Faith Matters - The Church Program

They live on the road: ride operators and performers roving from town to town, from one fairground to the next. They never stay anywhere long enough to join a parish, so the Church comes to them. Catholic priests from the Circus and Traveling Performers Pastorate crisscross Germany, baptizing children, celebrating Mass, offering counsel - wherever their flock has wandered: in bumper cars, between candy floss and hotdog stands, in circus tents and sometimes in a field. Traveling performers are steeped in their traditions and generally welcome the pastors with open arms. For their part, the priests develop a deep understanding of the joys and tribulations of the travelers.