In this new age of social distancing, even priests have to get creative. Innovations have included parking lot confessions, drive-by blessings, and now - baptism by a water pistol. In one photo, now going viral, a Tennessee priest is seen baptizing a baby, complete in a white baptismal gown - with a water pistol while standing a safe six feet away.
Another priest in Canada has already adopted the same approach to christenings using a Super Soaker! Not all are happy with the approach and some have criticized the use of water pistols in the church as comical and, at worst, disrespectful. But as the old adage says, God moves in mysterious ways. The Tennessee priest in the now-viral photograph has told parishioners that the photo was staged, and was meant to be funny.