Five years had passed since he’d departed the active priesthood, and as busy as he’d remained, the stunned sense of loss or deficit wouldn’t entirely go away.
-- Narrator (One paragraph 36)

Importance: This quote reflects on Timothy’s state of mind following his retirement and sets up one of the major themes of the novel, the need for a sense of purpose. Timothy struggles to figure out what he’s supposed to do with his retirement years and what purpose his life now has. As the novel progresses, Timothy begins to see that even though he is retired, he still ministers to the people of Mitford and that is his purpose.

Mitford takes care of its own!
-- Timothy (Two paragraph 131)

Importance: Cynthia says this to Timothy when she is trying to convince him that they should check out Irene’s house when the door is left open. Cynthia prompts Timothy to remember the former mayor’s...