An Opportunity to Make Things Right

http://m.ctpost.com/opinion/article/A-young-man-grabs-opportunity-to-do-right-7080092.php

New Prison Ministry Program in Malta

The interaction of the American and Maltese Associations of the Order of Malta has led to the development of a new prison ministry program on Malta. From the SMOM website in Rome,

The Maltese Assocation of the Order of Malta has initiated a Prison Ministry Project aimed at providing a visiting service to inmates of foreign nationality at the Young Offenders Unit Rehabilitation Service in Corradino, Malta. The inmates, all aged between twenty and twenty-five years old, have come to Malta from across the globe and are mostly in prison pending their court cases being heard and judgements issued. In this capacity they can be held for a lengthly period of time and, without family in Malta, lack any form of humanitarian contact with the outside world. The Prison Ministry Project will reach out to those inmates who will best benefit from the individual guidance, companionship and friendship that this project provides.

In preparation for the first visit the Maltese Association’s team took care to specially select volunteers who would best interact with each individual inmate. Following this first meeting inmates and volunteers will come together every fortnight to continue the development of this new social activity. Afterwards, it was agreed that the project would be both a beneficial and valuable ministry, and that it’s developement will become an important part of the Maltese Association’s activities.

This project came about as a result of interaction between the Maltese Association and the Order of Malta’s American Association, which has been running a regular prison ministry since 2006. The American Association’s prison ministry began as a small local venture and now its activities reach inmates across the United States.

Archbishop Dolan Visits Prison on Staten Island

Archbishop Dolan went to visit those who could not come to him when he went and said Mass for the inmates at Arthur Kill Correctional Facility yesterday morning.

"A lot of people come see me. You couldn't come see me, could you? So I wanted to see you," Dolan said.

Convicted murderer Kevin White honored the archbishop with an original song of inspiration and strength. "It's very reassuring for those who have made permanent changes in their lives, like myself and the others who are inside this prison and those who are striving to make changes," White said.

"He is our bishop and our friend. And that is more important to me, that I could actually talk to him, shake his hand, it means everything in the world to me," said Antonio Quiles, an inmate.

Archbishop Dolan timed his visit during this season of Lent to praise the prisoners for their spiritual growth and acceptance of God's mercy.

"Can you imagine guys that everything in the world is going wrong for them? And here they are singing and praying and smiling and happy and welcoming. That gives me inspiration and hope!" Dolan said.

To see the full report click here.

Blessed John XXIII's Feast Day

Today is the feast day of Blessed John XXIII who was a Bailiff Grand Cross of the Order of Malta.  When he became Pope he revived the custom which was last done by Pope Pius IX of Christmas visits to Regina Coeli prison in Rome.

From the book, Wit and Wisdom of Good Pope John, is this story,

During a visit to the Regina Coeli prison in Rome, the Pope requested that the inmates be allowed to leave their cells so that he might address them in the main courtyard of the prison.  In the course of this speech he did not hesitate to recall that one of his cousins had once been arrested for poaching and had served a stretch in jail

The Pope exressed pleasure at this opportunity to visit these incarcerated thieves, murderers, seducers. "I have come," he said, "you have seen me. I have looked into your eyes, I have placed my heart alongside your hearts. Be assured that this meeting will remain deeply engraved in my heart."

Among the prisoners who were allowed to approach the Pope, there were two murderers. One of them, after kissing the Pontiff's ring, looked up at him with deep sadness on his face. "Are those words of hope you have given us meant for such a great sinner as I am?"

In response the Pope bent over the convict and embraced him.

Another important note that shows how important prison ministry was to Pope John XXIII is that he only used two missals in celebrating his Mass: one had been presented to him by the inmates of Melun; the other was a gift from the convicts of Regina Coeli.

Blessed John XXIII's Feast Day

Today is the feast day of Blessed John XXIII who was a Bailiff Grand Cross of the Order of Malta.  When he became Pope he revived the custom which was last done by Pope Pius IX of Christmas visits to Regina Coeli prison in Rome.

From the book, Wit and Wisdom of Good Pope John, is this story,

During a visit to the Regina Coeli prison in Rome, the Pope requested that the inmates be allowed to leave their cells so that he might address them in the main courtyard of the prison.  In the course of this speech he did not hesitate to recall that one of his cousins had once been arrested for poaching and had served a stretch in jail

The Pope exressed pleasure at this opportunity to visit these incarcerated thieves, murderers, seducers. "I have come," he said, "you have seen me. I have looked into your eyes, I have placed my heart alongside your hearts. Be assured that this meeting will remain deeply engraved in my heart."

Among the prisoners who were allowed to approach the Pope, there were two murderers. One of them, after kissing the Pontiff's ring, looked up at him with deep sadness on his face. "Are those words of hope you have given us meant for such a great sinner as I am?"

In response the Pope bent over the convict and embraced him.

Another important note that shows how important prison ministry was to Pope John XXIII is that he only used two missals in celebrating his Mass: one had been presented to him by the inmates of Melun; the other was a gift from the convicts of Regina Coeli.

How We Help In The Conversion of Death Row Inmates

A common criticism aimed at pro-life people is that they are opposed to abortion but not the death penalty, therefore they are hypocrites. Now there are numerous faults with this logic not the least of which is the verity of the statement to begin with. The argument continues that it is necessary to oppose the death penalty because we must allow the guilty person an opportunity to repent and by executing him we are denying him that chance to be reconciled to God. The assumption is that a life sentence in prison will provide the greater opportunity for this person to seek forgiveness. But I read something yesterday that I feel is cause for deeper reflection on the issue and places the responsibility for the conversion of death row inmates, or even all prisoners in general, on our praying and making sacrifices for them.


In the book St. Therese A Treasured Love Story by Archbishop Sheen he tells how St. Therese offered herself as a victim for others in imitation of Jesus. She said:

I had been told about an abandoned wretch who had just been condemned to death for appalling crimes, and there was every reason to think that he would die impenitent. He must be saved from Hell. I tried everything. There was nothing I could do myself, but I could offer to God our Lord's infinite merits and all the treasury of the soul of the Church.

I got my sister Celine to have a Mass said for me. I asked it for myself because I was shy about owning that it was for Pranzini, that wretched criminal. I'd rather not have told Celine, but she questioned me so eagerly and lovingly that I had to tell her. And she didn't make fun of me. On the contrary she wanted to give me her help in converting this sinner. I was only too thankful, and I would have liked all creation to join with me in praying for the grace that was needed. And in my heart I felt certain we would not be disappointed.

I did ask for a sign. I told God I was sure He meant to pardon that unfortunate Pranzini, and I had such confidence in our Lord's mercy that I would cling to my belief even if Pranzini didn't go to confession but only made some gesture of repentance. I would like to see some sign of repentance from him while I offered my sacrifices for him. Pranzini went to the guillotine refusing the ministry of the priest. But the priest accompanied him nevertheless, and just before the knife fell, he said to the priest, "The crucifix! The crucifix!" And he kissed it and went to his death.

"Our Lord died for sinners, the Little Flower took on moral guilt for sinners." (Bishop Sheen) So St. Therese did not write on whether or not the death penalty was right or wrong. She did not argue for sparing his life in hopes that he might live a long time in prison and thereby somehow choose to repent for his crimes. No she offered herself as a victim. She actively worked for Pranzini's conversion. Likewise we must follow the Little Flower's example. If we oppose the death penalty on the grounds that it deny's the individual the opportunity to repent we cannot assume that simply allowing this person to live out a life sentence in prison will be any more likely to effect their conversion. We must take an active role in asking God to soften the hearts of hardened sinners.

How We Help In The Conversion of Death Row Inmates

A common criticism aimed at pro-life people is that they are opposed to abortion but not the death penalty, therefore they are hypocrites. Now there are numerous faults with this logic not the least of which is the verity of the statement to begin with. The argument continues that it is necessary to oppose the death penalty because we must allow the guilty person an opportunity to repent and by executing him we are denying him that chance to be reconciled to God. The assumption is that a life sentence in prison will provide the greater opportunity for this person to seek forgiveness. But I read something yesterday that I feel is cause for deeper reflection on the issue and places the responsibility for the conversion of death row inmates, or even all prisoners in general, on our praying and making sacrifices for them.


In the book St. Therese A Treasured Love Story by Archbishop Sheen he tells how St. Therese offered herself as a victim for others in imitation of Jesus. She said:

I had been told about an abandoned wretch who had just been condemned to death for appalling crimes, and there was every reason to think that he would die impenitent. He must be saved from Hell. I tried everything. There was nothing I could do myself, but I could offer to God our Lord's infinite merits and all the treasury of the soul of the Church.

I got my sister Celine to have a Mass said for me. I asked it for myself because I was shy about owning that it was for Pranzini, that wretched criminal. I'd rather not have told Celine, but she questioned me so eagerly and lovingly that I had to tell her. And she didn't make fun of me. On the contrary she wanted to give me her help in converting this sinner. I was only too thankful, and I would have liked all creation to join with me in praying for the grace that was needed. And in my heart I felt certain we would not be disappointed.

I did ask for a sign. I told God I was sure He meant to pardon that unfortunate Pranzini, and I had such confidence in our Lord's mercy that I would cling to my belief even if Pranzini didn't go to confession but only made some gesture of repentance. I would like to see some sign of repentance from him while I offered my sacrifices for him. Pranzini went to the guillotine refusing the ministry of the priest. But the priest accompanied him nevertheless, and just before the knife fell, he said to the priest, "The crucifix! The crucifix!" And he kissed it and went to his death.

"Our Lord died for sinners, the Little Flower took on moral guilt for sinners." (Bishop Sheen) So St. Therese did not write on whether or not the death penalty was right or wrong. She did not argue for sparing his life in hopes that he might live a long time in prison and thereby somehow choose to repent for his crimes. No she offered herself as a victim. She actively worked for Pranzini's conversion. Likewise we must follow the Little Flower's example. If we oppose the death penalty on the grounds that it deny's the individual the opportunity to repent we cannot assume that simply allowing this person to live out a life sentence in prison will be any more likely to effect their conversion. We must take an active role in asking God to soften the hearts of hardened sinners.

Second Chances - Michael Vick

In our parish bulletin this week our pastor wrote a column dealing with NFL quarterback Michael Vick and his recent release from prison.

For those of you who don't know, Michael Vick was just released from prison after serving time for funding a dog fighting operation.

There are a couple of things about this story that I find interesting. First, I am amazed at the amount of hatred that has been directed towards Michael Vick. This is not to say that I am condoning dog fighting. Dog fighting is a terrible thing, but what if people showed the same hatred for other forms of evil that are happening in the world? There are millions of people starving in our world each day. Christians are persecuted and not allowed to practice their faith. Women are still victims of domestic abuse. Millions of babies are aborted each year. The list goes on and on. The challenge for us is that every injustice in our world demands our attention. Part of our mission as Christians is to bring both justice and mercy to a world torn by sin.

Second, his story once again challenges us to forgive as Jesus Christ taught us. Tony Dungy, a former head coach in the NFL, went to visit Michael Vick while he was in prison. Tony is a faithful Christian who has tried his best to live his faith both in his profession and in his family life. This is what he had to say about the situation.

"Michael's future, just like those of thousands of other inmates around the country is worth saving. [ . . . ] I firmly believe Michael deserves a second chance in life. I understand how appalling dogfighting is, and in no way do I condone it. But he was given a punishment that the court deemed appropriate, and now he exits prison having paid for that crime. It's time to let him bounce back after that loss. If we are willing to forgive Michael and take an honest look at the person who is leaving that prison we might be surprised at what we see. We might see a man who says 'I'm sorry' with his actions and not just his words. We might see a man who wants to get back to his three children and stop the cycle of young people growing up without a father to help them. I'm not sure of the Michael we would see on the field, but I believe we would see a very different person off the field. That's what would be exciting to me."

Put yourself in the shoes of Michael Vick. Would you want to be given a second chance? All of us have done things in our life that we would do differently today. We give thanks to God for the many times we have been forgiven.

Second Chances - Michael Vick

In our parish bulletin this week our pastor wrote a column dealing with NFL quarterback Michael Vick and his recent release from prison.

For those of you who don't know, Michael Vick was just released from prison after serving time for funding a dog fighting operation.

There are a couple of things about this story that I find interesting. First, I am amazed at the amount of hatred that has been directed towards Michael Vick. This is not to say that I am condoning dog fighting. Dog fighting is a terrible thing, but what if people showed the same hatred for other forms of evil that are happening in the world? There are millions of people starving in our world each day. Christians are persecuted and not allowed to practice their faith. Women are still victims of domestic abuse. Millions of babies are aborted each year. The list goes on and on. The challenge for us is that every injustice in our world demands our attention. Part of our mission as Christians is to bring both justice and mercy to a world torn by sin.

Second, his story once again challenges us to forgive as Jesus Christ taught us. Tony Dungy, a former head coach in the NFL, went to visit Michael Vick while he was in prison. Tony is a faithful Christian who has tried his best to live his faith both in his profession and in his family life. This is what he had to say about the situation.

"Michael's future, just like those of thousands of other inmates around the country is worth saving. [ . . . ] I firmly believe Michael deserves a second chance in life. I understand how appalling dogfighting is, and in no way do I condone it. But he was given a punishment that the court deemed appropriate, and now he exits prison having paid for that crime. It's time to let him bounce back after that loss. If we are willing to forgive Michael and take an honest look at the person who is leaving that prison we might be surprised at what we see. We might see a man who says 'I'm sorry' with his actions and not just his words. We might see a man who wants to get back to his three children and stop the cycle of young people growing up without a father to help them. I'm not sure of the Michael we would see on the field, but I believe we would see a very different person off the field. That's what would be exciting to me."

Put yourself in the shoes of Michael Vick. Would you want to be given a second chance? All of us have done things in our life that we would do differently today. We give thanks to God for the many times we have been forgiven.

Bishop Wenski of Orlando on the Prison Situation

Insightful column from Bishop Wenski of Orlando on the prison crisis.

Earlier this year, a federal court found conditions in California prisons so overcrowded and inhumane that it ordered that state to reduce its prison population by one third. But these conditions are by no means unique to California. As a nation we incarcerate more of our population than any other Western country, more than even the Soviet Union did. Today, the United States has more than 2.2 million people in prison on any given day – and in the course of a year some 13.5 million passed through our correctional institutions.

How did this come about? There are lots of reasons, of course. The crisis in our families – the breakup and dissolution of American families, especially among the poor - certainly left many young people rudderless. Many did not only lose their way; they never learned the way.

Access to better legal counsel and resources often allow the rich and better educated offenders to defer or avoid prison. The incarcerated tend to be the ill-educated, the mentally ill, drug addicts or the poor. And, because of ill considered tougher entencing laws and tougher parole laws that seek more to punish than to rehabilitate, our prison populations continue to grow. “Three strikes” laws often end up sentencing minor criminals to a lifetime of jail for what are relatively petty third offenses. Justice is supposedly blind – but given the inequities of the criminal justice system today, one could right say that justice is crippled.

Our Judeo-Christian tradition has always called for the humane treatment of prisoners and has emphasized that imprisonment should lead to the rehabilitation
of the prisoner so that he can return to society and resume his place as a productive citizen. The reality of prisons today is far from this ideal. While society needs to be protected from the worse among us, there is little effort to rehabilitate the nonviolent and the misguided. And while our constitution prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, what we see happening in our prisons is cruel and inhuman. The spread of infectious diseases in prisons, including AIDS, and the sexual violence that occurs within prison walls point out just how inhuman conditions are in our nation’s prison system today.

All this reflects the sad reality of the incarcerated today whether they are in a small county jail, or a large federal prison. Their world is one of pain and despair. Because nobody wants to live next door to a correctional institution, they are usually built in isolated rural areas – and so prisoners end up “warehoused” far from their families – and so, “out of sight, out of mind”, the rest of society allows itself to simply ignore them.

Violence begets violence: man’s inhumanity to man consists not only of crime itself but also how we as a society treat the wrongdoer. The inmate is our brother or sister in Christ, a child of God who in spite of whatever crime he or she might have committed does not forfeit his or her dignity as a child of God.

As a Church we must proclaim and promote the respect of each person’s dignity – this must include the unborn, the handicapped, the elderly…and it cannot fail to include the prisoner as well. Here in the Diocese of Orlando, many of our priests, deacons and faithful minister to the incarcerated. Their ministry is truly a work of mercy. They take to heart Jesus’ words in his parable of the Last Judgment (cf. Matthew 25): “I was in prison and you visited me.” After all, Jesus himself was imprisoned and suffered crucifixion, the means of capital punishment of his time. And from the cross, he beatified a common criminal who history now knows as the “Good Thief” because he “stole” heaven – getting there before even before the sinless Virgin Mary.

Bishop Wenski of Orlando on the Prison Situation

Insightful column from Bishop Wenski of Orlando on the prison crisis.

Earlier this year, a federal court found conditions in California prisons so overcrowded and inhumane that it ordered that state to reduce its prison population by one third. But these conditions are by no means unique to California. As a nation we incarcerate more of our population than any other Western country, more than even the Soviet Union did. Today, the United States has more than 2.2 million people in prison on any given day – and in the course of a year some 13.5 million passed through our correctional institutions.

How did this come about? There are lots of reasons, of course. The crisis in our families – the breakup and dissolution of American families, especially among the poor - certainly left many young people rudderless. Many did not only lose their way; they never learned the way.

Access to better legal counsel and resources often allow the rich and better educated offenders to defer or avoid prison. The incarcerated tend to be the ill-educated, the mentally ill, drug addicts or the poor. And, because of ill considered tougher entencing laws and tougher parole laws that seek more to punish than to rehabilitate, our prison populations continue to grow. “Three strikes” laws often end up sentencing minor criminals to a lifetime of jail for what are relatively petty third offenses. Justice is supposedly blind – but given the inequities of the criminal justice system today, one could right say that justice is crippled.

Our Judeo-Christian tradition has always called for the humane treatment of prisoners and has emphasized that imprisonment should lead to the rehabilitation
of the prisoner so that he can return to society and resume his place as a productive citizen. The reality of prisons today is far from this ideal. While society needs to be protected from the worse among us, there is little effort to rehabilitate the nonviolent and the misguided. And while our constitution prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, what we see happening in our prisons is cruel and inhuman. The spread of infectious diseases in prisons, including AIDS, and the sexual violence that occurs within prison walls point out just how inhuman conditions are in our nation’s prison system today.

All this reflects the sad reality of the incarcerated today whether they are in a small county jail, or a large federal prison. Their world is one of pain and despair. Because nobody wants to live next door to a correctional institution, they are usually built in isolated rural areas – and so prisoners end up “warehoused” far from their families – and so, “out of sight, out of mind”, the rest of society allows itself to simply ignore them.

Violence begets violence: man’s inhumanity to man consists not only of crime itself but also how we as a society treat the wrongdoer. The inmate is our brother or sister in Christ, a child of God who in spite of whatever crime he or she might have committed does not forfeit his or her dignity as a child of God.

As a Church we must proclaim and promote the respect of each person’s dignity – this must include the unborn, the handicapped, the elderly…and it cannot fail to include the prisoner as well. Here in the Diocese of Orlando, many of our priests, deacons and faithful minister to the incarcerated. Their ministry is truly a work of mercy. They take to heart Jesus’ words in his parable of the Last Judgment (cf. Matthew 25): “I was in prison and you visited me.” After all, Jesus himself was imprisoned and suffered crucifixion, the means of capital punishment of his time. And from the cross, he beatified a common criminal who history now knows as the “Good Thief” because he “stole” heaven – getting there before even before the sinless Virgin Mary.

St. Josephine Bakhita

Today is the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita who I think makes a good patron for those in prison. Originally from Sudan she was bought and sold as a slave and kept in captivity six times before finally joining a family that treated her with respect. There is a wonderful story that appeared last year in the bulletin of the Archdiocese of Atlanta - Office for Black Catholic Ministry detailing her life. There is also an inspiring story of a prisoner on death row who learned of her story and as a result turned his life around and now gives support to the Order that St. Josephine belonged to. That story can be read at Catholic News Service.

The inmate, Jeff Tiner, in an Oregon state prison, is a former white supremacist who wore swastika and ‘White pride’ tattoos. A Lay Canossian sent a letter to him. The inmate’s response to the encounter was his decision to become Catholic. He received the sacrament of Baptism in prison. He is currently providing great financial support to abused women and children in Sudan, the homeland of St. Bakhita. Mr. Tiner now works to relieve the suffering of Black Africans in his efforts to do God’s will.

Pope Benedict also remarked on her life in his encyclical Spe Salvi,

"Bakhita came to know that this Lord even knew her, that he had created her—that he actually loved her. She too was loved, and by none other than the supreme [Master], before whom all other masters are themselves no more than lowly servants. She was known and loved and she was awaited. What is more, this master had himself accepted the destiny of being flogged and now he was waiting for her “at the Father’s right hand.” Now she had “hope”—no longer simply the modest hope of finding masters who would be less cruel, but the great hope: “I am definitively loved and whatever happens to me—I am awaited by this Love. And so my life is good.” Through the knowledge of this hope she was “redeemed,” no longer a slave, but a free child of God."

Pope Benedict XVI
from paragraph 3 of SPE SALVI (Saved by Hope),
His Holiness’ Encyclical Letter on Christian Hope
30 November 2007

Here are some thought of St. Bakhita in her own words.

I have given everything to my Master: He will take care of me… The best thing for us is not what we consider best, but what the Lord wants of us!

I received the Sacrament of Baptism with such joy that only angels could describe…

O Lord, if I could fly to my people and tell them of your Goodness at the top of my voice: oh, how many souls would be won!

If I were to meet the slave-traders who kidnapped me and even those who tortured me, I would kneel and kiss their hands, for if that did not happen, I would not be a Christian and Religious today…

The Lord has loved me so much: we must love everyone…we must be compassionate

I can truly say that it was a miracle I did not die, because the Lord has destined me for greater things…

Mary protected me even before I knew her!

When a person loves another dearly, he desires strongly to be close to the other: therefore, why be afraid to die? Death brings us to God!

Prison Ministry - Suggestions for Action

The following is taken from the USCCB document, Responsibility, Rehabilitation, and Restoration: A Catholic Perspective on Crime and Criminal Justice published in 2000. The appendix offers some suggestions on how to get active in prison ministry. The full document can be read at the USCCB website.

Appendix
Suggestions for Action

The Catholic community has a tremendous history and capacity to help shape the issues of crime and criminal justice in the United States. Few organizations do more to prevent crime or heal its effects than the Catholic Church. Through many committed individual Catholics, prison ministry programs, parish outreach efforts, Catholic schools, diocesan peace and justice offices, community organizing projects, ex-offender reintegration programs, family counseling, drug and alcohol recovery programs, and charitable services to low-income people, the Catholic community responds to criminal justice concerns in a wide variety of ways. But we can do more.

This list of suggestions and resources is by no means exhaustive. Rather, it is intended to give individual Catholics, parishes, and dioceses some directions about programs and policies that reflect Catholic principles and values as we work together to implement this statement.

Teach Right from Wrong, Respect for Life, Forgiveness and Mercy
Parish priests, Catholic educators, and a wide variety of other efforts assist parents in teaching children right from wrong, respect for life, and forgiveness and mercy. Catholics also can have an impact in their own families and communities, when they teach by example and demonstrate these values by their actions.

Respect for human life—the cornerstone of Catholic social teaching—is a key to our work in criminal justice because we believe that the current culture of violence contributes to crime. We bishops urge Catholics to work against the violence of abortion, euthanasia, and assisted suicide. We call for renewed efforts to abolish the death penalty. In addition, Catholics must work to ensure that everyone has access to those things that enhance life and dignity: decent housing, a job with a living wage, and health care. Catholics can

• Promote a culture of life, alternatives to abortion by supporting adoption, foster care, and homes for unwed mothers
• Read the U.S. Catholic Bishops statement, Renewing the Mind of the Media: A Statement on Overcoming Exploitation of Sex and Violence in Communications, which offers ways for Catholics to help curtail the use of violent and sexual content on radio and television and in print media and movies.
  
• Support local programs that offer young people character-building opportunities and divert their energy to positive endeavors: athletics, Scouting, Church-sponsored after-school and evening social programs, and tutoring and literacy programs.
  
• Encourage schools, churches, and neighborhood centers to teach conflict resolution, especially to children, as a way to reduce tension and violence.
  
• Work to ensure that jobs, affordable housing, and accessibility to health services are available in your community.
  
• Oppose attempts to impose or expand the death penalty in your state. In states that sanction the death penalty, join organizations that work to curtail its use (e.g., prohibit the execution of teenagers or the mentally ill) and those that call for its abolition.
  
• Invite parish discussions for collaborative responses to the death penalty—such as public prayer vigils, tolling of church bells, penitential practices—when an execution is scheduled.

Stand With Victims and Their Families

The Church's witness to victims and their families must be more focused and comprehensive. We must see victims as people with many needs, not just those satisfied by the criminal justice system. The government's role is to ensure that the offender is punished, that reparations are made and that the community feels safe, but victims have spiritual, physical and emotional needs that are often best met by family, friends, neighbors and the community of faith. The Church should pursue policies and programs that respond to all the needs of victims of crime, just as we do to victims of natural disasters. To support victims, Catholics can

• Learn more about the types of programs that are available for victims at the local level. For example, many states offer reparations for victims of violence, and some local churches have developed effective victim ministry programs.
• Catholic parishes can work to discover the gaps in meeting victims' needs and explore ways to fill those gaps.
  
• Support local programs that work to train people for victim ministry. Where these programs don't exist, join with other churches, civic, and community groups to form networks of people ready to respond to the material, emotional, and spiritual needs of victims.
  
• Promote victim ministry programs at the parish level with the goal of having a consistent and comprehensive presence to those affected by crime. Parishioners can bring meals, secure broken windows and doors, and offer emotional support to victims of break-ins or violent encounters. Pastoral ministers should become familiar with services available through Catholic Charities and other counseling agencies and victims' programs and help connect victims with these services.

Reach Out to Offenders and Their Families

Just as victims of crime have a variety of needs, so do offenders and their families, especially the children of offenders. The Church should not only have a strong presence in prisons and jails—where we Catholics work to meet the spiritual and emotional needs of inmates—but should make special efforts to assist children left without the support of their incarcerated parent. Catholics can

• Promote prison ministry programs at the diocesan and parish levels. We affirm the dedicated deacons and priests who carry forward this mission. We welcome lay ministers—both volunteer and professional—who are indispensable to this ministry.
  
• Reach out to the families of inmates. Parishes can mentor families caught up in the cycle of crime, assist with transportation for prison visitations, offer material assistance when income is lost because of the incarceration, and provide counseling (often through Catholic Charities agencies).
  
• Promote prisoner re-entry programs. Often the most difficult time for a former inmate is trying to reintegrate into his or her community. Some parishes have made available church property for transition houses while others assist in providing the spiritual, material, and emotional assistance that the probation and parole system rarely provides.

Build Community

Catholics believe that life in community enables all people to be fully human. We value strong, intact families and healthy neighborhoods. Crime, especially violent crime, often destroys families and communities and can make everyone feel less safe or secure. Catholics are encouraged to promote all of those things that support family life and lift up the community. Catholics can

• Promote the variety of efforts in our neighborhoods that encourage active participation in the life of the community. Neighborhood watch groups, community-oriented policing, and partnerships between law enforcement and the local faith community are all part of the web of relationships that create safe and secure communities.
  
• Promote the work of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development in your local diocese by giving generously to the annual collection. Grants from the collection are given back to communities to support organizing projects which bring people together to work on community needs, including crime and criminal justice.
  
• Support programs in your community that engage youth and build their self-esteem. Become a Big Brother or Big Sister, mentor children at risk, and support school or community center programs that offer diversions for children between the hours of 3:00 and 8:00 p.m. when parental supervision is often inadequate.
  Discover new ways of dealing with offenders. Models such as Boston's "Ten-Point Coalition" can be replicated in many communities. These programs encourage partnerships between local churches and police and divert troubled teens from a life of crime to becoming productive citizens.

Advocate Policies That Offer Real Alternatives to Crime

Charitable works go a long way toward solving some of the problems of crime and victimization. Yet efforts to change policies and enhance programs that affect the treatment of victims and offenders, and those that help restore communities affected by crime are also essential to a new approach to crime and criminal justice. We Catholics must bring our beliefs and values to the attention of those in positions to influence policy. State Catholic conferences, diocesan offices (e.g., pro-life, education, and social concerns), and parish legislative advocacy networks can help individual Catholics to support public policies that reflect our values. Catholics can

• Learn about federal, state, and local policies that affect how criminal justice is administered.
  
• Join diocesan legislative networks to ensure that the Catholic voice is heard on crime and criminal justice issues. If your diocese does not have a legislative network, call your state Catholic conference or visit the website for the U.S. bishops' Office of Domestic Policy at www.usccb.org/sdwp for actions you can take at the national level.
  
• Talk to prosecutors, judges, chiefs of police, and others involved in the criminal justice system and seek their views on how the system can better reflect our values and priorities.

Organize Diocesan Consultations

A primary role for the Church is to gather people of different viewpoints and help them to reach common ground. Out of this dialogue can come greater appreciation for diverse perspectives, credibility for the Church's involvement in the issues, and ultimately a change of heart and mind by those who can impact the criminal justice system so that it more fully reflects gospel values.

• We bishops encourage dioceses to invite jail and prison chaplains, victims of crime, corrections officers, judges, wardens, former inmates, police, parole and probation officers, substance abuse and family counselors, community leaders and others to listening sessions. The purpose of these sessions would be to gain a better appreciation of all the parties affected by crime and involved in the criminal justice system, to seek common ground on local approaches to crime, to collaborate more easily in areas of mutual concern, and to build community among all these people of goodwill who are trying to make society safer and life more complete.
  
• State Catholic conferences may convene policy makers, ministers, and other interested parties at the state level and engage in a similar process of listening, learning, and planning in an effort to make the criminal justice system more reflective of justice and mercy, responsibility and rehabilitation, restoration and wholeness.

10 Prison Inmates Baptized In Cincinnati Prison

From The Catholic Telegraph , the archdiocesan newspaper of Cincinnati, is this Easter story of 10 inmates received into the Church by Archbishop Pilarczyk.

ARCHDIOCESE — Ten inmates at Lebanon Correctional Institution (LeCI) experienced the sense of hope and promise of new life that accompanies the Easter season when they were welcomed into the Catholic Church on March 23.

Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk presided at a Mass at the close-security prison during which the men received the sacraments of initiation. The men were Daniel Charles Baker, Eric Edward Harmon, Scott William Hampton, Jason Allen Harris, Jonathon Dean Leggett, Bernard Perfetto, Dean Allen Preston, David Stephen Sour, Benjamin Charles Walton and Timothy Wilson.

The archbishop baptized 10 inmates, welcoming them into the church.
Through our Lady of Sorrows Parish in nearby Monroe, both LeCI and Warren Correctional Institution are ministered to by a team of Catholic volunteers committed to serving the spiritual needs of their incarcerated Christian brothers, explained Christine Shimrock, who serves as a prison chaplain. The volunteers, representing a number of area parishes, strive to emulate the services provided at the parish level including Mass, instruction and one-on-on counseling. At LeCI, the Catholic group, comprised of approximately 30 inmates, meets weekly and Jesuit Father Gene Carmichael presides at Mass for the men twice monthly.

Shimrock, a member of St. Susanna Parish in Mason, said the opportunity to develop and share their faith is significant for the inmates on several levels. "Society is so quick to judge people for their mistakes, but God doesn’t work that way. It’s important restoratively for the inmates to recognize that we’re all forgiven. More than 85 percent of the inmates will return to society and, as a citizen, I would like someone to return having repented. This ministry enables the inmates to return full of faith and with some spiritual goals."

"They also benefit from the sense of peace and fellowship because they don’t find that in the prison culture," Shimrock added. "They find others who believe in and support them too. It’s the one place they won’t be judged, and they’re given the fundamental tools they need to rebuild their faith and their lives."

The 10 men petitioned Archbishop Pilarczyk to celebrate Easter Mass at the prison and confer the sacraments by writing letters and, along with the volunteers and LeCI staff, were thrilled to welcome him.

Joining the catechumens and their sponsors were volunteers from the prison’s Kairos program and many of their family members.

Shimrock praised LeCI’s administration for the decision to allow the inmates’ relatives to be present for the Mass. "This is unprecedented," she said. "Families aren’t allowed past the visitors’ area, so to see the place where the men worship is so meaningful. The prison administration and staff have been so supportive of our program. They realize that when the men are faith-filled, it trickles down to the entire prison."

During the offertory, food items were collected from inmates.
"It’s really something special today for the men being baptized," said Warden Timothy Brunsman, who attended the Easter liturgy. "We’re thrilled to have the archbishop here."
Also on hand for the joyous service were Fathers Carmichael, George Klein, Mark Schmieder and Terry Meehan, pastor at Our Lady of Sorrows.

In his homily, Archbishop Pilarczyk spoke of the joy of the Easter season saying, "Easter is the celebration of new life and Jesus’ return to the living. In baptism, we begin to live a new life — the life of the risen Jesus."

"Life’s a wonderful thing," he added. "It’s a great gift. Today we thank God for life. May you find peace and contentment in the life of the Lord."

Wearing crisp white shirts, the elect were then called forward to be baptized and confirmed. After the archbishop conferred the sacraments, the assembly welcomed the new members of the Catholic Church with resounding applause. The men later received the Eucharist for the first time.

Eric Harmon, who attended a Catholic high school, said he decided to participate in RCIA because "It was time to put myself spiritually where I needed to be and that is being a member of the Catholic family."

Being Catholic in prison is a challenge, Harmon acknowledged. "The pettiness goes to the extreme at times, and it’s rough to keep on the right path with the corruption going on around you, so I pray a lot," he said.

His fellow inmate, Bernard Perfetto, said what drew him to Catholicism is "the message of love, forgiveness and hope — three things that are in short supply in prison. It (becoming Catholic) really gives me the feeling that I’m a servant of God and that means a lot when you’re confined in a place like this."

Perfetto said his faith will also give him the courage to re-enter society when the time comes. "It gives me hope to know that there is a faith community I can be part of on the outside, a place where I will be accepted."

Raised with no religion in his life, Benjamin Walton said he felt a sense of belonging when attending Catholic Mass and found RCIA to be "educational and enlightening."

"I know this is where I want to be," he said of the Catholic Church. "I’ve been so excited. This is the day I’ve joined Christ. I can’t stop smiling."

Walton was especially excited to have several family members join him for the occasion, including his grandmother, Sharon Ray.

"I’m so proud that he chose this path," Ray said. "I wouldn’t have missed this day for the world."

Among the other relatives present were Lizabeth and Gary Preston, whose son, Dean, received the sacraments. Although not Catholic themselves, the Prestons said they wholeheartedly supported Dean’s faith journey and spoke of the difference it has made in his life.

"I’ve seen him grow a lot in his relationship with the Lord," Lizabeth Preston said. "This has also strengthened our bond. We’re much closer now. "

"He seems more at peace in all the chaos around him," Gary Preston added. "It’s only been through Christ that he’s been able to achieve that."

After many years of searching, Jonathon Leggett’s faith has also brought him a sense of peace. "I feel like a big weight has been lifted off my shoulders," he said. "Given the things I’ve done in the past, I never thought I could be forgiven. Knowing God has forgiven me is uplifting."

Bringing Hope To Those Behind Bars

H/T The Deacon's Bench for this article in The Chronicle Herald about Deacon Brian Smiths work to bring hope to those in prison. After 12 years as a full time chaplain at a men's correctional facility, he currently is ministering to female inmates 3 times a week. He describes some of the differences,

"From all he’s seen and experienced over the years, Brian feels incarceration is harder on women than men, particularly because of the separation it represents from kith and kin.

Not only that, he says, but many women, even though they may have committed a crime, are more likely to be the real victim, in some way. Brian reminds me that many women are abused at home or in a relationship, or are forced into addiction or some other vice by a relative or a loved one."

The message Brian tries to take with him into prison is one of hope.

"I like to think I’m giving them some kind of hope for a better life, for a better tomorrow, for them and their children."

It doesn’t always work, he admits. Some inmates will never be rehabilitated or feel remorse.

"You just have to love them and keep on trying to support them in any way you can."

He tells me that part of his prison duties is to give bereavement notices to inmates. He remembers one middle-aged inmate whose son had died violently. When Brian broke the news, the man fell to pieces.

"He felt himself trapped," he explains. "He wanted to be with his son. He felt he’d let him down because he wasn’t there to be with him, that he’d failed as a parent."

Brian remembers the heartbroken inmate kicking and screaming and crying. As with so much of life behind bars, Brian found it tremendously draining.

Just how tough is it in prison these days? Brian tells me 90 per cent of inmates are there because of some addiction.

"The attitude of inmates, when they’re together or in a group of other inmates, they have one personality: big tough guys who flex their muscles."

"They have another side?" I interrupt.

Oh yes, says the deacon. "When you take them into the chapel, or in the office and shut the door, they . . . go back in time; they remember when they were children." They remember being taken to church, playing while Mass was being held. They think back to some of the things their parents and grandparents tried to teach them.

"Some of the big tough guys get really teary eyed," says Brian. "They feel like a failure; that they’ve let someone down. "He shakes his head sadly. "They don’t recognize that they let themselves down."

Brian tells me that all prison inmates are offered a Bible, and that those who accept it become so absorbed in it that within a month the pages becomes dog-eared and heavily underlined.
The deacon isn’t surprised. When your world is reduced to a small cell, you start feeling no one cares.

"These are truly lost souls," he reflects.

He remembers befriending a young man who was in Burnside for a home invasion. The inmate had become an adherent of the Bible but, tragically, had been diagnosed with cancer and didn’t have long. Brian arranged for him to conduct the readings during regular prayer services and it was during this period that the dying man revealed he’d never been baptized. He asked to be admitted to the church. The inmate asked for full-immersion baptism but the only vessel large enough was the tub in the prison laundry.

Brian decided it would do just fine, so that’s where the ceremony was held, presided over by a priest and witnessed by the other prisoners. The deacon, who took the young man as his godson, will never forget the moment.

"When he came up for the third time, he had the biggest, most contented smile on his face. He’d found Jesus — in the bottom of a laundry tub in a prison chapel."

Despite its tremendous difficulties I think most people involved in prison ministry will tell you that it is the most rewarding ministry they have been involved with. Please remember them in your prayers and consider what Jesus said, "When I was in prison, you visited me."

There is more of the article to read here.

Catholic Death-Row Inmate and Evangelist

In the Catholic Sentinel there is an inspiring story of the conversion of an inmate on Death-Row in Oregon and the saint whom he credits for his conversion.