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me feel like an idiot whenever I did it with an adult.
    "Your parents said we should talk," he said.
    "Yeah, they did," I said.
    By now, the housekeeper had left, but she hadn't closed the door behind us. Neither did Father Franklin. My first thought was, Is this church policy? Could priests no longer be alone with teenage boys? But then I felt bad for thinking this. How tough would it be to have the whole world wondering if you're a child molester?
    "Have a seat!" Father Franklin said. "Have a seat."
    I sat in the leather chair across from his desk.
    "I can't believe how you've grown," he said. "Seems like just last week you were a boy."
    This, of course, is just what every teenager loves to hear.
    "So." The priest cleared his throat. "Your parents said you're having some questions about your sexuality."
    I shook my head. "No, I don't have any questions. I've known that I'm gay for a long time. But my parents just found out about it, so they sent me here."
    "I see." Father Franklin looked thoughtful. "Why do you think you're gay?"
    "Why does anyone think they're anything? I just do."
    Father Franklin nodded. "Right. But Russel, adolescence is a very confusing time. I'm sure I don't need to tell you that. It's common for boys to go through different phases."
    Oh, God, not Father Franklin too. Had every adult gone through a "gay" phase? Or were they just telling me this so I'd think they had some "street cred" on the issue?
    "I'm not confused," I said. "This is actually one of the things in my life that I'm least confused about. That and the fact that there are too many superhero movies."
    Father Franklin stared at me.
    "That was a joke," I said.
    He completely ignored my attempt at humor, which kind of sucked. "Russel, your parents are just concerned about you. Once you go public with something like this, there can be real consequences."
    "All my friends already know," I said. "My whole school knows. I started a gay-straight-bisexual alliance. My parents were the last to know. And there were consequences. But the way I see it, the only way things are ever going to change is if people take a stand for what they believe. I actually think that's kind of the moral thing to do. Don't you?"
    Father Franklin shifted in his seat. I was making him nervous. I hate to admit it, but I was enjoying this.
    "Well, you may be right," he went on. I think he knew he needed to try a different approach. "You probably think that the Catholic Church doesn't have any guidance to offer someone in a situation like yours."
    That was exactly what I thought. But I didn't say it out loud.
    "But the Catholic Church is two thousand years old," he said. "It's lasted that long for a reason. I'm not saying the church hasn't made mistakes. It has. But I believe that the reason it's lasted as long as it has is because it's been charged with certain unchanging truths."
    "Like what?" I said.
    "Like on the subject of human sexuality. That sex is a gift from God. But one that comes with certain responsibilities. We can't just go around having sex with whoever we want. Actions have consequences. That's the basis for all morality."
    "I totally agree with that," I said. "Sex is a big deal. Most people take it way too lightly."
    Father Franklin smiled and sat up in his seat. He was relieved. He had found common ground with me at last.
    "God gave us sex," the priest said, "but he put limits on it too. First and foremost, he asks that we save sex for the sacrament of marriage."
    Here we go, I thought to myself. At the same time, it seemed like the incense was growing thicker. Sickly sweet too. Suddenly I could hardly breathe.
    "But gay people can't get married," I said. "Where does that leave us?"
    He coughed quietly. "Well, gay people have a special calling from God. The Church teaches that God calls gay people to be celibate. That means to refrain from sexual activity."
    I knew what it meant. Yes, that was a "special" calling, wasn't it? Sort of like God calling