After much sorrow and violent secrecy, Ray Donovan (Liev Schreiber) may be taking a turn toward contrition.

Episode 8 of Season 3, which is pleasantly titled “Tulip,” brings back Father Romero (Leland Orser). A description of the Showtime show states holy man will appear at Fite Club, the place where Ray finds his pugilist peace, and challenge the “fixer” to repent for his sins.

That will no doubt take some time.

Previously Father Romero has told Ray that he knew the truth about Father O’Connor, a pedophile priest who paid the ultimate price for his own sins.

Father Romero has always been the kind of priest who has no problem playing with fire, or at least stoking it. Bringing up the killing of Father O’Connor unearthed a lot of long buried memories of sexual abuse for Ray.

Ray’s dark secrets run deep. He and his his youngest brother Bunchy were both molested, and his entire adult life has been marred by a nasty feeling of resentment that his criminal father did nothing to prevent the abuse.

Orser, with screen credits like “Seven” and “Taken,” knows a thing or two about portraying men in states of foreboding. The 55-year-old actor seems to be well clued in to the murky world his character inhabits and to some extent instigates. Speaking with Nuke the Fridge about his work on Season 3, he said, “I play a Catholic priest which is never a good thing on that show.”

A teaser for “Tulip” has Ray pointing a gun at Romero’s face and then we see him digging a grave. It doesn’t look too good for the man of God.

“Ray Donovan” airs Sunday nights at 10 p.m. on Showtime.