Doubt Quotes
A Catholic school principal questions a priest's ambiguous relationship with a troubled young student.
Father Brendan Flynn: A woman was gossiping with her friend about a man whom they hardly knew - I know none of you have ever done this. That night, she had a dream: a great hand appeared over her and pointed down on her. She was immediately seized with an overwhelming sense of guilt. The next day she went to confession. She got the old parish priest, Father O' Rourke, and she told him the whole thing. 'Is gossiping a sin?' she asked the old man. 'Was that God All Mighty's hand pointing down at me? Should I ask for your absolution? Father, have I done something wrong?' 'Yes,' Father O' Rourke answered her. 'Yes, you ignorant, badly-brought-up female. You have blamed false witness on your neighbor. You played fast and loose with his reputation, and you should be heartily ashamed.' So, the woman said she was sorry, and asked for forgiveness. 'Not so fast,' says O' Rourke. 'I want you to go home, take a pillow upon your roof, cut it open with a knife, and return here to me.' So, the woman went home: took a pillow off her bed, a knife from the drawer, went up the fire escape to her roof, and stabbed the pillow. Then she went back to the old parish priest as instructed. 'Did you gut the pillow with a knife?' he says. 'Yes, Father.' 'And what were the results?' 'Feathers,' she said. 'Feathers?' he repeated. 'Feathers; everywhere, Father.' 'Now I want you to go back and gather up every last feather that flew out onto the wind,' 'Well,' she said, 'it can't be done. I don't know where they went. The wind took them all over.' 'And that,' said Father O' Rourke, 'is gossip!'
Father Brendan Flynn: You have no right to act on your own! You have taken vows, obedience being one! You answer to us! You have no right to step outside the church!
Sister Aloysius Beauvier: I will step outside the church if that's what needs to be done, 'til the door should shut behind me! I will do what needs to be done, though I'm damned to Hell! You should understand that, or you will mistake me.
Sister Aloysius Beauvier: I will step outside the church if that's what needs to be done, 'til the door should shut behind me! I will do what needs to be done, though I'm damned to Hell! You should understand that, or you will mistake me.
Sister Aloysius Beauvier: [to Sister James] What have you seen?
Sister James: It is unsettling to look at people with suspicion. I feel less close to God.
Sister Aloysius Beauvier: When you take a step to address wrongdoing, you are taking a step away from God, but in his service. What have you seen?
Sister James: It is unsettling to look at people with suspicion. I feel less close to God.
Sister Aloysius Beauvier: When you take a step to address wrongdoing, you are taking a step away from God, but in his service. What have you seen?
Sister James: How can you be so sure that he is lying?
Sister Aloysius Beauvier: Experience.
Sister James: You just don't like him! You don't like it that he uses a ballpoint pen. You don't like it that he takes 3 lumps of sugar in his tea. You don't like it that he likes Frosty the Snowman and you are letting that convince you? Of something that's terrible... Just terrible...
Sister James: [Exasperated] Well, I like Frosty the Snowman!
Sister Aloysius Beauvier: Experience.
Sister James: You just don't like him! You don't like it that he uses a ballpoint pen. You don't like it that he takes 3 lumps of sugar in his tea. You don't like it that he likes Frosty the Snowman and you are letting that convince you? Of something that's terrible... Just terrible...
Sister James: [Exasperated] Well, I like Frosty the Snowman!
[Father Flynn enters Sister Aloysius' room, looking very nervous]
Father Brendan Flynn: [nervously] May I come in?
Sister Aloysius Beauvier: [not looking at him] A third party would be required.
Father Brendan Flynn: Look, what was Donald's mother doing here?
Sister Aloysius Beauvier: [looking at him] We were having a chat.
Father Brendan Flynn: About what?
Sister Aloysius Beauvier: A third party would truly be required!
Father Brendan Flynn: No sister, no third party. You and me are due for a talk, you have to stop this campaign against me!
Father Brendan Flynn: [nervously] May I come in?
Sister Aloysius Beauvier: [not looking at him] A third party would be required.
Father Brendan Flynn: Look, what was Donald's mother doing here?
Sister Aloysius Beauvier: [looking at him] We were having a chat.
Father Brendan Flynn: About what?
Sister Aloysius Beauvier: A third party would truly be required!
Father Brendan Flynn: No sister, no third party. You and me are due for a talk, you have to stop this campaign against me!
Sister Aloysius Beauvier: May I ask what you are writing down with that ball-point pen?
Father Brendan Flynn: Oh, nothing. It's an idea for a sermon.
Sister Aloysius Beauvier: You have one right now?
Father Brendan Flynn: I get them all the time.
Sister Aloysius Beauvier: How fortunate.
Father Brendan Flynn: I forget them so I have to write them down.
Sister Aloysius Beauvier: What is the idea?
Father Brendan Flynn: Intolerance.
Father Brendan Flynn: Oh, nothing. It's an idea for a sermon.
Sister Aloysius Beauvier: You have one right now?
Father Brendan Flynn: I get them all the time.
Sister Aloysius Beauvier: How fortunate.
Father Brendan Flynn: I forget them so I have to write them down.
Sister Aloysius Beauvier: What is the idea?
Father Brendan Flynn: Intolerance.
