In a secluded house in a small seaside town live four unrelated men and the woman who tends to the house and their needs. All former priests, they have been sent to this quiet exile to purge the sins of their pasts, the separation from their communities the worst form of punishment by the Church. They keep to a strict daily schedule devoid of all temptation and spontaneity, each moment a deliberate effort to atone for their wrongdoings.
One dog is killed with an axe-type tool, and another is suffocated with a bag over his head. The suffocation lasts a while and you can hear the dog whimper.
While never shown, the whole premise of the film is predicated on the fact these priests have molested children in the past, and the topic is brought up extensively throughout the film.