Phoebe Kate

Someone notable (who, of course, I can’t remember) said something to the effect that the whole truth will never be told except posthumously or anonymously. 

I was reminded of that quote recently while chatting with a friend of mine. Baptized as an infant and raised nominally Catholic, she has now decided in midlife to become a full-fledged, holy card-carrying, rosary-packing, Miraculous Medal-wearing RC.  She’s been meeting with her parish priest and will shortly go through the Confirmation ceremony.  However, prior to that, she’s got to confess to that priest all the sins she can remember over the past 30-odd years.  Now, this lady’s led a reasonably good and decent life so she probably doesn’t have anything particular horrendous or hair-raising to admit to.  However, when I remarked that to her, there was a long silence over the phone and then she said, “Well, I have stolen property in my possession.” 

Seems that her brother worked in a jewelry store a few years back and, being a bit short of bucks for gift-giving occasions, swiped a couple of nice pieces for her.  We’re not talking Tiffany’s here — probably the total loss to the store in question was in the low three figures.  She wears the jewelry every day, however, and knowingly accepting ill-gotten gain is definitely a violation of the Seventh Commandment so she’s got to ‘fess up.

She didn’t sound overly thrilled with the prospect and I didn’t pursue it any further with her, but it got me thinking.  The problem is not with the admission of guilt per se, but what form the restitution will take.  Will the priest insist she return the merchandise to the store, even though she is not the one who stole it?  Will the store manager believe her when she says it wasn’t she who swiped it?  Could she just send them an envelope of fifty dollar bills instead?  Or will the cosmic scales of eternal justice be restored to balance if she donates an equivalent or greater amount to charity?  How far will she have to go to expiate the transgression, I wonder?

And she may well be wondering likewise, I suspect.  I admire her enormously for taking this particular leap of faith.  Although I’d like to think so, I’m not entirely sure I could be so courageous in a similar situation.  Honesty is probably the best policy, but it seems to me sometimes like leaping off a precipice with no parachute.

Godspeed and safe landing, my dear friend.

–phoebe kate