Part 1 – Introduction
I shifted in the pew to see Father Damian better.
He stood at the lectern; his homily had just ended. It had been quite good. I wasn't bored, and even my mother's eyes didn't have their characteristic at-church-glaze-over. My father looked impressed and pleased. Father Damian said a prayer – and silence filled the church as everyone bowed their heads. I didn't bow mine, but took the opportunity to get a good look at our new priest...and when his eyes found mine he didn't look away. Of course I blushed and looked down, quickly.
When I looked back up he was still looking at me. He smiled a little and winked – ever so quickly, almost imperceptably – and then looked away and began to recite the next part of mass.
Did he really just wink at me? I looked down at my feet, my breathing sped up substantially. I was ashamed to realize that I was wet, down there, and peered slightly at the people around me. As if they could tell. Of course they couldn't. But, I reasoned, he was rather good-looking...he was about my father's height, late 20s or early 30s, with slightly darker skin than the rest of my primarily white congregation. He had just a hint of dark stubble on his face, and his black hair stood up a bit in the back. And his eyes – the reason for my stupid, blushing schoolgirl reaction – were a vivid, dark green. Like intense green.
I excused myself and went to the bathroom until I was more composed.
We all filed out of the worship space at the end of mass and everybody went, en masse, so to speak, to the community room for donuts. I found some of my girlfriends and grabbed our usual table. We were the nice girls – the ones always on mission trips, on retreats, at the forefront of the youth group activities. So it took a while for anyone to mention Father Damian's good looks, but eventually Tara said, almost whispering,
"He's pretty handsome too, isn't he?" she immediately blushed.
I was comforted a little that my reaction wasn't isolated, but still weirdly defensive about it all. "I guess," I said, "If you like old guys. He could be your dad."
"No way. He's too young." Tara looked injured. We usually agreed on everything.
I shrugged and changed the subject. "Have you guys signed up for JFest yet? The forms are up."
There was quite a bit of buzz about that, and, for the time being at least, Father Damian was forgotten. JesusFest was like church, a sleepover, and a school dance all in one. It was where we hung out and read scripture and sang songs and told secrets and met good Catholic boys. For once we were the cool kids at Jfest; we were the girls everyone wanted to talk to, and the ones the boys held hands with. It was church kid mecca. We immediately begin making carpooling plans.
At home that night, in bed, I caved in and broke my two-week streak of being good. I touched my pussy lips cautiously, and they were warm and wet and hungry so I couldn't help myself. I stroked my labia, gently, and circled the area around my button over and over and over. I didn't touch it. I always saved that for the end. Just circling, and writhing, and thinking of Father Damian and how I felt when he stared at me. That wink – and I felt dirty, because that was such a fatherly gesture. But it set me over the edge and I rubbed my clit and arched my back and gasped into the darkness as I came.
Part 2 – Confession
Every church in the diocese sent a priest up for Good Friday. Our church was the biggest – our Lady of Lourdes – and we needed help to manage the throngs of sinners hoping to purify themselves before Easter. My eyes were red and puffy...Father Damian had given the most brutal homily I had ever heard. It was an in-depth description of crucifixion, of the torture, of the slow and horrible death of Jesus. I was so penitent. I was ready to cleanse myself of these horrible desires. And who better than to confess to than the source of them, I reasoned. I needed to confront this. I had been clutching onto that single memory – of Father Damian staring (no, just looking) at me the first week – for almost three weeks. I had touched myself every single night. I still hadn't violated myself with my fingers, but I was getting close to not caring. This had to be fixed, somehow.
Because there were so many priests, they set themselves up in stations around the worship space. There was a line leading to each priest, and a suitable amount of space and privacy for each confessor. Father Damian's station was actually inside the sacristy, the back room of the church, the line stretching around the side of the altar. I hurried as much as I could, but I still found myself towards the back of the line. I had a long wait.
The closer I got, the more nervous I was.
And somehow, my pussy was getting wet again. I hung my head in shame, and my cheeks burned.
It was my turn. I walked slowly into the sacristy and sat down. It was disorganized, yet seemed like someone had tried hastily to clean it up. There were banners from lent, a broken pew, assorted stage props from stations of the cross. Father Damian sat in a simple folding chair with his back to the door, and I sat down gingerly in the chair opposite of him.
I shakily said hello and crossed myself. Father Damian smiled warmly at me, and rattled off, "May the Lord be in your heart and help you to confess your sins with true sorrow. How long has it been since your last confession?" His eyes were so green. It was too much.
"About a month."
"Okay. Tell me your sins."
"I cheated a little on a math test. And I stole $20 out of my dad's wallet." I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. This was probably a horrible idea. But I had to come clean. "And...Father, I have been touching myself. Every night." I flushed. "I haven't penetrated myself yet...but I want to. I don't know how to stop."
He paused. For too long. And looked deep in my eyes, his face gentle. When he spoke, he almost whispered. "Yes, that is a sin." He leaned back. "But it is not such a horrible one. Don't cry."
I didn't realize I had been crying. I wiped my eyes.
He leaned forward again and continued, never looking away from my eyes. "God designed our bodies...lovingly, carefully. He put these desires inside of you that one day you may have children. They, by themselves, are not sinful desires." He still had not looked away, and he dropped his voice almost to a whisper again. "It is acting on them that is a sin. But that is what confession is for, my sweet girl. None of us pass muster in the great question of being worthy for God. Not a single one of us. This is why confession is such a grace." He put his hand gently on my knee. "Have you considered coming to confession weekly?"
I was suddenly much, much more wet. I swallowed. "Yes, I have, but school makes me so busy..." I paused to consider it. "But I think you're right. I think I should."
He patted my knee and removed his hand. "Think on it. I am in the small chapel every Friday...one of the things we must learn to do as we grow in our faith is to forgive ourselves for our weaknesses. I could tell you what you already know...that this is a sin and that you should stop." He paused and looked in my eyes. He licked his lips, and slowly looked at me from head to toe before continuing. "But I know you won't." His voice was lower, slightly husky, his eyes once again caressing mine.
He sat up quickly and cleared his throat. "And you are forgiven. I absolve you of this and all other sins in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen."
I mumbled thank you and stood awkwardly to get up. He lazily leaned back over his chair and said, "I've seen you with the other youth group kids. What's your name?"
My breath catched. "Emily."
He smiled warmly again. "Nice to meet you Emily."
As I walked away I got the feeling he was watching me. But I was too nervous too look behind me and check.
Part 3 – Exploration
I didn't even say goodnight to my parents. I just went upstairs and quietly shut the door. Luckily mom believed in privacy back then, so I had no explaining to do.
Two things were significant, and buzzing around in my mind: the first, that I had basically been given a Catholic Church-sponsored green light to pleasure myself as much as I wanted, as long as I went to confession. Second: maybe I was imagining it (I probably was) but Father Damian seemed to be flirting with me.
I never thought to second-guess Father Damian or doubt his intentions. Priests are men of God. And if this one said I could orgasm and be forgiven, then that is exactly what I was going to do, no more questions asked. I removed my white, flowy church skirt...and gazed in the mirror.