Austrian Deacon's Supermarket Ministry

Following the lead of banks that have been opening branches in grocery stores over the course of the last decade, an Austrian deacon is touring the western province of the country offering free spiritual counseling to shoppers at local markets.

Deacon Willi Holzhammer is touring the Alpine province of Tyrol each Saturday and setting up his service for shoppers.

The retired computer specialist already runs a page on social networking site Facebook where followers can "Ask Willi" for advice.

"Personal encounters are just another step," Holzhammer said in a press release from Catholic news agency Kathpress.

His supermarket service will run for five weeks and be held at different towns in the western province.

So social media is apparently only the first step. Then religious services will be moving on from Facebook to your local the grocery store. While I can see where shoppers who might otherwise have trouble making it church would appreciate a service like this and I wish Deacon Holzhammer well, I have to say that it does kind of undermine one's sense of religious awe to be receiving spiritual wisdom and insight right next to the checkout line.