Created Equal Page #9

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Those dogmas

contradict each other.

What are we supposed to believe?

I believe

the evidence is so clear...

that the only answer

to the question,

"Do the defendants discriminate

solely based on gender?",

is a resounding yes.

And to the question,

"Do the defendants

have justifiable cause

to discriminate?",

is a resounding no.

[Tommy] As a little girl,

Alejandra Batista dreamed

of being a priest.

[Tommy] But the men

of the Catholic Church

have decided that

she can't pursue her dream.

That no woman can

ever be a priest.

No matter how qualified,

or how committed she is,

to the Catholic Church

and to God.

Let Alejandra Batista

have her dream.

[Judge] Monsignor Renzulli,

you may address the jury.

Thank you, Your Honor.

[Enrico] In order for you

to find that my clients

discriminate against women,

you have to believe

that the evidence shows

that they act

out of disrespect for women

and they don't want them

to be priests, no matter what.

But the testimony shows,

without a shadow of a doubt,

that the defendants

justifiably believe

that what they are doing

is a direction from the example

of Jesus Christ.

[Enrico] And so the answer

to the first jury question

must be...

no.

What was the will of Jesus?

Catholic leaders

have prayed about it.

They've researched it.

Looked at it

in every way possible.

And they consistently answer it

as Christ would have

had them answer it.

They do

what is required of them.

By their faith.

By their belief.

And they cannot do otherwise.

[Enrico] The priesthood

is reserved for the male gender.

Forever.

[Enrico] Therefore,

the only answer possible

to the second jury question,

is yes.

[delicate music]

[Enrico] Thank you.

[car honks]

[siren wails]

Hey, thanks for coming, man.

I know Dunbar would flip

if he knew you were anywhere

near this case.

Five hours is such a long time

for such a short trial.

[Tommy] Five hours

and 36 minutes,

but who's counting?

[Silk] Relax, Tommy.

It's like Ally says,

it's God's will.

No matter what the results are.

[phone rings]

[horn blowing]

[Tommy] Yeah. Thanks.

[Tommy] They're back.

Good luck, Tommy.

Ladies and gentlemen

of the jury,

have you reached

a unanimous verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

[Judge] Concerning

question number one,

do you find that the defendants

discriminate against women

solely because of their gender

by excluding them

from the seminary

in order to study

for the Catholic priesthood?

Yes or no.

Yes, Your Honor.

They discriminate against women

solely because of their gender.

[Judge] Concerning

question number two,

do you find that the defendants

have a justifiable basis

to exclude women

from the seminary

in order to study

for the Catholic priesthood

solely because of their gender?

Yes or no.

No, Your Honor.

They do not have

a justifiable basis

for discrimination.

[Judge] As the jury

has found for the plaintiff

on those two issues of fact,

it is left to me to grant

or deny a mandatory injunction

that requires the seminary

to accept Ms. Batista.

However...

Am I gonna be a Catholic priest?

We won on both counts.

[Tommy] The church

discriminated against you,

because you are a women

and they had no

justifiable basis in doing so.

Thank God.

So, can I start the seminary

in the fall?

No, Ally.

I'm afraid you can't.

Why not?

After the verdicts,

Judge Watford has to decide

whether to grant what's called

a mandatory injunction,

forcing the church to allow you

to enter the seminary.

I remember.

An injunction's only available

if you have no other options.

If you want to become a priest

in a Christian religion,

several will accept you.

This is Renzulli's question

about why I didn't apply

to another seminary.

Exactly.

You have options.

So, the judge can't force

the Catholic Church

to accept you.

I'm sorry.

But we were right.

Yeah, Ally.

We were right.

Do you think I can work

with students again?

I'll see what I can do.

[children laughing and shouting]

[Alejandra shrieks]

- I missed you.

- I missed you.

Look what I'm wearing.

- I'm so happy.

- Yes!

I'm gonna come play with you.

Okay?

[feel-good music]

Aaw!

I'm back.

Thanks to Renzulli.

Has anything changed?

No.

But this allows us

to fight another day.

Let's go.

Let's go. Let's go.

[children chattering]

Everyone's okay?

[church bell ringing]

[church bell ringing]

[church bell ringing]

[mystical piano music]

[door slams shut]

[in Italian]

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