Pope: Confess sins directly to God if no priests available during virus pandemic

“A Vatican tribunal that deals with matters of conscience, including confession, called the Apostolic Penitentiary, issued a notice Friday, stating that though absolution of sin is the usual means through which sins are forgiven by a priest, in times of ‘grave necessity,’ such as now with the ongoing spread of the virus, other solutions are needed… Confession is considered a sacrament in the Catholic Church.” - CPost