[This story is a continuation of the Mrs. Tupa series. For better context and understanding, you might consider reading the previous stories. Please note that this story is not for everyone. It includes bodily functions, religious rituals, body hair, and strong smells, among other things. If you find any of these off-putting or offensive, please do not read it or down-vote it. I generally reply to personal messages, but please include your username and email if you wish a reply. Thank you for reading.]
Jack discovers a hidden ritual chamber in the Church
For several days after Sister Katka and I had performed the intense Rite of the Immaculate Conception with the assistance of Dame Taborova and Mrs. Capekova, I was in a kind of a spaced-out bliss. This did not affect my visits to the needy Czech widows of the parish -- if anything it enhanced them, as several of them remarked that I seemed especially energized and my blissful state was quite infectious. Nevertheless, Father Viktor, who continued to monitor my physical and emotional state on a daily basis, told me that he felt that I needed to be "better grounded", as he put it.
"Jack, my lad, I think that to better integrate your angelic twin with your physical being, we had better bring you back down to earth. I don't mean to be a party-pooper, so to speak, but I do think that this would be a good time to acquaint you with another of our parish's community activities. There is still so much for you to learn, and I think you might find our weekly ritual in the 'Penance Chapel' just the thing to help re-ground you."
"The Penance Chapel? Where's that? I'm positive that Brother Dougal didn't show me that when he gave me my orientation tour of the Church complex."
"Yes, well, I had him give you the beginner's tour, as we have some facilities -- all very popular, I might add -- that might be too shocking or confusing to a brand new catechumen. The last thing I wanted to do was scare you off. Did the good Brother show you much of the Church basement?"
"No, not really, now that I think about it. He just walked me through the underground tunnels between the Church, the Rectory, and the Nunnery."
"Well then, you are in for a treat, Jack my boy. Now that dinner is over and done with, it will soon be time for our Wednesday night 'Sharing Circle' in the Penance Chapel in the basement. This is an activity that is especially popular with our parish widows. I had them save us two seats, so that we can join in. Come, let's go down there. We don't want to be late!"
* * *
I followed Father Viktor down the stairs to the Rectory basement and then through the concrete tunnel to the Church basement. He led me through a dimly lit corridor to a rather anonymous double-door entrance to the Chapel. The wooden doors each had a small frosted stained-glass window embedded in them, through which we could make out a defused flickering light within. I expected to find a small chapel with dark-stained wooden pews filled with devoted parish widows. Wow, was I wrong!
Father Viktor pulled the right-hand door open and ushered me into a room in which ten or so widows stood around naked in their natural state, drinking tea and chatting. Almost without exception, they were short and hairy, with low hanging pendulous breasts that wobbled and swung as they gestured to each other.
"Hello, ladies!" the good Father called out. "I've brought a special surprise guest to join us tonight. I believe that some of you may have already met Brother Jack, our new catechumen and lay server."
Every head in the room swiveled around to greet us with beaming smiles and little exclamations of "Oh my!" and "Bless you!" I grinned back, recognizing a few familiar faces and bodies, one of whom was Mrs. Tupa, who gave a joyous little squeal and hurried over to give me a chaste kiss on each cheek. Father Viktor looked on benignly, and then in a low voice advised that we best disrobe without further delay.
While I removed my clothes as quickly as I could, I gazed around the candle-lit room, and only then did it sink in that instead of pews, the chapel seating consisted of a dozen brown porcelain commodes with dark-stained wooden seats, all neatly arranged in a circle facing inward.
"Well, lad, what do you think? See that toilet over there with the small table in front of it? That will be your seat. Why don't you go over and take a peek in the bowl?"
I did as the good Father suggested and was shocked to find the familiar face of Mother Magdalene smiling back at me, quite recognizable despite the small swimmer's goggles covering her eyes.
"Holy Shit!" I exclaimed, and looked back at Father Viktor in confusion. "What's going on?"
"Why don't you take a stroll around the circle and have a look in each bowl, Jack? See if you can figure it out."
I proceeded to do so, and without fail there was a face staring back at me, each wearing swimmer's goggles. Nearly all of them were the faces of our parish widows, though the one in the final bowl next to mine, which I assumed was to be the good Father's, I recognized with another shock, as the elegant visage of Dame Taborova.
"My Dame?" I asked like a fool, immediately wishing I had kept my mouth shut.
"Not to worry, my dear boy. There is never such a thing as too much Mortification. The good Father is kind enough to accommodate me each Wednesday, and I wouldn't miss this for the world. It is a great blessing."
By now, I was practically reeling, and Father Viktor came over to steady me and take a quick look into the bowl. He gave a loving smile to its "inhabitant" and spoke in a low voice.