John Wijngaards

The placid life of MUSS (short for Shamus) MCKENNA, a scrupulous monsignor employed in the Vatican, is thrown into disarray when he meets stunning Dr AMRUTHA GURULINGAM. She has come to Rome to plead the case of the Indian nun SUMANTHI who is facing excommunication for telling Catholic women to use condoms in order to protect themselves against Aids. She does this in open opposition to the POPE who has forbidden the use of contraceptives in all circumstances because it goes against the law of nature, a law which, the Pope teaches, may never ever be transgressed. Muss is caught. On the one hand he wants to obey the Pope. On the other hand he admires Amrutha and feels sympathy for her cause. To make matters worse, he is blackmailed by Sr JOYCE, a friend of Amruthas, who threatens to reveal a romantic affair he has had if he does not manage to overturn the Popes decision.