Candace, a Catholic who is civilly married to a divorced Catholic, asks for Patrick’s advice after one priest told her he would not grant her absolution, and then a second priest said he “believes in a God of mercy” and did grant her absolution. 

Patrick unravels the problem for her by showing her that the first priest was correct because she had no plans to stop having sex with her husband and thus did not show true contrition for sin. Patrick gives her hope and encouragement by advising her to live as brother and sister with her husband while they are waiting on the Church’s decision on the annulment.