Father Rivard is a priest in a small, economically depressed coal mining town. Working on what he thinks is a controversial work, he lives with the brutal lives of his poor parishioners, the old, unfriendly nuns in the nearby convent, and his own self doubts. When Rita, an energetic and bright young Sister, arrives at the parish, he finds someone he can talk to, someone with whom he has much in common. This sets into motion a series of events that leads to Sister Ritas death - and the indictment of Father Rivard in that act.