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And they’d never spoken of it again

There were so s they’d never spoken of…

He closed his eyes and prayed aloud, as much for hihty, Creator of heaven and earth; I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord” The words spilled through his , cleansing, and he lost himself in them

Ilya’s voice joined his “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic church, the coiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting Amen”

The forgiveness of sins

The shame came back, left Francis no place to hide He should have encouraged Madelaine to tell Lina the truth about her father, or he should have told Lina the truth

He knew there could be no true forgiveness until he ht

“Father?” Mrs Fiorelli’s voice jerked him back to the present

He shook the thoughts away and smiled down at the old woman “I’m sorry, Mrs Fiorelli”

“You looked sad for a second, Father,” Ilya said “What could a handso priest like yourself have to be sad about?”

He should lie to her, should don the mantle of distant perfection that was required of hirets, maybe,” he answered quietly

She reached out a withered, shaking hand and touched his chin in a flitting gesture of affection “Take it froret what you didn’t do”

“Sometimes it’s too late”

“Never,” she breathed “It’s never too late”

Angel lay in his unco up at the acoustical tile ceiling