Priest offers drive-thru confession during coronavirus pandemic

The priest maintains a distance of 6 feet during the confessions.

March 21, 2020, 12:17 PM

A priest in Maryland is offering drive-thru confessions during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Father Scott Holmer administers the confession every day in the parking lot of St. Edward Church in Bowie, according to the church's schedule.

He sits on a chair while cars pull up to him.

PHOTO: Father Scott Holmer, of St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church, makes the sign of the cross while holding confession in the church parking lot, on March 20, 2020, in Bowie, Md.
Father Scott Holmer, of St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church, makes the sign of the cross while holding confession in the church parking lot, on March 20, 2020, in Bowie, Md. Holmer, who sits six feet away from those in cars, holds drive thru confessions daily in the parking lot of the church due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Rob Carr/Getty Images

Holmer keeps a distance of 6-feet between himself and those who wish to confess, abiding by the social distancing practice that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges the public to follow to stop the spread.

Worshippers can also confess anonymously. Those who wish to do so can alert Seminarian Joe McHenry and Holmer will go behind a "screen," which is an eye mask, according to the church.

The schedule for drive-thru confession is Monday from 8:45 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Tuesday from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Wednesday from 8:45 a.m. to 9:40 a.m. and from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Friday from 8:45 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Saturday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Confession is cancelled if it rains, the church said.

There are now more than 284,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus globally and at least 19,624 in the United States, according to data by Johns Hopkins University.

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