A young American Catholic priest, Father Frank Morello, volunteers to assist a seriously ill and elderly colleague working in a foreign country. Arriving in an impoverished nation, Father Morello does not foresee the tumult he would confront and the challenges it brings to his vocation.
The tempestuous Sister Carmona, in charge of a religious Order of women, welcomes Father Morello to the village of San Carlos, and he slowly gains the respect and devotion of the people. But a brutal and treacherous dictator dominates the country who, sensing the charismatic priest as a threat, stages Father Morello's arrest. In a sham trial, a judge sentences the priest to prison.
Incarcerated, injured, and beaten by guards, Father Morello encounters another inmate, the former popular mayor of the city, who seeks revenge for the murder of his brother ordered by the dictator. Together, the two escape and flee to the capitol city where friends conceal them. Their plight lights the fire of revolution among the citizenry.
Sister Carmona urges Father Morello to lead the country in its fight for freedom, but his conscience and vows as a priest reject violence. Torn between his faith and his dedication to the people, Father Morello must resolve a moral dilemma-before the country implodes.