The New Priest

He would remember that day with his daughter as an instance of what made Father Shane so special while sitting beside his hospital bed five years later watching the still young priest wither away to nothing. Cancer was making a mess of his internal organs, but his brown eyes shone kindly and he smiled often. Ruthridge let the priest clutch his hands when the pain became intense like he was helping him give birth to his death.

A few weeks later, the new priest arrived and he was as young as Father Shane once was. Ruthridge informed him of what his duties were taking care of the grounds, mapping and digging the plots, and his various other duties. The new priest's name was Father Julius. He was born in Hungary and he kept commenting on how much the surrounding countryside looked like his homeland. He would stand in front of the tiny church, put his hands on his hips, breathe in deeply and begin nodding his head in agreement, matching the two in his mind. The church watched from behind him like a curious stranger, or a child meeting a new relative for the first time.