sHe: THE RISE OF THE NEW BREEDS [Book 1]

Chapter 5

OVER THIRTY INTERSEXUALS who were wearing monk robes with their hoods covered their shaven, bald heads — they sat on the pew rows of the Cathedral — while the senescence, Mother Superior taught them at the foot of the altar.

Doran was seated on the last row and like the rest of the androgynous boys, and he was taking notes — with a blunt pencil in his paper notebook, in the digital-age era.

Doran had been struggling for many years in relearning his faith from the two schools of religious practices — his heterodox, Pentecostal mother in the past, would have preached by interpreting God's words literally by quoting straight-up from the Good Book — while here, the Catholic nuns at the orphanage were teaching him more of the ossified traditions and rituals of the old. His mind had assimilated to accept the oddity of both the praxes, after his five years of staying in the abbey.

Beside Mother Superior stood near a goofy, looking boy, Peter, who was dressed up in a Catholic, altar-boy habit — he was holding a chained metal, thurible censer, smoking with the rosy aroma of the burning myrrh. Although, Peter was not the brightest of the monks at the orphanage — yet, he was proud with his pride to be chosen to stand in front of every one of the boys, by not wearing a heavy monk robe that morning.

"Can anyone of you tell me when the thurible is used during the High Mass?" Mother Superior questioned her twelve-year-old students — Michael soon raised his hand...

"During the Gospel procession," answered Michael.

He was the brightest among the scintillating group in the front pew — whom Mother Superior had transcended them as the potential lot who will someday become excellent trained priests. The old nun added...

"Very good Michael, but in fact, it is used even much earlier during the Mass — like in the priest's entrance procession, where he or she first incensed the Holy Cross and the altar. Then, as Michael has said just now, it is used during the Gospel procession and proclamation. This is followed by the thurible censing, which is done after the bread and chalice are placed on the altar..."

Suddenly, everyone's attention turned to the sound of a siren outside the window — that made some of the twelve-year-olds to stand up and gawk.

Mother Superior declaimed out aloud. "All of you, stay seated!"

An ambulance was in the compound of the Cathedral — and it was driving towards the Convent and orphanage buildings. Mother Superior took out her cell phone and switched it on. She was calling Sister Margaret — as the curious, on looking monk-boys anticipated her to start speaking...

A younger nun ran into the cathedral hallway at the same time, and her phone rang with a Christmas carol ring-tone. Everyone's head turned to notice the nun — who stopped halfway inside the Cathedral, to answer her phone...

"Hello?"

"Sister Margaret! It is me — I am trying to call you."

The older nun voiced out at her when she saw Sister Margaret inside the church. It made some of the boys laugh at their confusion — Sister Margaret looking astounded, as she strode fast over to the altar...

"O Mother-Superior, we are trying to call you too, a while ago — but your phone was switched off."

"Of course, I switch off this phone during my lectures, in the house of God. So, what is going on? Why is there an ambulance in the church compound?"

"Mother, it is Sister Lisa-Marie — she collapsed just now."

The dismayed voice of the approaching nun replied back — Doran looked up shocked like the rest — he couldn't believe what he had just heard.