Bones Wiki
Bones Wiki
Bones Wiki
2,474
pages
in: Season 2, Episodes

The Priest in the Churchyard

Sign in to edit

The Priest in the Churchyard is the seventeenth episode of the second season of Bones.

Summary[]

A water main bursts in the middle of a cemetery, leaving coffins littering the grounds. Brennan is called in to identify the remains so they can be reburied. When she finds the skeletons, she discovers that one has only been there for about five years, even though she was told that no one was buried there for fifty years. Meanwhile, Booth decides to bring Brennan in to see his shrink so that they can work on getting their work relationship back on track. Also, things get intense between Hodgins and Angela when Hodgins makes a bold move.

Recap[]

Brennan and Zack go to a church graveyard to identify bodies that were exposed due to a water main breaking. Father Matthew Sands (the intern priest) mentions experiencing stomach aches over the past few days. Father William Donlan (the original priest) shows up, clearly upset that Father Sands didn't inform him that he was planning to give Brennan the burial records. Brennan informs Father Donlan that they found a skull buried no more than 5 years ago, but Father Donlan says that no one has been buried there for 50 years. Brennan decides to inform Booth and announces that the graveyard is a crime scene.

Back at the lab, Booth, and Brennan argue about Brennan not being polite with the priest. The argument takes a religious turn, and Booth tells Brennan that it isn't about religion, but that they have working issues that are affecting their relationship. They agree to get back on the murder case.

Cam and Hodgins find out that the reason that the water main broke was that someone was digging in the cemetery and hit it. Angela shows up with the face of the victim. Cam orders them to send their findings to Booth while she goes and investigates the blood.

In the church garden, Brennan argues with Father Donlan about the date of the burial of the victim. Lorraine Bergin (the parish administrator) invites Booth and Brennan to go inside and speak to Father Sands. Booth shows him the sketch of the victim, but he doesn't recognize it.

Inside, Father Sands says that he started some new activities since he arrived to help increase attendance at the church. Lorraine mentions that in a month she will complete 23 years at the parish. Father Sands offers Booth and Brenan the opportunity to bring the sketch to the next mass to ask the attendees if the recognize the victim. Booth argues with Brennan about insulting the priest. He asks Brennan to go see Dr. Gordon Wyatt with him. She initially refuses but eventually relents.

Hodgins and Angela are flirting, and Hodgins asks her to move in with him. She refuses. Cam walks in; she informs them that they have been exposed to a fungus that causes nausea, fever, and maybe death.

In therapy, Booth and Brennan are bickering in front of Dr. Wyatt. Dr. Wyatt says that they aren't fighting about religion but they are arguing about an issue that he will find out about and help them deal with.

Angela goes with Booth to church; she keeps interrupting him while he prays. The attendees are shown the sketch. James Levay, a teenager, recognizes him as the ex-intern priest, Father McCourt. According to Lorraine, the victim left a note saying that he was leaving the parish. The squints conclude that it didn't have to be a shovel that killed Father McCourt but any heavy valuable object.

In the lab, Dr. Wyatt tells Booth that his problem with Brennan is not knowing what will catch fire in the lab and where to stand. Enzo (a church attendee) tells Booth and Brennan that they should talk to James (the boy who recognized Father McCourt) because everybody suspected Father McCourt of being a pedophile. James denies that and says that Father McCourt never treated him wrong, but was a very close father figure and a best friend. He tells them that Father Donlan was pretty cruel with Father McCourt and that he was convinced Father McCourt was abusing James despite James denying the allegations. Father Donlan admits that he was harsh with Father McCourt and says that he is strict with all the intern priests that he works with.

The lab finds out that something silver was used to hit and kill the victim. Brennan talks to Dr. Wyatt in the interrogation room. They agree that she wants to be more like Booth. At the church, Brennan takes the chalice, claiming that it's the object used to murder the victim. The lab confirms it; they also conclude that Father McCourt was poisoned. Booth and Brennan talk to Father Sands; he tells them that he didn't know Father McCourt even though they went to the same seminary.

Booth and Brennan are arguing over lunch. Dr. Wyatt joins them. He tells them that they think Brennan's reason to not go with Sully was her attachment to Booth. He denies it and tells them that she didn't go because she can't lead a purposeless life at this stage of her existence. He leaves and they conclude that Father Sands was poisoned just like Father McCourt. The lab confirms their conclusion.

Brennan tells Angela what Dr. Wyatt said. Angela suggests talking to him about her problem with Hodgins' asking her to move in with him. Father Donlan falsely confesses that he killed Father McCourt, and Booth doesn't believe him. The priest agrees to back down on one condition: if he gets the confession from the murderer. Lorraine confesses to the murder of Father McCourt.

Angela and Brennan go to talk to Dr. Wyatt. He explains to Angela why she shouldn't move in with Hodgins. Booth arrives to pick up Brennan, leaving Angela alone with Dr. Wyatt. Angela tells Dr. Wyatt that she knows the real reason Brennan didn't go with Sully was because of Booth. He denies it but she convinces him not to pretend that she's wrong.

Cast[]

Main Cast[]

Recurring Cast[]

Guest Cast[]

Featured Music[]

  • "Slow Dance" - John Legend
  • "The Time Comes" - Nina Gordon

Notes[]

  • The episode takes inspiration from the Gustaf Adolph Lutheran Church mass poisoning.
  • Towards the end of the episode, Angela Montenegro comments to Gordan Wyatt: "You know, the accent makes everything that you say sound really smart". This line was taken from an observation made by Stephen Fry. Stephen Fry's quote was "I sometimes wonder if you Americans aren't often fooled by our accent into detecting a brilliance that may not really be there."

Quotes[]

  • Cam: [after testing Father Matt for poison] The good news is we know how to make you feel a lot better.
    Hodgins: Bad news is someone is trying to kill you.
  • Brennan: [referring the chalice] Can we take this with us or do we need to serve a warrant on God?
  • Father William Donlan: [after hearing that Fathers McCourt and Sands were poisoned] The hell you say!
    Brennan: Is he allowed to say that?
  • Angela: Shouldn't Brennan be here with you...
    Booth: Shh.
    Angela: Instead of me?
    Booth: We're dealing with a few work issues.
    Angela: Trouble in Paradise?
    Booth: We're just spending some time apart. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to pray. Thank you.
    Angela: Did you two sleep together?
    Booth: Do you see where we are? You don't talk like that in church. What does that lab do to you people?
    Angela: It's just that... this feels like a couples thing. And now that Sully is gone...
    Booth: It's not. It's a work thing.
    Angela: Mmm.
  • Dr. Gordon Wyatt: So your problem with Dr. Brennan is that you don't know what will or will not catch fire, or where you stand.
    Booth: What?
    Dr. Gordon Wyatt: That's good. That's very good.


Previous Story:
The Boneless Bride in the River 		Next Story:
The Killer in the Concrete
Episodes: Season 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12
Characters: Season 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12
Categories: Main Characters ·  Relationships


Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.