2017-02-25

An Irish church will offer a drive-thru service for Ash Wednesday, which fall on March 1st this year.

Churchgoers will be able to drive up to St Patrick’s Church in Glenamaddy, Co Galway and receive the traditional Ash Wednesday blessing from the comfort of their cars, the BBC reports.

On Ash Wednesday, which marks the first day of Lent, Catholics go to church to receive the blessing and have their foreheads marked with ash in the shape of a cross.

St Patrick’s Church will allow parishioners to drive up to its front door, receive the blessing, and get back to work, school, and busy lives.

Conveniently, the church has a lane that leads right up to its front door.

Fr Paddy Mooney and the church's pastoral council both agreed to the strategy.

"We looked at the situation on the ground. People and families are on the move all the time," Fr Mooney told the Irish Catholic.

"It's about meeting people where they are."

The church has also decided set up a Lenten petition box on the grounds,that will allow people to submit prayer requests during Lent without having to leave their car.

"We're just putting it in front of people to help them think of Lent, as a reminder of it," said the priest.

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