” He paused for a moment. “I came here today to offer you an invitation to join my order.”
“Your order, sir?” John sounded dull and defeated. “I thought you were a Franciscan like me.”
“I am on paper, for official purposes. My true order is
les Frères de la Lumière
.” August smiled. “That is the fancy French version of ‘the Brethren of Light.’ ”
Now the young priest frowned. “I’ve never heard of them.”
He made a negligent gesture. “Few have. We are not an order of the Catholic church, but we were created to protect it. We are prohibited from discussing our mission and our activities with anyone associated with the church or outside the order, except in cases when a candidate initiate like, you is presented to us.”
“I was presented? By whom?”
“By me. I’ve intended you for the Brethren since I talked you into putting on that collar.” The bishop sighed and selected a finger sandwich. “Your Mrs. Murphy will be the death of me.” After a nibble, he added, “You do know your history of the church, I hope.”
John nodded.
“Three members of the Order of the Poor Knights of the Temple of Solomon founded the Brethren in 1312.”
Confusion clouded the young priest’s expression. “Your Grace, I wrote a graduate paper on the Templars. Most of them were arrested and executed for heresy in 1307. The pope
disbanded
the order in 1312.”
“You are correct about the order. Most of the Templars were put to death, and rightly so, bloodthirsty avaricious bastards that they were.” Giving into the growling demand of his distended belly, August popped the remainder of the sandwich into his mouth and selected another. “Three who were spared knew the danger that still existed, and formed the order without the pontiff’s knowledge.”
John shifted in his seat. “There is no mention in any of the histories I’ve read of a new order being formed out of the old.”
“In those days, protecting the church was more important than serving it. Secrecy was paramount.” He drained the last of his tea. “Ah, that woman
Similar Books
