Sacrament of Reconciliation - Drive-Up Confessions

DRIVE-UP CONFESSIONS on SATURDAY, MARCH 28 AND SATURDAY, APRIL 4 FROM 3:00 - 4:00 PM IN THE CHURCH PARKING LOT.

Hearing confessions in a time of pandemic is one of the great pastoral challenges we face in these days before Easter.  There is a unique solution which maintains the minimum "social distance" of six feet (keeping both confessor and penitent safe) and respects the privacy of the penitent coming for confession.  Here is how it works:

1.  Fr. Javier and Msgr. Mike will be in the church parking lot seated in  chairs.
2. The driver pulls forward and stops in a designated space six feet away, rolls down the window, turns off the engine and remains in the car.
3. The priest hears the person's confession, prescribes a penance, and gives absolution.
4. The car pulls away.
5. The next car, which has been waiting at a distance, then pulls forward.

This format for celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation presumes that there is only one person in the car and there is not an option for an anonymous confession.