Created Equal Page #7

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Is he here?

[unintelligible]

Can you give me

a key to his room?

No.

Second floor.

Last door on the left.

[door opens]

[door clicks shut]

[suspenseful music]

Hey, Tommy.

[stutters] Yeah,

I got some great news.

[Tommy] I could use that.

Our guy, he lives across

the street from the church.

[Silk] Yeah, one of the sisters

recognized him.

[Tommy] Under our noses

the whole time.

[Silk] I'm in his apartment

right now. Hold on.

[Silk]

This dude is Four Loko.

Got Ally's face plastered

all over his walls.

Only one problem, he's MIA.

- [Tommy] Find him.

- I'm on it.

Yeah well, I'm about

to call the cops.

I'm just gonna stay here

till they arrive.

There's tons of stuff

to sift through.

Tommy, be careful

in the meantime.

You're fired.

[Dunbar] Jane, take over

and let's get this settled.

[Tommy] This case is bigger

than you and me.

I'd like to continue to

represent Ms. Batista by myself.

If that's okay with you, Ally?

I'd like to proceed.

Most certainly.

Mr. Dunbar, you're fired.

[tranquil music]

Jane.

Ms. Batista.

Did you apply to the

Archdiocese of New Orleans

- to attend the seminary?

- [Alejandra] Yes, I did.

Did they accept

your application?

They did not.

[Tommy] Did they say why?

I was told I didn't meet

the basic qualifications

for an applicant.

What are

the basic qualifications?

An applicant

must be a non-married male,

baptized and confirmed

in the Catholic Church.

[Tommy] Are you married

or have you ever been married?

[Alejandra] No.

[Tommy] Are you a Catholic,

baptized and confirmed

in the Catholic Church?

[Alejandra] Yes, I am.

[Tommy] So, the only reason

your application to attend

seminary was denied,

is because you are not male.

- Is that correct?

- [Enrico] Objection.

Question calls for a conclusion

of the witness not within

her scope of knowledge.

Mmm. Sustained.

Ms. Batista.

[Tommy] Could you tell the court

why you want to be a priest?

[Alejandra] I believe

it is my calling in life.

Whenever I expressed

that feeling, I was told,

"You can't be a priest.

You're a girl."

I never understood.

I am caring and committed

to the teachings

of the Catholic Church.

[Alejandra] As I've grown older,

that calling became stronger

and I know that I have

the spirituality,

the desire to help others.

And the dedication

to do God's work.

Ms. Batista.

Do you honestly feel that God

wants you to be a priest?

[Enrico] Objection.

Ms. Batista cannot possibly know

what is in the mind of God.

[Judge] Overruled.

Ms. Batista,

you may answer the question.

[Alejandra] Yes.

I firmly believe,

as firmly as I believe

in the Catholic faith,

that this calling

comes from God.

[Tommy] No further questions,

Your Honor.

[Judge] Monsignor Renzulli.

Ms. Batista,

if you are ordained as a priest,

are you aware

that you will take a vow

to obey all of the teachings

of the Catholic Church?

I am aware of that vow.

[Enrico] And are you aware

that the church teaches

that only males may be

validly ordained as priests?

[Alejandra] Yes, Monsignor.

Do you believe in the doctrine

concerning

the gender of priests?

No, I do not.

[Enrico] Then, how can you,

in all good conscience,

take the vow to obey

all the teachings of the church,

when you do not believe

in the validity

of one of

the church's basic doctrines?

Monsignor,

if I'm ordained as a priest,

I would be both a woman

and an ordained priest.

That means the doctrine

of male only priests

is no longer taught.

I could readily take a vow

to obey

all church doctrines then.

[Enrico] Ms. Batista,

there's been a good bit of...

notoriety about your lawsuit.

[Enrico] Wouldn't you agree?

[Alejandra] Yes, I would.

[Enrico] It might make one

wonder how sincere you are

about your desire to be a priest

or whether you are

just seeking publicity.

[Tommy] Objection.

Counsel isn't asking questions.

He's lecturing the witness.

[Judge] Sustained.

Monsignor Renzulli,

please confine

your examination to questions.

You've testified that you've had

the calling to be a priest

since you were a child.

[Enrico] And you feel

that this calling is from God.

- [Enrico] Correct?

- Yes.

Why has it taken

so long to apply?

[Alejandra]

As you can see, Monsignor,

this is a difficult process.

I'm not a person

who seeks media attention.

[Alejandra]

Knowing what was coming,

I prayed long and hard

and looked into my heart...

to determine if...

by God's grace I could apply

to the seminary.

Do you believe that

by challenging God's church,

you are in His Grace?

If I'm not,

may God put me there.

And if I am, may God so keep me.

Ms. Batista,

are you aware that there are

many Christian religions

who would readily take someone

who is as dedicated

as you say you are

to be a priest or a minister?

- Yes.

- Then why did you not apply

to an Episcopal,

or another seminary,

instead of filing a lawsuit

against the Catholic Church?

Because I'm a Catholic.

And I wish to become

a Catholic priest.

You know Dunbar gonna lose it

if he know I was here. Right?

I've been up all night

searching Vargas' place.

I really could use your help

on this one, brother.

I got you.

Anything for you, bro'.

Anything for Ally.

[phone beeps]

Police.

They found something.

I, I'm heading back there.

[Silk] Hey.

- Hey, Tommy.

- I don't want that.

Take the gun, Tommy.

A gun, Tommy?

The jury

really responded to you.

[Tommy] They may not

understand your faith,

but they appreciate

your passion for it.

- Thank you.

- [Tommy] I mean it.

[Alejandra] Do you really think

I can convince people

who don't share my faith,

of what it means to me?

You convinced me.

[boat horn blowing]

[suspenseful music]

What did you guys find?

We gotta go.

Come on.

[phone vibrates]

Hey, Silk.

[Silk] Hey, Tommy.

He knows where she is.

You gotta get out of there.

I'm on my way.

Get out of there now!

[voice over the radio]

[cop] We need backup.

[cop] Go! Let's go!

[police sirens wailing]

[car alarm beeping]

Hey.

We gotta get you outta here.

Vargas knows where you are.

It's okay.

It's okay. It's okay.

It's okay.

Ah!

[mumbling]

- Shhh. Let's get out of here.

- Shhh.

- [mumbles]

[dramatic music]

[Tommy] Don't move.

When the wicked advanced

against me...

Stay right there.

...it will be

my enemies and foes...

- Tommy, please don't shoot him.

- [Vargas] ...and those

- who will stumble and fall.

- Tommy, please don't shoot him.

- Ally, get the hell outta here.

- I can only be...

- [Alejandra] No! Don't!

- Stop [unintelligible].

[Vargas] [unintelligible].

[Alejandra] Help!

- You must repent.

- Help!

- Help!

- [Vargas] [unintelligible].

[Vargas] I will [unintelligible] force

you until you renounce your sins.

And have begged God

for his forgiveness.

- Look!

- [Alejandra] Help!

[moaning and groaning]

[police sirens wailing]

[gunshot blares]

[Tommy] Hey! No, no, no, no.

Hey, hey. Hey, come here.

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