神圣职责是一部卓越的欧美剧，AtMidsomerPriory,hometoasmallgroupofnuns,MotherThomasAquinasisstrangledand,shortlyafterwards,asetofsilverworth£60,000isfoundtobestolenfromthesafe.SisterCatherine,themostrecentmemberoftheorder,turnsouttobedescendedfromSirAnthonyVertue,whodonatedthepriorytothenunstwocenturiesearlierandBarnabylearnsthatiftheorderisendedshewillinheritthelandandbuildings.FatherBehan,whoheardthenuns’confessionsandhadlongexhortedMotherJulian,theprioress,tosellthepremises,isalsokilledandthemissingsilverturnsup,notstolenbutsoldbyMotherThomasAquinas.ThenBarnabylearnsofanatrocityinAfricathirtyyearsearlierwhereMotherJulianwasamissionary,whichcouldhelphimsolvethecasebutalsoputanendtothesacredtrust.