“Father Antonio!” smirked 16-year-old Giovanni as he arrived for liturgy practice. “Guess what? Those two sisters from the convent – they were touching each other at communion!”

The young priest smiled knowingly. “Best not to snitch, Gianni. We have secrets too – remember?”

The boy’s eyes dipped. “Sì, Padre…” Wordlessly, mindlessly, he turned to lean over the sacrarium, eyes hollow with anticipated humiliation. He heard the priest’s hurried fumblings and felt his own cassock being slid upwards.

“Do not judge, Gian,” whispered Antonio, caressing the boy’s soft pimpled buttocks. “It is best to keep an open … mind…”