Religious parties, like many others, have been made to take a rest under lockdown but hasn’t meant the end of all of the sacraments.
Back in Limoges, in southwestern France, clergy are inspired by the worlds of fast-food and theatre and embraced the idea of the drive-in confession.
The loyal sit in their vehicles and connect their sins into the waiting priest.
“We thought about it for 3 months, and because the Feast of Mercy follows the Easter weekend, at which we now meditate a great deal on God”s forgiveness and love, we did the same in our car park”
The drive-ins happen for 2 hours each Saturday, and the thought appears to be going down well with the parishioners.
“It is not in any way shocking,” said one girl. “On the opposite, there is a great deal of freedom. It is maybe even simpler to converse to the 2 meters between us”
“It feels great to get things off your chest while at precisely the same time respecting the principles of social distancing,” inserted a teenaged boy.
“The church knows how to adapt itself to be able to allow believers to gain access to this sacrament,” another guy clarified.
The organizers expect the drive-ins will tide worshippers over before the more customary in-church services could be resumed, even though the French government has made it very clear that won’t occur until at least June 2.