Ep 17. The Priest in the Churchyard

The episode titled "The Priest in the Churchyard" belongs to season 2 of the popular crime procedural drama series called Bones. In this episode, Dr. Temperance Brennan and FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth investigate the death of a Catholic priest whose body was found in a church graveyard.

The episode begins with Brennan and Booth being called to St. Agnes Church to investigate a dead body found there. Upon arrival, they discover that the deceased is a Catholic priest named Father Joseph O'Malley. The cause of death seems to be a head injury, and there are no apparent signs of struggle or forced entry.

As the investigation proceeds, the team discovers that Father O'Malley was a chronic gambler who had been in debt to a local loan shark for a significant amount of money. To make matters worse, he had also been skimming funds from the church's collection plate to pay off his debts.

The team interviews several people, including the victim's colleagues at the church, his gambling buddies, and the loan shark who had been hounding him for money. However, none of them seem to have any clear motive for killing the priest.

Meanwhile, Brennan and Booth's professional relationship is tested when Booth arranges for her to attend mass with him, hoping it will help her understand the significance of the investigation and their personal relationship. However, Brennan's skepticism about religion and her tendency to over-analyze things make for some awkward moments during the service.

As the investigation continues, the team uncovers some shocking revelations about the victim's past, including a previous relationship with a parishioner and a scandal involving the church's finances. The clues ultimately lead the team to an unexpected suspect who is finally brought to justice.

Overall, "The Priest in the Churchyard" is a suspenseful and engaging episode of Bones that highlights the complex workings of the Catholic Church and explores the often-complicated relationship between faith and reason. The investigation leads the team down several surprising paths before ultimately revealing the truth behind the murder, proving yet again that no one is truly righteous.