The protagonist of the story, the priest is not given a name. He is a Roman Catholic priest on the run from the authorities in a Mexican state that has outlawed religion. The man admits he is a bad priest who has fathered a child with one of his congregates, and is a drunk. Yet the priest still feels a calling to his vocation, to minister to the people. He knows he is the last priest in the area and has a responsibility to represent the Church and God.