At his house, the bishop reads from an advance copy of a novel "Budawanny: A Bishop's Tale" by Thomas Connor, with a statement on the flap saying that it is now a major film. He writes to the author telling him he has no need to read it. The bishop asserts that his job is to make religion work. The bishop recollects that the story is as old as the hills. A young woman, Marian, arrives at a pier and enquires of two boatmen whether the priest is on the nearby island. Marian "falls" from the boat and is brought to the priest's house. At the priest's house, she is ill and is cared for by a doctor and the priest. While saying mass, the priest remembers a meeting with the woman. Marian recovers and begins to take on the role of housekeeper. When pressed by the priest about what happened on the boat, Marian says that she panicked, though they both recall their earlier liaison. Meanwhile, the bishop asserts the primacy of the rules of religion in a letter to the priest. At the priest's house during a night time storm, Marian comes to the priest's bedroom and they embrace. The couple are observed being intimate on a beach by the sacristan. Later, the sacristan arrives drunk at the priest's house and gives money to the priest to say mass for him. Marian tells the priest that she is pregnant, while the sacristan, arriving at the house, overhears the conversation. The priest fantasies that the bishop will accept his having the child. At mass, the priest announces that soon they'll have another reason to call him Father and that he intends to look after the woman and child. On hearing this statement, the publican rings the bishop. As the priest and Marian are intimate by the fire, the bishop rings, summoning the priest to see him. While the priest is away, Marian is refused service by the publican. At the bishop's house, the priest is criticized for making such a statement from the pulpit, while he counters that Christ would have done the same. On his return to the island, he is met at the quayside by Marian who is leaving the island. Told that there has been an accident, the priest finds that the sacristan has committed suicide. At home, the priest reads a note from Marian which declares that it is her life also. The bishop reflects on the events and tells his secretary merely to acknowledge the receipt of the book. Above all, he thinks, he needs to be prudent.