Cut Above the Rite

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MAN 1:
Don't be afraid.

MAN 2:
Do you believe in sin?

WOMAN [WHISPERING]:

There's nothing to believe.

"The battle against the Devil, which is the principal task

of Saint Michael the Archangel, is still being fought today,

because the Devil is still alive and active in the world."

Pope John Paul II

What follows is inspired by true events.

THE RITE:

-You finished?

-Yep.

Then wash up and come eat.

I've washed up.

Well, then eat.

And when you're done,

I'll need a hand with the casket.

How'd she do it?

What?

Kill herself.

Michael, I've told you this many times.

We serve the dead,

but we don't talk about them.

It brings bad things.

We keep dead people in the house, Dad.

How much worse could it get?

-Are you kidding me?

-No, Eddie. I'm not kidding.

Wait, why?

So I can get out of here.

Why not tell him

you wanna go to college?

I mean,

you got the grades. You can do it.

-You think he'd pay for that?

-Sh*t, man. Seminary school?

Wait, wait, wait. Wait.

Seminary school, really?

Wait, is this your way of telling me

you're gay? I'm just joking. Okay? Joking.

Man, you don't get it. In my family, you're

either a mortician or a priest. That's it.

Well, then change your name.

It's too late. I took the entrance exam.

-You what?

MICHAEL:
I passed.

I'm leaving Monday.

EDDIE:
That's-- That's crazy.

MICHAEL:
Dude, I've looked into it.

It's a four-year degree

before you even take your first vows.

If it doesn't work out,

I can always leave.

Wow. Such faith.

MICHAEL:
You know what, Eddie?

You're such a dick.

EDDIE:
Cool. Awesome. Whatever, dude.

I will never confess to you.

You know that, right?

NINA:
These are on the house.

EDDIE:
Wow.

-Gonna get heat for giving away beers?

Not if they don't know.

How about for banging the customers?

Screw you, Eddie.

Drink up. I'm off in 10.

Lickety-split.

"Lickety-split"? Pbbb.

You better make the most of that

before they chop your wiener off.

Goodbye, wiener.

ISTVAN:
Don't worry.

The pain is gone.

God has taken it...

...away.

Michael. Come.

Don't be afraid.

Four years later

MAN:

This is always a special Mass for me...

...as I look upon our new deacons...

...as they prepare to go into the world

with Christ's message.

So in the next few months,

you will face your last assessments...

...and then be asked to take

your final vows to become priests.

So I leave you

with these words to consider...

...from the Gospel of Saint John:

You did not choose me...

...it was I who chose you...

...and I send you forth

to bear fruit that will last.

[CROWD APPLAUDING]

MATTHEW:
Michael.

Exam results.

You aced psychology.

-Art history too. Congratulations.

-Thank you.

So, what happened with theology?

It's like you blew it on purpose.

I've been distracted.

End of the year, that's all.

Drop by my office this week.

We'll discuss it.

Okay.

[GUNFIRE PLAYING ON VIDEO GAME]

MAN:
Yeah, jump. Take him out.

Dude, honestly?

MATTHEW:
Michael!

Michael, wait!

[GRUNTS]

[WOMAN SCREAMS]

MICHAEL:
Call an ambulance!

Bless me, Father.

Father.

Bless me.

Please, Father.

I don't wanna die like this.

Uh, through the power vested in me:

Let the fire of the Holy Spirit descend,

that this being may be awakened...

...in the world beyond

the life of this earth...

...and infused with the power

of the Holy Spirit.

Lord Jesus Christ, I ask

that you receive this child--

What's your name?

Sandra.

I ask you to receive this child,

Sandra, into your loving arms...

...that she might pass in safety

from this crisis...

...as you have taught us

with infinite passion.

By this sign, you are anointed with the grace

of the atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ...

...and absolved of all past error

and freed to take your place...

...in the world he has prepared for us.

[SPEAKING IN LATIN]

Amen.

[BELL TOLLING]

[KNOCKING]

[DOOR OPENS]

Michael.

I still don't even understand

how it happened.

You shouldn't think about it.

It was an accident. Really.

It's hard not to think about.

I feel somewhat responsible.

You know the average age

of a nun these days?

Sixty-nine.

Three thousand parishes across the U.S.

don't even have a priest anymore.

You give this speech

to everyone who tries to leave?

No, just those I believe in.

I quit smoking and

now I'm addicted to these.

You know, what I saw the other night,

it was really something.

I know experienced priests

who wouldn't have handled that.

I just repeated a few prayers

over a suffering girl.

And the words meant nothing to you?

Father, listen to me,

did you understand my letter?

Yes, I decided not to

pass it on to my superiors.

-Why not?

-I think you're making a mistake.

I think this is the part where I say,

"It's not you, it's me"

and "Let's just be friends."

Here's the thing.

Tastes like sh*t.

If a seminarian doesn't complete

his vows, then under Article 15...

...the Church has the right to convert

the scholarship to a student loan.

That's over 100 grand of education

you'd owe us.

Why would you do that?

Oh, no, no, no.

I'm not saying I'm going to do it...

...just yet.

You were a mortician

before you joined us, am I right?

I imagine that means

you're not very squeamish.

What is this about?

Last year, the Vatican received over a half

a million reports of demonic possession.

-That's something of a record.

-I'm still not following.

An order has been passed down...

...to place an exorcist in every diocese

across the U.S. by this time next year.

As you might imagine, it's not

a highly sought-after position.

There's a new program at the Vatican...

...designed to reteach the clergy

the rite of exorcism.

I've been asked to keep an eye out

for potential candidates.

Wait a minute, you....

You want me to be an exorcist?

Why?

Why would you want me?

I don't know what I believe in.

That's right.

I remember in your letter...

...you explained how you used

the priesthood to run away from things.

The truth is, you could have run

in any direction, but you ran here.

Why?

Just take the course.

And then if you still wanna leave when

you get back, we can talk about it then.

Two months in Rome.

How bad could that be?

Keep the change. Thank you.

I'm guessing there's no cable.

MAN:
By the time an exorcist is called

to assess a possible possession...

...the parish priest would have ensured...

...that all psychiatric explanations

had been exhausted.

He would have questioned

the possessed himself...

...and forwarded his assessment

on to his bishop.

With the bishop's permission...

...an exorcist is then summoned

to determine possession.

Often, early signs of a possession

are subtle.

Social withdrawal...

...apathy...

...a persistent tremor in a limb.

It can go unnoticed

until the victim is deep within...

...the demonic spirit's grasp.

This was taken at an exorcism in Turin.

[WOMAN YELLING ON VIDEO]

The woman survived without food or water

for eight weeks...

...before the demon released her.

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