Heretics book 3 - The Apocryphile Press

96 :: JOHN R. MABRY
“You’re welcome,” Susan said. She removed her glasses
and smiled at Kat with real feeling and sincerity. “It’s part of
what we are called to do, you know? We were all strangers
once, and God makes of us a family. Hospitality is part of
religious life. The guys here would hardly be good friars if
they didn’t welcome the stranger as if he or she were Jesus
himself.” She stretched. “My eyes are getting crossed, staring
at that screen. I need a break. How’s about we get some
tea?”
They moved to the kitchen and Susan put the kettle on.
“I’ve never been to a monastery before,” Kat said.
“It’s a friary, not a monastery,” Susan corrected with a
smile. “But it’s a common mistake.”
“What’s the difference?” Kat asked, sliding onto one of
the benches at the table.
“Friars live in friaries, so they have a communal religious
life, but they work out there—” she pointed out the window,
“—you know, in the world, side by side with ordinary folks.
Monks live shut up in monasteries, by and large.”
“So that’s what I am now that I can’t leave—a monk!”
“Well, technically, I think you’d be a nun—it’s genitaliaspecific,”
Susan giggled.
“Okay, a friary, then. Still, I gotta say, I didn’t expect it to
be anything like this. I mean...” she pointed to an enormous
bong on the shelf next to the fridge. “These guys aren’t like
any priests I’ve ever met. Not that I’ve ever actually met any
before, to my knowledge at least. Still, they’re not what I....”
She trailed off, her face screwing into a look of confusion.
“Now, just how is it they are...friars...at all? I mean, some of
them are Catholic priests, right? Like your husband?”
“Yup,” Susan smiled. She had had this conversation many
times, and knew where it was going.
“But priests are supposed to be celibate, aren’t they?”
“This order is Old Catholic, not Roman Catholic.”