The Bells of St. Mary's (1945) Synopsis

The next placement for Father Chuck O'Malley, a Catholic priest with modern sensibilities, is St. Mary's parish, he primarily sent to make recommendations on what to do about the crumbling, aged building, renovate, rebuild, sell among the options. Upon his arrival, he learns that he is also taking over as parish pastor, the parish centered on a school run by the sisters, led by the Sister Superior, Mary Benedict, a parish school with which he has no experience. He has a difference of opinion on many items with Sister Benedict, some open, some hidden under the surface. In the latter category, Father O'Malley learns that the sisters convinced the diocese to sell an adjacent property to businessman Horace P. Bogardus so that they could make some necessary band-aid repairs to prevent the building from being condemned. Sister Benedict is convinced that her and the sisters' prayers will lead to Mr. Bogardus *giving* them the new office building going up on that site as the new school. In speaking to hard-nosed Mr. Bogardus, Father O'Malley learns that Bogardus wants to buy St. Mary's remaining property outright for a parking lot for his office complex, he certain that the building will be condemned nonetheless with the diocese on the hook for demolition if they don't sell. The Father's thinking is more in line with Bogardus. The more open disagreements between the Father and Sister center on the children and what is best for them individually, the most contentious case being that of Patsy Gallagher beyond even whether Patsy should have been admitted as a student. Through it all, a non-disclosed issue leads to a rift between the two that not even their vow to God to love their fellow man may be able to mend.—Huggo

The next placement for Father Chuck O'Malley, a Catholic priest with modern sensibilities, is St. Mary's parish, he primarily sent to make recommendations on what to do about the crumbling, aged building, renovate, rebuild, sell among the options. Upon his arrival, he learns that he is also taking over as parish pastor, the parish centered on a school run by the sisters, led by the Sister Superior, Mary Benedict, a parish school with which he has no experience. He has a difference of opinion on many items with Sister Benedict, some open, some hidden under the surface. In the latter category, Father O'Malley learns that the sisters convinced the diocese to sell an adjacent property to businessman Horace P. Bogardus so that they could make some necessary band-aid repairs to prevent the building from being condemned. Sister Benedict is convinced that her and the sisters' prayers will lead to Mr. Bogardus *giving* them the new office building going up on that site as the new school. In speaking to hard-nosed Mr. Bogardus, Father O'Malley learns that Bogardus wants to buy St. Mary's remaining property outright for a parking lot for his office complex, he certain that the building will be condemned nonetheless with the diocese on the hook for demolition if they don't sell. The Father's thinking is more in line with Bogardus. The more open disagreements between the Father and Sister center on the children and what is best for them individually, the most contentious case being that of Patsy Gallagher beyond even whether Patsy should have been admitted as a student. Through it all, a non-disclosed issue leads to a rift between the two that not even their vow to God to love their fellow man may be able to mend.—Huggo

Published Time: 2019-11-24 17:08:01