Collared
by
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“Father, are you of sound mind as you make this Confession? Have you been drinking?”
“What’s a sound mind? How in God’s name can you have a sound mind when one broken priest after another comes at you with these stories that I have to brush under the rug? What a vocation!”
“How are they broken?”
“The boys, the boys,” said the Cardinal impatiently, his speech slurring slightly. “These monsters that go after these little kids. The first time you hear it, you just go into shock. You’re told to sweep it under the rug and settle things quietly. Then you can’t sleep for a week after what you’ve done. You get so good at it that you get numb and your conscience doesn’t even bother you anymore. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Barry exhaled softly and he shook his head.
“Are you there, Father?”
“Yes, Father,” said Barry.
“I’m sorry, son, I shouldn’t have burdened you with this.”
“No, no, Father, please go on. I admire you for making such a pure Confession and am inspired by your humility. Please, continue.”
“I’ve said too much. But who cares? I hear some reporter has been snooping around St. Michael’s Hospital, so it’s all going to come out soon enough.”
“Why don’t you go forward first?”
“For the same reason you can’t
talk about it. We are bound by the sacrament, and
“But can’t you just come forward first and then-”
“This might be an exercise in humility, son, but I’m sure as hell not going to take policy lessons from a young pup.”
“I know, Father, I’m sorry.”
“You’ll learn, kid. You’ll learn that the only preaching you do is in a pulpit.”
“Is there anything else on your mind?”
“Isn’t that enough?” A laugh escaped his tightened lips as he rubbed the small wooden ledge under the screen. “That’s all I think about. I’ve just been following the orders of church policy like a good military guy, but I just can’t take much more of this. The last guy I handled got transferred to another parish after promising me that this was behind him, and now he’s molesting a new crop of kids. It’s the straw that’s broken this camel’s back, I can tell you that.”
“Father, I was abused by a priest myself,” said Barry, staring at his sandals as his eyes moistened. “Please, if you can keep one kid away from this kind of abuse-”
“There you go again, lecturing me. You’ve got a lot to learn about confessions. Now, let’s go into the Act of Contrition and get this over with.”
The priests said their prayers before Barry weakly raised his arm to bless the mesh screen and grant absolution.
“Pray for me, son.”
“I will, Father.”
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About the Book
A tale of suspense, spirituality and redemption ripped from today’s headlines, Collared is the story of two brothers abused by their beloved parish priest.
Mitch becomes a reporter tearing through the shroud of secrecy cloaking around the church. He exposes the rampant pedophilia rotting the foundation of parish communities and the diocese’s ruthless attempts to avoid scandal at all costs.
His brother Barry is a priest dedicating his life to making a difference in the lives of the young people in his care. He gets caught in the media frenzy created by Mitch’s columns and becomes the pawn of a Cardinal who will stop at nothing to retain his grip on power.
A vicious killer emerges from the shadows of the church and strikes at the clergy exposed in Mitch’s articles. A trail of bodies leads the brothers to the murderer and an explosive confrontation with the man who took their innocence all those years ago.
About the Author
Mike Farragher is an Entertainment Writer for the Irish Voice, one of the largest national newspapers serving the Irish American community. He is also a frequent contributor to a number of national publications. He lives in Spring Lake Heights, New Jersey with his wife and two daughters. This is his first novel.