The COVID-19 coronavirus has forced many groups to adapt and change the way they normally operate, including churches.

One behind the other, cars lined up in the parking lot of St. Annsa国际传媒檚 Catholic Parish in Penticton, waiting for their turn to confess.

Friday, April 10, served as the second time the Catholic Parishes of Penticton have offered drive-thru confessions, a new practice popping up in other areas of the province allowing individuals to practice their religion while social distancing.

Father Nick Meisl, of St. Patricksa国际传媒檚 Parish in Vancouver, also hosted physically-distant confessions in a parking lot on April 8.

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With the garage door open, priest in place behind a screen, each drove in, parked, and confessed. Some did so from behind a screen in private, some chose to sit so they could see the priest.

sa国际传媒淭he reason why we are doing it this way, is because we still want to connect with our people, and bring Godsa国际传媒檚 message; Jesus still wants to bless the world with love and forgiveness and mercy, in spite of whatever is happening in the world,sa国际传媒� said Father Obi, who serves both Catholic parishes in Penticton.

sa国际传媒淧eople are afraid and they want peace.sa国际传媒�

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With Easter weekend here, many churches are offering different ways for their congregations to participate in service. The Catholic Parishes of Penticton have been live-streaming services with sometimes up to a thousand viewers joining them from their homes.

sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檝e been able to do everything wesa国际传媒檝e always done, but are doing it now online,sa国际传媒� he said.

For Father Obi, Sunday will mark the first time he has conducted an Easter service without hundreds in the rows in front of him.

Parishioners in both St. Annsa国际传媒檚 Parish and St. John Vianney Parish are finding it hard not to celebrate the holiday with their community.

In the Catholic religion, Easter weekend consists of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday, which commemorates the resurrection of Jesus.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 been hard for people, for me too,sa国际传媒� Obi said. sa国际传媒淭his is the first time as a priest I wonsa国际传媒檛 be able to celebrate Easter - this is the greatest time in our Catholic traditionsa国际传媒� it is tough.sa国际传媒�

Despite this, Obi is optimistic.

sa国际传媒淲hat it has done, it has, in a very deep way, has bonded us together. Because sometimes there are things we take for granted. We see each other every day. But right now because of the difficulty of the day, and the isolation, wesa国际传媒檝e been even more spiritually bonded. So as difficult as COVID-19 is, itsa国际传媒檚 bearing some fruit, (there is) a silver lining.

sa国际传媒淚n this time of crisis, somehow, itsa国际传媒檚 bringing about something new. Itsa国际传媒檚 bringing before us new opportunities. Itsa国际传媒檚 bringing before us some kind of internal renewal, in our hearts, and in the family, and in the church as a whole.sa国际传媒�

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editor@pentictonwesternnews.com
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