Father Tim Farley (Jack Lemmon), the popular priest of a conservative Roman Catholic parish, is challenged by upstart liberal seminary student Mark Dolson (Zeljko Ivanek). Farley is popular because he gives the parish what it wants, but Dolson's questioning of church policy conflicts with his easygoing and passive regard for rules. When the monsignor (Charles Durning) places newly ordained Deacon Dolson in Farley's parish, hoping Dolson will conform, it is Farley who reconsiders church dogma.