WWW.THEFLORIDACATHOLIC.ORG March 20-April 2, 2020 Volume 81, Number 10

JOSEPHINE VON DOHLEN

Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON When public Masses in the Archdiocese of Wash- ington were suspended in efforts to prevent the spread of the corona- virus, Father Scott Holmer, pastor at St. Edward the Confessor Parish in Bowie, Maryland, got creative about bringing the sacraments to his local community. Only 10 minutes before hearing confessions March 14, Father Hol- mer, wanting to prevent the sharing of common surfaces such as kneel- ers, chairs and doorknobs among his parishioners, came up with the idea for drive-through confessions. Grabbing his purple stole, a chair and some orange traffic cones, Fa- ther Holmer went outside and set up an outdoor confessional. Seminar- ian Joe McHenry helped direct cars one by one up to the priest and told Father Holmer when to blindfold himself when the penitent asked for an anonymous confession. This is where we priests have to be creative about how to bring Christ to people when we can't do that in our church buildings," Fa- ther Holmer said. "We need to bring Christ to people now, to bring him to others in a safe way that won't in- crease infection." Penitents only have to leave their car when there is more than one person in the car and they can line up behind the car and move into the driver seat when it is their turn for confession. That little car becomes the little confessional seat," Father Holmer said. Reactions, he said, have been positive in the community, and Father Holmer said he plans to con- tinue each day during the regularly scheduled Mass times. In the event of rain, there will be no confessions. We're flying by the seat of our pants here, just trying to figure out how to do this," he told the Catholic Standard, newspaper of the Arch- diocese of Washington. In a time when there is so much uncertainty about the future, Fa- ther Holmer said he encourages people to remain hopeful. We're in a time when we're scattered, but there will also be a time when we're gathered together again," he said. "Keep hope on that time when we will return." This period away from the Mass, Father Holmer said, will hopefully spark "greater gratitude" in the hearts of many. Right now we're going through Lent, but eventually Pentecost is go- ing to return and we will be together -- just wait," Father Holmer said. In addition to the drive-through confessions, Father Holmer and McHenry also are going out each day for a eucharistic procession through different sections of Bowie, blessing each house with the sign of the cross and the Monstrance.

Drive-through confessions in a church parking lot

RECONCILIATION IN THE MIDST OF COVID-19

Father Scott Holmer, pastor at St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Bowie, Md., offers drive- through confessions in the parking lot of the parish March 18, 2020, keeping a safe distance away from penitents amid the coronavirus pandemic. (ANDREW BIRAJ, CATHOLIC STANDARD CNS)

Father Holmer said he is limit- ing the procession to himself and the parish's seminarian to avoid crowds. "Stay in your homes, and we'll come to you," he said. With all the uncertainty that lies ahead, Father Holmer said he en- courages families to pray together, read Scripture and pray the rosary together. He sees this time as a "desert ex- perience," but he says people have the opportunity to make an active, purposeful choice to devote their time to God. God is increasing our longing for the sacraments and the ability to share them in a radically new way," Father Holmer said. "In their ab- sence, (we are) realizing how much we desire them (the sacraments)."

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MARK PATTISON

Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON Actor John Rhys- Davies may be best known for his role as Gimli in the "Lord of the Rings" film trilogy, but given that he's got more than 260 movies and television series under his belt, he may be better known by some for another project. One of his latest is the role of St. Pat- rick, the patron of Ireland, in "I Am Pat- rick." The movie was to play on select U.S. screens two days only, March 17-18, but the screenings were canceled due to concerns over the coronavirus pandem- ic and will be rescheduled. Asked what attracted him to the part, Rhys-Davies, in a March 10 telephone in- terview with Catholic News Service from the Isle of Man in England, where he has a home, said simply, "The man himself." But, as is Rhys-Davies' wont, he elabo- rated. "This is really the first sense of au- tobiography that we have coming out of the Dark Ages," he said, a reference to St. Patrick's "Confessio." And his achievements are remark- able. He goes there a slave, and the is- land he visited was a nightmare: human sacrifice, very painful torture, people liv- ing in fear and superstition. And yet, be- cause of him, by the ninth century, Ire- land - which was one of the most sav- age countries in the world - is the light of the North. Catholic Irish civilization by the ninth century is one of the great illuminating lights of civilization. What an achievement! Who would not want to play just some part in exploring just how that happened?" Patrick was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken to their homeland as a slave. He escaped, returning to Britain, then 10 years later he felt called to return to Ire- land as a missionary. Rhys-Davies, 75, is one of three Pat- ricks in the movie. You'll see him writing his "Confessio" and reminiscing about the events of his younger days, and he'll narrate some of the action off screen as well. What I love about this man is that he is a man as well as a saint," Rhys-Davies said. He's doing God's work and he's go- ing to do this way because that's the way it has to be done." I Am Patrick" "seeks to debunk many of the myths and legends that have grown up around its subject over the centuries. The goal is to capture who Patrick really was as a man and a follow- er of Christ," said a review of the movie by Sister Hosea Rupprecht, a Daughter of St. Paul. Writer-director Jarrod Ander- son "gives moviegoers an opportunity to view this popular saint as the lover of Christ and proclaimer of the Gospel that he was."

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Actor savors the opportunity to play St. Patrick in new movie

John Rhys-Davies stars in "I Am Patrick." The Catholic News Service classification is A-II - adults and adolescents. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association. (COURTESY CBN CNS)