Announcement on the notice board

[witchfinder_general]

Instead of spending his day in the library, Father Harman has been busy upstairs, and now comes down to put a notice on the notice board.

Re: Sunday Mass

Dear patrons of Milliways,

I have rented a room upstairs, furnished as a small provisional chapel such as one might find in a hospital or aboard a passenger ship, and will be reading  mass every Sunday at 9:30 in the morning in said room, no. 95, some doors down from the library. Everybody of Christian faith will be welcome to attend and take communion; due to the special situation in Milliways, I feel it would be very uncharitable to insist on any denominational requirements.

Also, I will be available there every Saturday from 6 pm onwards to hear confession, if anybody feels the need. I ask that this be restricted to people that identify as Catholic in their worlds. Other Christians looking for pastoral care are of course welcome, but will not have to observe the formalities or receive absolution.

If you need a priest at other times, or for other reasons, please leave me a message. When I am here, I will gladly be at your disposal for all matters of Christian faith.

Best regards,
Fr. P. Harman, SJ

That done, he settles down by the fireplace to have tea and be available in case people have questions.


[[OOC: Neither the service nor confessions will be threaded out in posts, as it would be boring (and might well be offensive to practising Catholics among the muns -- I myself, albeit being descended from generations of Lutheran vicars, would feel quite at sea); if you want to assume your pup(s) attended mass, simply do. If you think Father Harman would know something specific about your pup because it would have come up in confession and/or know them because they attend mass, send me a PM, and I will take it as read. If you do want to thread out a conversation before or after mass, or pastoral ministry outside the confessional, shoot me a PM as well, and we can set up an OOM. Special events (like the blessing of he foundation stone last week) can of course always be threaded out.]]

Comments

[is_the_motion]

"You do anything other than work?" Bonnie asks, flopping down nearby.

[witchfinder_general]

"Drink tea?" Father Harman says, lifting his cup at her in salutation.

[is_the_motion]

Bonnie nods, in agreement.

"Look, I just got to check - you're not expecting me to come regularly, right? I don' think I'm gonna fit in to a church."

[witchfinder_general]

"No," Father Harman says. "Not at all. The ceremony outside was different. This is for people who feel the need to hear mass. If nobody comes except that alien anthropologist, I will still read it."

[is_the_motion]

Bonnie nods.

"It ain't nothin' personal." she says, gruffly.

The scornful eyes of Javert, looking her up and down in her overalls, reminded her all too well of the neighbours at her old church. She never could quite see the difference what she wore - she only has one dress decent enough to wear out, and she has to save that for work formal events.

[witchfinder_general]

"And I am not taking it personally," Harman assures her.

[is_the_motion]

Bonnie orders coffee from a waitrat. Despite his assurance, she still feels rather guilty.

"If this is the end of the universe, you sure God is actually up here?"

[witchfinder_general]

"God is absolute," Father Harman says. "Our relative position in space-time doesn't make one smidgen of a difference to my faith in that. It might be the same for some of the others; and for others again, that might be reassuring to hear."

[is_the_motion]

"So it don't matter what date it is?"

[forewarned_is]

A woman in a red blouse (okay, a woman-shaped being in the semblance of a red blouse) has stopped by the notice board.

She's reading the new notice, and her lip has curled visibly.

[witchfinder_general]

When Father Harman goes to fetch more tea from the bar, he notices her, and stops near her.

"You don't like what you're reading?" he says. "It doesn't have to concern you at all. If it's not your faith, ignore it."

[forewarned_is]

A hissing sigh. "Would that I could," she mutters.

[witchfinder_general]

"Why not?" he asks. "What do you find so offensive?"

[forewarned_is]

She turns to look at him directly.

"This place is neutral ground." Flatly. "Let's not bring up outside quarrels."

[witchfinder_general]

"Nobody keeps you from offering worship for your religion," Father Harman says, with. "I simply gathered that there was a need for my services."

[forewarned_is]

"My religion." A jagged-edged smile, humorless and dark as her eyes, with rage somewhere behind it. "Indeed."

[witchfinder_general]

"What is your religion?" Father Harman asks, perfectly tame.

[equal_of_any_man]

Olivier reads the message with care, reading it again just to be sure he has everything right. He comes over the Father's table and bows. "I would be glad to attend. Thank you, Father."

[witchfinder_general]

"I am glad to hear it," Father Harman says. "Please, do sit down."

[equal_of_any_man]

Olivier thanks him and joins him at the table. "I hope things are well with you, Father?"

[witchfinder_general]

"As usual," Father Harman says. "I am here for research, mostly, and for ideas one only gets from other worlds."

[equal_of_any_man]

"The library here is a thing most magnificent." Olivier smiles, "I have been learning of the wonderful plants and medicines of places yet unknown."

"May I ask what it is you research?"

[witchfinder_general]

"Vampires from different worlds," Father Harman says. "Do you know what they are?"

[equal_of_any_man]

"No, Father. That word is not known to me."

[witchfinder_general]

"Blood-drinking undead monster, evil forces occupying the bodies of the dead to feast on the living," Father Harman says. "They exist in my world."