Priest offers drive-thru confessions to beat virus
INQUIRER.net stock photo
A parish priest in western Poland is offering his flock the possibility of Easter confessions from the comfort of their own car as social distancing to fight the coronavirus becomes the new norm.
“We’ve already done a practice run… I have an appointment with a family of five tomorrow and next week I’m due to hear a parishioner confess every sin from his entire life,” Father Adam Pawlowski told AFP.
The priest from the western village of Rogalin plans to park his car in an alley by the church and will roll down his window for the parishioner parked at least 1.5 metres (five feet) away to avoid any potential coronavirus infection.
Every year many Poles attend confession before Easter in the majority Catholic EU member of 38 million people, which has 1,120 confirmed cases of COVID-19 including 14 deaths.
The religious authorities have reminded the faithful that confession via telephone or the internet is not valid but says the in-person location does not have to be a church confessional.
Article continues after this advertisementDrive-through confessions have appeared the US and online mass and other initiatives are also appearing as people try to live a normal life in the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic. RGA/JB
Article continues after this advertisementRELATED STORIES:
To find COVID-19 cure, researchers worldwide given access to supercomputers
How maps and ‘mapathons’ can aid Philippines amid coronavirus, disasters
For more news about the novel coronavirus click here.
What you need to know about Coronavirus.
For more information on COVID-19, call the DOH Hotline: (02) 86517800 local 1149/1150.
The Inquirer Foundation supports our healthcare frontliners and is still accepting cash donations to be deposited at Banco de Oro (BDO) current account #007960018860 or donate through PayMaya using this link.
