A mother makes her six-year-old son an altar boy, but when he tells her what the priest did to him, she is horrified and immediately calls the police.
On a sunny Sunday, Elizabeth and her son Bruno, just 6 years old, woke up early and got ready to go to mass at the local church. They had recently moved to the small town of Salaria, with just 15,000 inhabitants, and were eager to get to know the community and be part of it. Elizabeth was very religious and had always taught her son the importance of faith in their lives.
When they arrived at the church, the two of them sat down on one of the benches closest to the entrance, a bit shy as it was their first time attending mass in that community. Father Thomas, a friendly man with a serene appearance, began the mass with a prayer followed by a song that embraced everyone present. The church was full of devotees, and the atmosphere was one of peace and harmony. People sang together in unison while the priest led the mass with devotion and joy. Little Bruno watched everything with curiosity, enchanted by the beauty of the stained glass images that adorned the church.
During the homily, Father Thomas spoke about the importance of welcoming newcomers into the community and sharing the faith with those who needed it. He also mentioned the role of the altar servers, highlighting how fundamental they were to the masses.
After communion, the mass came to an end, and everyone got up to leave the church. That’s when an older woman with a kind smile approached Elizabeth and the little boy.
“Hello, my dear. I’m Lucy. I’ve noticed that you’re new here. Welcome to our community,” she said, holding out her hand to greet the woman.
“Thank you, Mrs. Lucy. I’m Elizabeth, and this is my son, Bruno,” replied the young woman, shaking the lady’s hand.
“What a pleasure to meet you! I was thinking, since you’re starting to attend our church, how about making little Bruno an altar boy?” suggested Mrs. Lucy, looking at the boy with affection.
The boy’s mother hesitated for a moment but realized that this could be a great opportunity for her son to get involved in the community, learn more about the faith she valued so much, and make new friends.
“Well, I think that would be great. What do you think, honey? Would you like to be the priest’s assistant starting next week?” Elizabeth asked, bending down to meet the little boy’s eyes.
The boy, a little shy, nodded, and the old lady smiled with satisfaction, saying, “How wonderful! I’m sure Father Thomas will be very happy to have you as his altar boy. I’ll talk to him about it, and then we’ll sort out the details, okay?”
“Thank you, Mrs. Lucy. We are very grateful for the suggestion and the welcome,” then the old lady said goodbye, and they left the church with a feeling of belonging and happiness. Mother and son were both excited about their new life in the new city and were looking forward to next Sunday when Bruno would start serving as an altar boy and would have the chance to learn more about his faith and make new friends.
It turns out that Elizabeth, a devoted and dedicated 27-year-old mother, had always done her best to give the best to her son. However, their life wasn’t always easy. They lived in another city where the boy’s father, Roger, a drunk and aggressive man, constantly abused them. Roger had no patience at all, let alone with his wife’s faith, and often mocked her beliefs when drunk.
“Do you really believe this nonsense?” he said, staggering across the room. “God is not going to help us. You’re just wasting your time.”
The scoundrel’s cruel words hurt the woman and the boy, but they stood firm in their faith. The situation worsened over time, and Roger became increasingly violent. One sad day, after an intense fight, Roger shouted at Elizabeth, “You two are pathetic! I can’t live with this disgrace of a family any longer,” and then threw the young mother and the boy out of the house without giving them a chance to take any of their belongings.
With his eyes full of tears, the little boy asked his mother, “Where are we going now, Mom?”
Elizabeth, hiding her own sadness, replied, “Let’s go somewhere where we’ll be happy, my love.”
With no close relatives to turn to, the poor woman and her son found themselves alone and without support. Despair overtook the young mother, who wondered how she could guarantee a future for her and her son.
That’s when, determined to protect her boy and rebuild their lives, she found a job opportunity in a small town. The offer was to work in a supermarket chain, and she didn’t hesitate to accept. But until the job was made official, the two of them slept on the subway bench every day, cuddling and scared. She knew the move would be difficult, but she was willing to face the challenges for the chance of a better future with little Bruno. It was a chance to start over. In his previous town, the little boy was also bullied by his schoolmates because of his family’s situation. The mother hoped that in the new town, her son would be able to make friends and live a more peaceful life.
When they arrived in the small town, Elizabeth and the boy struggled to adapt to their new surroundings. They found a small house to live in, and the young mother started her job at the supermarket. Little by little, they settled in and put down roots in the community. That mother’s faith was what kept them strong during the difficult times. She believed that with God’s help and the strength of her faith, they could overcome adversity and rebuild their lives. Thus, the two united by love and faith would face each new day with courage and determination.
However, that woman never imagined what would happen to her son in a few days. So, over the week, Bruno started going to church to learn how to be an altar boy. The interaction with Father Thomas and the other altar boys made him very excited. Every day, he came home eager to tell his mother all about the new things he had learned. And the young mother, for her part, was delighted to see her son so involved and happy with church activities. She was so proud.
On his first day, the boy helped the priest set up the church for the mass, learned how to light the candles on the altar, and organize the seats. He also learned how to hold the cross during the procession and how to ring the bell at the right time. He came home jumping up and down with happiness.
“Mom, today I learned how to ring the bell and light the candles,” he said, excited.
“Wow, son, that’s so cool,” she said, smiling. Her heart was filled with joy when she saw her little boy so happy and involved in the church. It was something she hadn’t seen for a long time, ever since his father abused them.
As she put him to sleep, she prayed, thanking God for the new life and opportunity they had. She felt so happy.
On the second day, Bruno delved deeper into the rituals of the mass and how to help the priest during it. He studied the sequence of prayers and scripture readings, as well as learning how to help distribute communion.
“I helped the priest give the host to people, Mom. It was so cool,” he said, with a twinkle in his eye that filled Elizabeth’s heart with joy.
“Wow, son, I’m so happy for you,” she said.
That night, Elizabeth prayed again while the little one slept, reflecting on how this positive transformation in her son’s life was doing him so much good.
However, on the third day, something different happened. The boy came home with a worried expression on his face. His mother immediately noticed that something was wrong and felt a tightness in her chest.
“Trying to understand what could have happened, Ed?” she asked.
“What’s wrong, my love? Why the sad face?” Elizabeth asked, hugging the boy.
Bruno hesitated for a moment, as if choosing the right words to express his feelings. His mother, her heart racing, waited anxiously for her son’s answer, fearing that something very bad had happened.
After a moment and a sigh, he said, “Mommy, I don’t want to go back there.”
She was surprised, not knowing what to make of her son’s response. The woman tried to remain calm, as she knew that something serious must have happened for her son to change his mind so suddenly. Kneeling down next to the boy, she held his little hands and, in a soft, welcoming voice, asked, “Oh, honey, tell me what happened. Why don’t you want to go to church anymore?”
With his eyes full of tears, the little boy looked at her, seeking comfort in her loving gaze. The young woman, worried and anxious to understand what had happened, looked into little Bruno’s eyes and asked, “Tell me, honey. Tell Mommy what happened. Why don’t you want to go to church anymore? Did something happen?”
Then he answered hesitantly, his voice shaky and weak, “It’s just… I don’t know, Mommy. I just… I don’t want to anymore. Today, I was alone with Father Thomas, and he said he wanted to teach me some new things for church.”
“Oh no, I don’t want to tell you,” and tears began to stream down his little face.
Elizabeth’s breathing quickened as she realized her son’s distress. Trying to reassure him, she said, “You don’t have to be afraid to tell me, my love. I’m here to help and protect you. You trust Mommy, right?”
Encouraged by her support, the boy began to open up. “My friends weren’t there today. Father Thomas said that they had already learned that and that it was my turn. Father Thomas… was… he looked different today, Mommy. He took me to a place at the back of the church that I had never seen before. There was a dark room with red candles and drawings on the floor.”
Elizabeth felt a chill run down her spine, and her heart beat even faster, but she remained calm so as not to frighten her son even more. She encouraged him to continue. “And what happened next, honey?”
The little one, his voice weaker and more frightened, revealed, “Father Thomas told me it was a special place. He lit the candles and started doing strange things, Mommy. It was really scary.”
The mother, terrified but still trying to remain calm, asked, “What did he do, my love? You can tell me.”
And tears also began to fall from the eyes of the poor mother, who felt the pain of her little son in that moment of dread. The little boy, crying and struggling to continue, said, “He took a glass and… and he drank blood, Mommy. And he said that one day I’ll have to drink it too. I don’t want to. I don’t want to drink blood,” and the little boy burst into tears.
The woman, horrified, felt her stomach turn over and her heart burst. However, she hid her fear so as not to frighten little Bruno even more. She hugged him tightly and made a promise, running her hand through his hair as he cried, “Don’t worry, my love. You’re safe, and I won’t let anything bad happen to you, ever. I won’t let anyone do that to you, okay? We’ll sort it out together.”
At that moment, worry and fear took over Elizabeth, who wondered what Father Thomas really wanted with her son and what was behind those macabre actions. The boy’s desperate face and tears were a reminder of how much she had to protect him and find out the truth behind what had happened in that church.
So, without thinking twice, she picked up the phone and called the police. When they answered the call, the poor mother began to tell them, her voice filled with fear, everything that little Bruno had revealed to her about the priest.
“Please, you have to do something. My son is terrified. He said that the priest drank… Oh my God, drank blood and said that one day he would have to do it too. I don’t know what to do. I just want to protect my son,” the worried policeman asked her to calm down and promised to investigate the case. But one of them spoke with astonishment, “Are you sure, ma’am? Father Thomas is very well known and respected in the community. We’ve never heard of anything like this before.”
The young woman, increasingly terrified, insisted, “Yes, I’m sure. My son would never lie about something like this. Please, come quickly.”
The police agreed to send a vehicle to investigate the situation and take the boy’s statement. While waiting for the police to arrive, the mother and son were frightened and unsure of what was going on.
As she gave her statement, Elizabeth couldn’t hold back her tears. She felt helpless and afraid of what might happen to her son. Her thoughts began to spiral. Was it the right choice to come to this town? What else could happen to my son? Can we really find peace and security here?
When the police arrived, she welcomed them into the living room of their home. The officers listened attentively to the little boy’s story. He was completely terrified. They seemed skeptical and surprised by the allegations but promised to investigate the case.
“We’re going to the church to investigate the situation, ma’am. Your complaint will be taken seriously, and we will do everything we can to protect you and your son,” so everyone headed to the church, ready to confront the priest and find out the truth about the frightening events. The mother, with a mixture of fear and courage, was determined to protect her son and confront the priest, regardless of the consequences.
When they got there, the police opened the large wooden doors and went inside. They searched the interior, looking for the man. Meanwhile, mother and son followed them, tense and apprehensive, holding each other’s hands.
After a few minutes, they found Father Thomas at the back of the church, in a room full of old books and manuscripts. He was concentrating, reading one of the volumes, when he was surprised by the abrupt entrance of the policemen, the young mother, and the little boy.
“Father Thomas!” exclaimed one of the policemen, gun in hand. The man, visibly surprised, looked at them and then at the little boy and asked, “Bruno, what’s going on? Why are you all here?”
Elizabeth, disgusted and with tears in her eyes, couldn’t contain her anger and accused him, “You told my son he would have to drink blood! Have you gone mad? How could you do that to a child?”
What he replied, completely confused and worried, the police had to intervene to calm the mother down, while the priest, looking confused, denied the accusations.
“I never said that!” he exclaimed.
The police, still skeptical, mentioned the room with drawings on the floor and the allegation that he had drunk blood. Father Thomas listened to everything with an expression of perplexity and concern.
“What? I never drank blood! My son came home crying, scared that he’d have to do the same thing. You did in a secret room, full of strange drawings on the floor, you took a big glass, and then drank that in front of my son, and you said that one day he would have to do it too. Do you deny that?” Elizabeth was furious.
However, it was then that the priest realized what had happened. “Good Lord, there’s been a big misunderstanding. Please let me explain what’s going on,” pleaded Thomas. Everyone was attentive, waiting for the outcome of that unusual episode.
And then the priest explained, “My dear, I understand your pain as a mother, and I’m glad to see that you even called the police to protect your son from what you thought was danger. But there’s no need to worry. I was just teaching the altar boy about church rituals and the symbolism of wine as the blood of Christ. I took him to the room at the back where the chalice and the wine are, and there are some drawings on the floor, but they’re of Jesus at supper with his disciples. I took a sip from the chalice full of wine and said that one day when he was older, he would also take part in this very important celebration.”
Elizabeth was shocked. She didn’t even know what to say. The little boy, still unable to understand anything, stared wide-eyed at the priest.
“I would never say something so macabre and frightening to a child,” said Thomas.
So, Bruno, calm down. You won’t have to drink something like that. It’s not real blood, okay?” The poor mother, still distressed, looked at everyone there, trying to absorb what she had just heard.
“So, wait, it was all just a misunderstanding?” she thought.
Father Thomas then took the opportunity to explain in detail to the little boy about Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross and the meaning of the Christian communion, clarifying the symbolism of the wine and bread in the Eucharist. He used simple words appropriate to little Bruno’s age so that the child could understand without fear.
The mother, observing the scene, was relieved to see that the little one seemed calmer and more understanding. She realized how wrong she had been and how unnecessarily frightened she had been. Embarrassed by the inconvenience caused, the girl apologized to Father Thomas.
“Father, I’m sorry. It was all a misunderstanding. I should have talked to you before taking any rash action,” the man sympathetic replied.
“Don’t worry, Elizabeth. I understand your concern as a mother, and I know that you acted with your son’s well-being in mind. That just shows what a good mother you are,” he said.
She also apologized to the police officers, who understood that the woman was only concerned about the safety of her little one. They said goodbye, advising Elizabeth to maintain open communication with the priest and the community to avoid future misunderstandings.
With the situation clarified, the atmosphere in the church gradually returned to normal. Bruno, now safer and understanding better how everything worked, continued to attend church and learn from Father Thomas, who became more careful when approaching delicate subjects with the children.
Elizabeth, for her part, learned a valuable lesson about the importance of dialogue and mutual understanding. She realized that, despite the challenges and uncertainties that life had in store for them, faith and community could be a source of support and comfort for her and her son.
And so, the life of mother and son continued, with ups and downs, joys and sorrows, but always with faith and hope for a better future where love and understanding would guide their steps and decisions. And if you liked this story, I’m sure the next video that pops up on your screen will move you too. Don’t forget to subscribe, give us a thumbs up, and activate the notification bell so you don’t miss any of our upcoming videos. See you in the next heartwarming story!
