Based in Chicago, Father Urban Roche is a member of the Clementines, a fictitious religious order. In his estimation, the Clementines are stagnating. They care little about innovation and are content to remain as they are. Urban's charismatic, energetic personality contrasts with the rest of the Order. Through his charisma, he befriends a wealthy benefactor, Billy Cosgrove, who helps Urban secure new quarters for the Order. Despite Urban's charismatic spirit, he is sent to The Order of St. Clement, a failing retreat house in rural Minnesota.
In Minnesota, Urban is joined by Father Jack, an aging priest also transferred from Chicago. Father Wilfrid presides over The Order of St. Clement and is primarily concerned with completing repairs to the facility. To Urban's dismay, the property is in sorry shape, and the Order hardly has the means to repair it. True to his spirit, Urban dreams of making the retreat a better place, and it is renamed St. Clement's Hill.
Urban becomes involved with the surrounding communities, slowly gaining a following thanks to his public speaking skills. He plays a large role in revitalizing a local parish and makes connections throughout the community, particularly with the Thwaites family. Mrs. Thwaites, an aging widow, was the previous owner of St. Clement's hill before donating the property to the Order.
Thanks to Cosgrove's patronage, Urban is able to buy property neighboring St. Clement's Hill to turn into a golf course. With this innovation, the retreat becomes more popular than ever. The bishop, a man Urban feels greatly competitive with, comes to visit the golf course. The two play a game, during which Urban is hit in the head by a golf ball. This serves as a turning point for him.
Soon after this, Cosgrove and Urban take a fishing trip. Cosgrove cruelly attempts to drown a deer, and Urban knocks him out of the boat. Angry, Cosgrove responds in kind, pushing Urban out of the boat and stranding him. He is left to find his way back home. Luckily, while he is waiting for the bus, Mrs. Thwaites's daughter, Sally, drives by and offers Urban a ride.
The two spend the evening together on a small island in the middle of a lake on the Thwaiteses’ property, drinking and talking. Sally challenges Urban to a swim, but, feeling as if their relationship is heading in an immoral direction, he declines. Sally then goes for a swim alone and takes the boat, leaving Urban stranded again and forced to swim back to shore.
In terms of his career, Urban has never been more successful. He is soon elected Father Provincial and returns to Chicago. But his health is failing and his charisma and energy have ebbed. He has become part of the bureaucracy he formerly challenged and maintains the status quo.
