HNS Prison Ministry

Taking the Witness Stand

2010-07-27T10:58:00.000-05:00

Our lives in time consist of witnessing ever-changing, never-to-be-repeated events and experiences and our reaction to each in turn. Events as objectively unspectacular as seeing the smiling face of a child, the touch of a cool breeze on a hot summer afternoon, the rich and clear song of an oriole; or as potentially heartwrenching as seeing the aftermath of a natural disaster, hearing the cries of the poor, or feeling grief over the loss of a loved one.

We can witness a crime or a beautiful sunset, an athletic achievement or an injustice, an accident or a miracle. We obtain understanding and personal knowledge by way of these experiences, and in most cases, this is where our witness ends: our personal knowledge. But our witness turns from passive to active when we attest to what we've seen or heard or come to know -- when we choose not to keep it to ourselves but use it as a conduit for change.

Going public isn't always easy. Change isn't always welcomed. Speaking the truth, testifying to the truth, often exacts a price. Family, friends, job, reputation. What may we be asked to give up by our testimony to the truth?

"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life." (Mt 19:29)

In the case of our religious conviction, by our faith in action, we become the evidence, the sign of Christ alive today. It is by our witness that we draw others to Christ and so continue to build up His Church on earth.

Witness my friend, Monty.

Hello Bill,

How are you doing? I hope this letter finds you and your kids doing great. I am getting along well and just wanted to let you know that I have received your letter of October 4.

On the subject of evangelization I do love to share my faith. It gives me great joy to be able to do so. I really count it as a blessing from the Lord to be able to share the Faith with others and to be able to answer or help find answers to someone’s questions.

An important step to be considered in evangelization is effective catechesis, which is something I am very interested in. I am working very hard now on learning proper catechetical foundations, principles, and methods so as to be able to properly instruct others. I have actually just recently been able to begin an advanced catechist education program which will provide me with the proper education and instruction to help me provide effective catechesis. I do take this very, very seriously.

In my particular situation here, or station in life, I have found that there is a definite need for proper teaching and Faith formation. My own struggles in this area have been long and at times very difficult due to la lack of adequate resources. I have worked long and hard to get to the point where I am at but along the way I have seen others who did not make it. Some did not make it because proper instruction was not available to them and to me that is a failure to meet the expectations of Christ. To be honest most people probably would not approach the situation — as it is here at this prison -- with the determination and outright refusal to give up or quit as I have. And quite frankly I do not believe that they should have to. Even though we are imprisoned here the resources should still be available.

And do you know what? In your letter you spelled it out perfectly. I quote, “We are where we are right now as part of God’s great plan.” Through my various struggles in this area I have been blessed. Through the process I learn anew the value of patience and perseverance. I have had some very limited resources become available that I have been able to share with others. It has at times seemed to be an excruciatingly slow process but the more blessings I am able to give out the more I get. And I love sharing these materials with my brothers. I am where I am right now on this journey as part of God’s great plan. I feel I have been tested in my struggles with this (and they are by no means over) and I have been blessed by the Lord to move to the next level. I feel that this was not supposed to be easy for me and through the grace of the Lord I hope to be able to make knowing the Truth — and having access to the keys to that knowledge a little less difficult for others here.

However, when all is said and done, it is just as you said and our greatest evangelization tool will always be our Christian witness to those around us. Our example of love and obedience to Christ is the best way for the message of salvation to show the power of its truth and to draw people to the Faith and to God. Isn’t it absolutely wonderful to be the light of the world? What an awesome privilege it is to be alive in Christ Jesus.

Well, I’ll close for now. Please know that you and yours are always in my prayers. I ask for your prayers for us here at Lieber C.I. Please take care and keep in touch.

Sincerely in Christ,

Monty

It is more blessed to give than to receive. Take 2.

2010-07-14T13:30:00.000-05:00

We have all been blessed with talents and the free will with which to share them. They are not meant to keep hidden for ourselves, but to distribute freely to those in need. This, in a nutshell, is the spirit of the volunteer. Not a sense of duty or obligation, or even "giving back to the community," but a realization that we are all part of a very large family - a "brotherhood of man" - and as such when one family member is in need, we are all in need; when one suffers, we all suffer.

Today volunteers can choose between a wide variety of causes and ministries; many of which can put to good use the time and talents we have to offer. This process of choosing may not be quick or easy, but is certainly rewarding.

Here's a letter from one such volunteer, who recognized that God was calling her to use her musical talents to serve her brothers in prison.

Eight years ago I felt inspired to take a Prison Fellowship (weekend long) training class. Prison Fellowship was started by Chuck Colson (sent to prison after Watergate scandal). Colson was converted while in prison and wanted to help the men he left behind when he got released and it’s now an international program! My idea at the time was to lead bible study classes for inmates in prison.

How I got the idea of prison ministry, I’m not really sure. I had been joining my neighbor, an evangelical, in prayer once a week. Gradually, I kept coming back to the idea of prison ministry. I took the training and really enjoyed it, but, nothing came of it.

Five years later, a priest at my parish offhandedly mentioned it would be nice if he had some help with the music at a Mass he said once a week at a prison. Since I’m active in our church music program, he wondered if I or someone in the choir would want to help him. Immediately, I dismissed the idea for myself even though I had taken the prison training years earlier. I felt covetous of the already limited free time in my schedule.

A few days later, I mentioned the idea of volunteering to Fritz, a retired musician in our choir. He and I decided to do a “trial run”, i.e. try it out one Sunday only. We thought we’d make a good combo since I play piano and could accompany on a keyboard while he led the singing.

A few months later, there was a mandatory orientation evening given by the prison (the do’s and don’ts-mostly don’ts). There’s a lot about boundaries and protocol. We also filled out an extensive application in order to obtain clearance.

After volunteering just one Sunday, we were both “hooked”. It’s difficult to describe our enthusiasm for something that would appear to be a “downer” to an outsider.

Before I continue, I have to interject-this whole experience is God driven. I believe God led me to this experience and has allowed for the doors to be opened. Immediately, upon entering the prison, I felt at peace.

Lino Lakes is a medium-security, all male facility. Almost all inmates will be released and the average sentence is 6 years. Some of them transferred from Stillwater or another high security location after good behavior.

Out of 1300 or so inmates, about 25-30 men normally show up for Catholic Mass. They must sign up in advance and they can choose not to show up but they cannot show up without signing up ahead of time.

This is a good group of men. Most are troubled with one or more addictions and many come from an abusive past. What I’ve learned is that all of us come together for this hour to worship and pray and we become “one Body in Christ.” Mass is the great equalizer. I truly feel that in some ways, I’m not that different from the men at Lino. I have my own failings, disappointments and heartaches and feel the need for healing.

The prayers that are offered during the petitions are so heartfelt that they’ve brought tears to my eyes. The men pray for each other and their families as well as their victims. Since their only link to the outside world is the news-they often pray for conditions in the world that they’ve just heard or read about.

All of the men sing!!! Whether they can hold a tune or not, they all seem to participate in their own way. I’ve jokingly told them that they sound more convincing than my congregation at home. They DO “make a joyful noise onto the Lord!”

Since the men are so stripped of their individuality, I see them striving for just a little dignity and sense of self. I’ve seen men change over time. A man will sit begrudgingly with his arm’s crossed one week and a few weeks later be leading us in a reading.

These men form a community-not much different than my parish community. There is something alchemical that takes place when a group of people get together to pray. I know that I’ve changed since becoming involved in this ministry.

My hope is that all of these men will continue their faith journey when they’re released. I pray that they’ll find a community that will be open-minded and truly welcome them. There still remains discrimination in job placement and housing and most of these men have personal demons to conquer and hold at bay so they really need all the support they can get once they’re released.

Everyone needs a second chance at times. If we don’t give these men a fresh start they’ll be prone to fall back into whatever bad choices brought them to prison in the first place.

I’ve come to believe that one of the greatest things in life is turning a bad experience into something that can serve us. Personally, I think I get more out of the weekly visits than the men…all of us get something from each other.

The saying is true: It’s better to give than receive. Giving of my time and energy fulfills me like nothing else in the world. I thank God that I “fell into” this ministry. I believe the ministry FOUND me.

M.U.
Church of St. Mary

As the saying goes: Volunteers aren't paid - not because they are worthless, but because they're priceless.

We can all find a little of our time and talents to devote to society's most isolated brothers and sisters. Please, consider volunteering for one of the prison ministries sponsored by this blog: Mary Mother of Captives Prison Pen Pal Ministry or St. Dismas Prison Ministry. Thank you.

I Have Come to Realize ...

2010-07-05T20:50:00.000-05:00

... that our lives consist entirely of choices. We spend each waking minute, whether at work, at play, study, or rest, deciding whether we’ll follow God’s will for us or not. Each and every one of these moments are intersections, forks in the road of life.

As an adult, I can look back down the road which I've traveled and see how these countless little decisions, from the time I could reason until the present day, for right or for wrong, have formed me into the person I've become. Habits, good and bad, virtues, vices. I try to keep ever in mind that at the end of the road, it's those countless little decisions I've made throughout life, that have mapped and paved my way to my eternal destiny.

So sure, we take the wrong path sometimes, but do we learn from it? Do we humble ourselves by getting up and begging forgiveness -- of both God and ourselves -- then take hold of His hand and start again? If so, we’ve gained a greater understanding of ourselves and a greater perspective on God. If not, we continue on our dark and winding path away from Him.

My pen-pal Ray wrote the following piece when he finally realized that by taking the right fork in each of those little day-to-day decisions, he allows God to re-form him, to change him into the man he was created to be. It's the first in a series entitled: Change.

I have come to realize:

If I am anxious, I must calm myself.

If I am angry, I must not act on it.

If I hate anyone, I must love all.

If I see chaos, I must promote peace.

If I want to be heard, I must learn to listen.

If I sow discord, I must be still.

If I want my own agenda, I must let others go first.

If I cost anything, I must see it has no worth.

If I am addicted, I must seek freedom.

If I am worried, I must pray for more faith.

If I am jealous, I must swallow my pride.

If I am depressed, I must count it all joy.

If I have a problem, I must see the opportunity.

If I hurt anyone, I must put myself in their shoes.

If I do all of the above, I must be changing.

You change every second you live. You are not the same person you were an hour ago. Your choice in life is to be in a self-made prison or to experience true freedom no matter where you might be.

Ray R.
Mule Creek State Prison

Ione, CA 95640

If we’re serious about getting to know Jesus better – if we choose to continue our faith journeys leading ultimately to a full and intimate knowledge of Him (the Truth) – we must pray for the grace to make the right decisions, to be shown the way. There’s no life, no peace, away from Him, so we must let our every breath be an act of praise and worship and thanksgiving to a loving Father. We must share with him the burdens and concerns that are on our hearts and lay them at His feet. Let Him love us, let Him change us -- for that is what He desires.

It is more blessed to give than to receive.

2010-07-02T13:26:00.000-05:00

Although that phrase is often heard in our modern culture in and around the Christmas season, few people seem to take it seriously. Even fewer recognize its origin: oddly enough, (the only?) words of Jesus not found in the four gospels. Paul's recollection of the phrase was faithfully recorded by Luke the Evangelist in Acts 20:35.

So, what does it mean? More blessed to give than to receive?! That must have sounded strange to the Jewish audience who had historically interpreted an abundance of possessions as a sign of God's blessing and favor. It probably sounds even stranger today. But if we really stop and think about the times in our lives when we witnessed or participated in true, unconditional and selfless charity, we know it to be true.

The expression on the face of a child who receives a cool drink or ice cream treat on a hot summer day -- or a warm coat and hat to ward off the winter's chill ... The look of relief from the visitors who have traveled a long and hard road when you open the door to welcome them in for the night ... The comfort brought to the old man, sick or dying in the hospital, the family who just lost a loved one, or the woman lonely and hungry for a visitor in the rest home ...

I can't put a price tag on the blessings I've received as a result of becoming a pen pal to prison inmates. Here is just one of many similar testimonials I've read from pen pals "on the outside" --

Dear Jack & Sophie,

Thank you so much for this ministry you provide. My whole mindset concerning unconditional love has been changed. I have learned so much from writing back and forth with Lonnie. I’ve learned how blessed I am, how difficult and lonely it is to be in prison, how amazingly God can work in peoples lives. I’ve learned to be proud of my Catholic faith and not to judge others. Lonnie has such a good heart and it tears me up to see this young man locked away... but I can also see God working in his life. Its so exciting!

Bless you both for this experience and I pray for continued success in your ministry.

Sincerely,

Katie D.

Jack and Sophie Weber reminded me that there are over 2.3 million men and women in America's prison system. Many have lost family and friends through years of incarceration or imprisoned a great distance from home. Mary Mother of Captives Prison Pen Pal Ministry is in desperate need of 500 people on the outside to write letters of encouragement to our incarcerated brothers and sisters in Christ. The program is free and based on complete anonymity -- letters are routed via a PO box and re-mailed by the Webers without full names or personal addresses.

Please help with this important ministry, this Corporal Work of Mercy: visiting the imprisoned. It costs just the price of a postage stamp and a little of your time and energy each month but I'm sure you too will find that the blessings you (and your pen pal) receive will far outweigh the costs.

A Change of Heart

2010-06-28T19:42:00.002-05:00

Why did God create us?

The old Baltimore Catechism says we were created to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this life and be happy with Him forever in the next. Or perhaps we can sum it up even more simply: we were created to give God the glory He is due.

All of creation gives glory to God by being most fully what the Creator intended. Inanimate objects and creatures without free will give glory to God simply by being. We creatures, with intellect and free will, can either choose or choose not to be what the Creator intended.

But giving our free will over to God is difficult for us. We human beings, with rare exception, slip and fall, we make mistakes that hurt others and ultimately hurt us, too. It’s important in life that we remember the mistakes we’ve made and own up to their consequences. To remember them, to receive forgiveness for them, to right any wrongs that resulted from them if we are able, but not to dwell on them -- since we have no control over the past. In this way, we form our character and we chart our course for the future.

The first step in the process of conversion is to humbly acknowledge our sinfulness. When we place ourselves in the rightful position of weak and sinful creatures completely dependent on a loving and forgiving Creator, we are primed for a great grace, a change of heart. We are all called to this conversion, no matter our circumstances or lot in life.

It's no coincidence that the St. Dismas Prison Ministry program chose the Greek word Metanoia ("change of heart") for the name/theme of their retreats. Here's how Bud Cope describes the mission of their ministry:

We, the members of the St. Dismas Holy Name Society Prison Ministry, impelled by the Spirit of Jesus, commit ourselves to sharing the Gospel with prisoners for a deep personal conversion -- a metanoia…

We achieve this by taking the Catholic faith to Catholics and others in prison through the presentation of our three-day Metanoia Retreat. This experience is aimed at a total, lasting conversion of life.

Additionally, we can offer a shorter two-day retreat experience. These shorter retreats, called mini-metanoias, may be offered in facilities where it is impossible to interrupt the prison schedule for a complete Metanoia Retreat (Thurs. evening to Sun. afternoon). These are focused on the daily conversions of heart to which we are all called.

An ongoing process, this re-forming ourselves into the image of Christ -- but that's what the Creator intended for us from the beginning. May God grant that we all experience that profound metanoia.

The Love of a Father

2010-06-19T23:33:00.001-05:00

Sometimes it's not easy being a father. Our children imitate what they've learned from us -- both the good examples, and unfortunately, the bad. We try to pass on the wisdom we've learned by experience -- to help them avoid the same pitfalls that we've fallen into ourselves -- but often see them following the same paths. We try to discipline but often exercise it imperfectly.

We all have our regrets as fathers -- our guilt, our shame, our wounded pride. As creatures modeled after our Creator we’re given the great gifts of memory and reason. And of course, free will. Unfortunately, due to our fallen nature, it’s that last gift that gets us into trouble at times. So He’s given us the sacrament of reconciliation to free us from that awesome weight of sin. But the effects of our sin remain, and one of the effects of a sin forgiven is a memory that haunts us, sometimes for years. To our benefit we’re told that our loving Father in heaven not only forgives, but forgets our sins, too.

What follows is a poem written by an inmate -- a father to his children.

“Sorry”
A Lifers Thoughts and Words

I’m sorry for all the years of your life I missed “And Counting"
I wanted to be there to put you to bed,
to play sports with both of you,
to take you to your first dance,
and to see you win your first trophy...
Please forgive me for never being able to experience such things,
what its like to watch you grow year after year,
or to be able to attend your graduation...
Please forgive me for never holding your hand close to my chest,
and for not being there when you were ill.
The mere thought of such a scene suddenly becomes clear to me,
my mind is void to me of such memories,
memories I cannot reminisce of,
the bliss which I otherwise would have known.
Yet I find it hard for me to understand,
How, how could I have allowed myself to fail as a man in test,
Known to the world as Fatherhood...
I question many reasons, the answer to this question,
can it be found under the lump in my throat,
by the endless overflow of my bitter tears,
tears streaming down my face leaving a shameful trace
a trace of those lost years...
Nevertheless, I realize that mere words will never be sufficient enough
to address these feelings buried in the past tense,
perhaps in my vain attempt my daughters to mend your wounds
I am found to be nothing more than a hollow tomb...
As long as I live I shall never lose hope for us to be together again;
For I Sincerely Love You My Daughters,
and as I go on with my life I promise I will be back,
back in your lives again forever.
After All I am Your Father and You Are My Daughters...

I LOVE YOU AND I AM SO–SO SORRY!
A LIFERS DREAM TO COME HOME SOME DAY
I’M SO SORRY! WILL THIS EVER END?

John K. AF7625
SCI Huntingdon
1100 Pike St.
Huntingdon, PA 16654-1112

We all have regrets, for we are all sinners, but from this knowledge we draw our hope; for Christ came not to call the righteous, but sinners. It is in our recognition of this truth -- our need for repentance -- that is our first step in conversion and which unites us more closely to Him.

Let's pray today for all fathers -- for those who are able to hold their children close, and for those who for whatever reason are separated from them. May our Father in heaven bless our families.

(This poem was used by permission from the collection: Words from the Inside by the Mary Mother of Captives prison pen-pal ministry.)

Lost Sheep

2010-06-12T22:28:00.002-05:00

A friend of mine used to tend sheep on his parent's farm as a boy. He explained to me once some of their curious habits, such as never drinking from running water, and always following the sheep directly in front of them. Somehow our discussion turned to the image of the shepherd from Matthew and Luke's gospels -- the shepherd who leaves the flock of 99 sheep to find the one that strayed.

He asked if I'd ever noticed that in some of the paintings of Jesus as the shepherd, the lamb hoisted upon His shoulders has a bandage around one leg. He told me that in some cases, a young lamb will habitually stray -- no matter how many times the shepherd brings it back to the flock, it soon runs off again. And it leads others astray as well.

So the shepherd breaks the leg of the wandering lamb.

Of course, the good shepherd continues to take care of the lamb by bringing it water and food and protecting it from predators. Over time, as the leg heals, the lamb becomes quite attached to the shepherd -- it recognizes its dependence on the shepherd for everything it needs to survive -- and so when the leg is healed and the bandage removed, it recognizes its master's voice and happily follows him wherever he goes. The lamb is literally transformed by suffering.

We believe in and regularly witness pain and suffering brought about as a result of sin, both original and personal. But what about the suffering that seems to be a result of pure happenstance? Or the saintly men and women who patiently suffer lingering illness or chronically debilitating disease? Sometimes our lack of trust makes us question: would a loving and caring God cause, much less allow, pain and suffering?

Well, maybe we can answer a question with another question: would a loving mother or father discipline a small child who was reaching for an open flame or toddling towards a busy intersection? I suggest that it would be a sure sign of uncaring, unloving parents who would refrain from doing so.

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (Heb 12:11)

Like that one rebellious lamb, there are times in our lives when we stray -- times when God has to break us of our stubbornness, our pride, and our self-sufficiency. He does it because He loves us and doesn't want to see us stray or lead others into spiritual danger. So he disciplines us, breaks us then fixes us, and as a result, we lead changed lives.

As we realize our dependence on Him, we learn to obey Him and then follow Him. No, the discipline of God isn't pleasant, but eventually, if we allow it, produces righteousness and peace.

In my second letter to my prison pen-pal, Monty, I asked him if he'd like to share his faith journey with me. By his response, he taught me a little bit about redemption and the gentle pull of faith, and a glimpse of what it feels like to be a lamb so lovingly tended to by the Good Shepherd.

Monty S. #215642
Lieber C.I.
Ridgeville, SC 29472-02O5

Hello Bill,

How are you doing? I hope this letter finds you and your family doing well. I am doing well here. Counting each day as a blessing from the Lord. I Just wanted to write and say hello.

In your letter of August 28 you asked me about my faith journey and I would like to share a little of that with you.

I was not raised in a religious family. We were not church going people. Not regularly anyway. As a child I did attend church from time to time but not enough to know what it was really and truly all about. I just was never taught.

When I was about 13 or 14 years old I had a friend who was Catholic and attended Saint Patrick’s Catholic Church in Perry. I started going there and I really enjoyed
it. I began weekly “conversion classes” but sadly it didn’t last for very long. I don’t remember why I stopped, but I did. I knew a lot of religious people throughout my life but I wasn’t one of them.

One thing about being incarcerated is that it gives you plenty of time to think. I would often think about the people I knew throughout my life up to the time of my imprisonment. I was in a sense trying to figure out why some of those people seemed to be successful in their lives while my life at that point had come to such a dismal failure. Not all of these people were necessarily wealthy in a financial sense. In fact, only a few would fit that category of “success.” They were all just successful at life. They were happy with life and always, or most always, seemed to be at least cheerful about things. I must have thought about this a hundred million times. I would even make lists of the people for comparison trying to figure it out. I was desperate to know where I had gone so wrong.

Then one day it hit me: The most successful people I had ever known in my life all had one very important link in common.

Religion. They were all Christians. “Wow,” I said to myself. I was glad to finally have that one figured out. And, that was that. Or so I thought at the time.

I had developed an interest in religious history and particularly in the history of Christianity. I was reading a history book a few years ago and there was information in that book relating to the fact that the Catholic Church could trace its history all the way back to the time of Christ with an unbroken line of leadership from St. Peter to the present pope. At times prior to this I had often wondered why there were so many different Christian “denominations” and this church or that church, but I don’t think it ever occurred to me that there must exist only one true Church of Christ built on the foundation of the apostles and actually led by Christ. I don’t know how this fact escaped me back at St. Patrick’s but I knew I was on to something.

One thing I really enjoy doing is learning. I love reading and researching and writing. So, I commenced my investigation of the Catholic Church and faith. I didn’t realize it at the time but what I started was going to take me down a completely new and wonderful path of discovery on my way to finally finding success and true happiness in my own life.

Now, all of this did not happen overnight. It took some time and along the way I suffered terrible personal loss in the death of my mom and older brother and the widening gulf between my son and I, among other things. Add to that the other terrible issues of guilt and remorse I have been suffering with since July 1993 and I was in awful shape spiritually and emotionally. I was completely useless. I had no life. I had no future. I had nothing. I was worthless.

Then, through the grace of God I finally began to connect the dots and the picture that emerged was of the Cross and Christ Crucified. Jesus left the 99 to find the one and on that day I was the one. He had been calling me all along. He has let me know beyond any shadow of a doubt that I am by no means useless or worthless. I do have a wonderful future and I have more blessings than I can count. I do have a life and my life is in Him. My hope is in my Savior and He will never let me down. What more could anyone hope for?

My divine reality is this: God is the most real thing in my life. There is no shortcut out of here or out of this life and He has given me an uncommon peace, strength and clear direction in my life. God designed me for success and I will achieve it. I used to wonder what I would do with what was left of my once-broken life — now I know. I became a new person and God made me that way. I was completely shattered and He fixed me and sustains me each and every day. He is my Savior and my hope and I do my best to bring Him honor and glory in all that I do. I was made to love Him.

Well, that is the beginning of my faith journey. We are all in pursuit of holiness and through the grace and love of Christ our Lord we shall someday achieve our goal and gaze upon the face of God for eternity. Please keep me in your prayers and know that you and your family are in mine.

May the God of hope fill you with all Joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

Sincerely in Christ,

Monty

The Light of the World

2010-06-08T20:55:00.001-05:00

The bible has plenty of what a skeptic might label contradictions, or at best, inconsistencies. Some of these are due to less-than-accurate translations. Others due to misinterpretation or unfamiliarity with the writing style of the text's ancient authors. But some of these are simply passages taken out of context.

John tells us that, despite the grumblings of the Pharisees, Jesus declared: "I am the light of the world." (Jn 8:12) Yet in today's gospel, we hear what seems to be a direct contradiction as He said to his disciples at the tail end of the Sermon on the Mount: "You are the light of the world." (Mt 5:14)

So, which is it? Is it Jesus or us, as His disciples, who are the "light of the world"? Well, I think this would be one of those both/and statements instead of an either/or. While Jesus is in the world, He is the light of the world. But we are the light today, here and now. Just as we continue the saving work of Jesus by being His hands, eyes, heart, and voice today.

St. Paul described our oneness with Jesus in this same fashion, as a body consisting of many parts (see Rom 12:4-5) with Jesus as the Head. We are all connected and all play our roles. Furthermore, our works of mercy build up one another -- and ourselves -- as members of His Body, the Church. He also explains that there are no unimportant or insignificant members of this Mystical Body. "God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it." (1 Cor:24-26)

Prison ministry gives us a unique opportunity to build up the Body. We touch others with the hand of Christ, love others with His heart. We may be the only contact with Him that He allows at this point in their lives. Yes, we mourn when they mourn but rejoice when they rejoice. We find that we too are built up when we build up another -- and are drawn closer to the Head when we draw another close.

Jack and Sophie Weber, the administrators of the Mary Mother of Captives Prison Pen Pal Ministry, recently received this email from one of the pen pals on the outside after receiving word that her long-time prison correspondent had been paroled.

From : Joan
Subject : Prison Ministry
To : mmocsprtgp@aol.com
Thu, May 13, 2010 05:48 PM
Dear Jack:
This e-mail is to confirm my conversation with you during which I requested that I continue to write to my penpal through your organization, now that my pen friend is out on parole. You were so pleased and supportive of my request. As I stated during our conversation, I believe that my inmate/penpal needs my letters more than ever. The devil likes to "attack" when one is on the right track and feeling ONE with our GOOD LORD.
I want to thank you ever so much for honoring my request. As I verbalized in our conversation, writing to someone in prison has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. If it were not for Mary Mother of Captives, I do not think I would have chosen this type of ministry. My penpal told me in one of his letters that he was losing faith in God until he received my letter. He believed that God gave him an angel . . . ME!!!!! Do you have any idea how I felt? I truly felt and believed that I was doing God's work, giving and receiving so much joy.

It has been three years that I have been faithfully writing to my pen friend, and anxiously awaiting his return letters. He saved all my letters and cards, and re-read them before departing the prison walls. I saved each of his letters/cards as well. Each and every letter to me began with praise and thanks. He was (and still is), so grateful for our friendship. I received more joy out of giving. His words were kind and heartfelt. As I had hoped, I was able to help him on his faith journey. Truthfully, he helped me on mine as well.

Words cannot express to you how thankful I am for you providing me, and many others, with this opportunity to serve others. What I have received in return is immeasurable. I look forward to my continuing writing relationship with my penpal. Today I received his letter that you forwarded to me. In it he stated how much he depends on my letters to help him on life's journey. Honestly, his letters to me have put much clarity into my own life.

Thank you ever so much. Blessings to you and Sophie and your continued efforts with Mary Mother of Captives.

Joan

Disciples make disciples. We are disciples. We are the results of the evangelizing work of our family, friends, neighbors, and acquaintances. We are the light of the world -- and we're given use of our hearts and hands, eyes and voices in which to help build up the Body.

"No one after lighting a lamp puts it under a bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let you light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven." (Mt 5:15-16)

The Newer Evangelization?

2010-05-28T19:16:00.000-05:00

And I thought that our call to evangelize was timeless ...

To evangelize is to preach the gospel -- to give a reason for our hope in Christ. Saint Peter tells us that, with gentleness and respect, "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for your hope." (1 Pet 3:15) His use of the word "always" is of no little significance -- literally, in every age and in every circumstance. When we encounter the Spirit of Christ, we are always driven to preach the gospel.

As Bl. Pope John XXIII convened the second Vatican Council, he spoke of the need to "open windows" of the Church and "let in fresh air". Regardless of the fact that some of our church facilities smell a little like grannie's attic, I'm pretty sure he was speaking about the Holy Spirit -- to let Him in, let Him move about freely and fill the Church as He did that first Pentecost.

Similarly, when Pope John Paul II called the faithful to a new evangelization, he wasn't intimating that for 2000 years the Church had gotten it wrong ("Out with the old evangelization and in with the new!") -- rather that what was needed was a rekindling of the fiery love with which the post-Pentacostal apostles taught and preached.

He wrote in his apostolic letter, Novo Millennio Ineunte (At the Beginning of the New Millenium):

We must revive in ourselves the burning conviction of Paul, who cried out: "Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel" (1 Cor 9:16).

This passion will not fail to stir in the Church a new sense of mission, which cannot be left to a group of "specialists" but must involve the responsibility of all the members of the People of God. Those who have come into genuine contact with Christ cannot keep him for themselves, they must proclaim him. A new apostolic outreach is needed, which will be lived as the everyday commitment of Christian communities and groups.

The St. Dismas Holy Name Society Prison Ministry was one such group borne out of the same Spirit, although long before JPII's call for a new evangelization. It's true that the Spirit moves each of us in different ways and endows us with just the right gifts and charisms to fulfill our individual mission in life, but the Holy Father was telling us that no Christian is exempt from the call to build a civilization of love by proclaiming the faith of Christ. The Great Commission to preach the gospel at all times and in all places, whether convenient or inconvenient, was given to disciples of every age and every walk of life.

Just ask octogenarian "Bud" Cope ...

Here's part 2 of a series of 3 excerpts from the article 'In Prison and You Visited Me', written by Eddie O'Neill and published in the National Catholic Register, July, 2009.

In Prison and You Visited Me

By Eddie O’Neill

Retreats inside prisons became his “life’s calling.”

In 2008, Cope and his prison-ministry group conducted 11 retreats at 11 different prisons across the nation. Prisoners sign up for a four-day retreat that runs Thursday through Sunday. Local volunteers help Cope and his co-leaders run the retreats. Called metanoia retreats (the word is Greek for 'change of heart'), these weekends are packed with inspirational talks, small-group sharing, prayer, Mass, and confession.

Father Tom Hayes in the Diocese of San Francisco, CA, seconds the importance of Catholic retreats for Catholic inmates. He serves as the spiritual director for the National Association of the Holy Name Society, under whose auspices the St. Dismas Prison Ministry operates.

“When you offer an authentic presentation of the Gospel, there is a positive result,” says Father Hayes, who will celebrate his 50th year as a Dominican this year.

He notes that, frequently, in prison ministry the depth of Catholic spirituality and teaching depends on the dedication of the prison chaplain. In many cases, he says, the chaplain in charge can be someone who misunderstands or misrepresents the Catholic Church.

When a St. Dismas retreat is offered, he adds, Catholic prisoners know what they are getting.

“This is a work that is bringing the love of Jesus to the people,” says Father Hayes. “The weekends are energetic and have an evangelizing effect on everyone involved.”

For additional information, please contact:
Harry "Bud" Cope
1823 Service Lane
Monessen, PA 15062-2317
(724) 684-4990

Please prayerfully consider providing financial support to this worthwhile ministry.

Please make checks payable to:
St Dismas Holy Name Society Prison Ministry
c/o Mr. L.P. Manns
298 Rolling Hills Road
Ruffsdale, Pennsylvania 15679

Signaling a Retreat

2010-05-26T14:56:00.010-05:00

In today's world, we all need structure, order, and balance to survive and thrive. Unfortunately, between housekeeping and yard work, running the kids to school activities and athletic events, the job, social and family commitments, exercise -- even vacations -- we leave precious little time for our spiritual growth.

The problem is probably not so much the quantity of the things we have to do in a given week, but the priority we give each of them. Inconsequential things in life can take up way too much of our time and energy. Sometimes we just need to step back and regain our perspective -- remember or find what is really important.

A retreat allows us to set aside or withdraw from those day-to-day concerns, agitations, and worldly inconsequentials in order for us to grow in our relationship with God and be energized with His grace. Once we are freed from the heavy burdens of the day-to-day, we are able to see and hear Him with greater clarity calling us to an ongoing conversion --becoming a conduit through which His Holy Spirit can work.

Jesus oftentimes in Scripture provided the witness to the importance of going off by ourselves to pray and fast. Today the practice of formal retreats -- once ascribed only to religious orders and hermitages -- have become more formalized and accessible to the average layman. The retreat typically employ a spiritual director who helps the participants reflect on their lives through the lense of their eternal destiny, and guide them towards God through prayer, study, conferences, and personal instruction.

Although one might find it difficult to imagine this scenario inside a maximum security prison, or the possibility that a prisoner can 'withdraw' from their surroundings, regardless of our individual circumstances or state in life, we all called to reform, refocus -- to become again the man or woman God created us to be.

What follows is part 1 of a series of 3 excerpts from the article 'In Prison and You Visited Me', written by Eddie O'Neill and published in the National Catholic Register, July, 2009. It features the St. Dismas Holy Name Society Prison Ministry and its founder, Harry "Bud" Cope.

In Prison and You Visited Me
By Eddie O’Neill

His name is St. Dismas, but he is better known as the Good Thief. His cry of repentance while hanging next to Jesus at Calvary guaranteed him eternity in paradise. This patron saint of prisoners and reformed thieves gives hope to inmates across America through St. Dismas Holy Name Society Prison Ministry.

“The prisoners are really touched by St. Dismas,” says ministry founder Harry “Bud” Cope. “They identify with him.”

Cope has been leading Catholic retreats for inmates — from hardened convicts in maximum-security facilities to young “prodigals” in juvenile detention centers — for more than 30 years.

The 80-year-old from the Epiphany of our Lord Church, Monessen, PA, told the Register he was first inspired to take action after making a Cursillo retreat in 1970. After asking God how he could live out his newfound Christian fervor, Cope felt the Lord leading him to answer the invitation of a neighbor who was working at a nearby prison.

Cope, a former wholesale grocer, became a volunteer at the State Correctional Institute in Greensburg in 1974. At that time, he was allowed to take inmates outside the prison walls for weekend retreats. That lasted for about five years before the state of Pennsylvania rescinded the privilege.

While leading a prison retreat, Cope himself experienced a deep conversion: God showed him his own sinfulness and the Lord’s power. “It was there,” Cope recalls, “that I knew God was calling me.”

For additional information, please contact:

Harry "Bud" Cope
1823 Service Lane
Monessen, PA 15062-2317
(724) 684-4990

Please prayerfully consider providing financial support to this worthwhile ministry.

Please make checks payable to:

St Dismas Holy Name Society Prison Ministry
c/o Mr. L.P. Manns
298 Rolling Hills Road
Ruffsdale, Pennsylvania 15679

Beginnings

2010-05-20T17:38:00.000-05:00

One of the awesome things about Sacred Scripture is the way it creeps up on you. You can read a passage or hear it read a hundred times and each time something new springs out. Or like an onion, another layer gets peeled back. Sometimes a message or meaning is so obvious, so in-your-face, that you wonder how you could have missed it. One day, I had one of those moments while I was reading Matthew's account of Judgement Day, as illustrated by the Separation of the Sheep and Goats, and became finally, understandably disturbed by its implications.

Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.'

"Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?'

"Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' (Mt 25:31-46)

Ouch.

Another awesome thing about Sacred Scripture is that it speaks to you where you live. And that day, it really struck home. That day, I realized that there were no two ways of looking at this parable -- these works of mercy are imperative to obtaining eternal life. Feed the hungry. Give drink to the thirsty. Welcome the stranger. Clothe the naked. And visit the imprisoned. "Oh, my!" I thought, "That last one may be a bit out of my comfort zone."

But a 'call is a call' and Christ never said that discipleship was going to be comfortable, so I began searching for the way God might be calling me to this work of mercy. Shortly thereafter I plugged into Prison Fellowship Ministries and became a regular contributor -- but over time, realized that something was still lacking. Although I have a profound respect for Chuck Colson and the ministry he founded, "visiting the imprisoned" to me entailed more than just a monthly check in the mail. I was searching for a ministry in which I could actively participate; moreover, an intrinsically Catholic ministry.

Providentially, I ran across an article in a Catholic newspaper pointing me in the direction of a pair of wonderful outreach programs: one serving the spiritual needs of Catholic inmates through potentially life-changing weekend retreats, and the other fulfilling a temporal need by providing them with regular, personal contact via letter writing. I said to myself: God is calling and it's time to visit...

That all started back in 2003. I've had 7 different anonymous prison penpals since then and have been writing to as many as 3 concurrently. Depending on the individual and particular circumstances, our correspondences may range from the routine to the deeply spiritual. The prisoners welcome the distraction as well as the friendship -- they appreciate the escape, the hope, the guidance, and the window to the outside world that their penpals provide for them.

On a personal note, letter writing has provided me with an outlet to compose my thoughts and share my faith -- something group discussion or email can't provide. As any religious ed instructor can attest to: we begin teaching in hope that we can in some small way help build up the Church -- plant a seed that will one day sprout and bear abundant fruit -- yet too find our own relationships with God and our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ growing as a result.

The folowing two outreach programs are sponsored by the National Association of the Holy Name Society: Mary, Mother of Captives Prison Penpal Ministry and St. Dismas Prison Ministry -- both will be featured prominently here in the weeks and months to follow. I'll be posting letters, poems, and testimonials penned by inmates, their penpals, friends, relatives, retreat team members, and chaplains, as well as prison ministry news and feature articles.

The purpose of this blog is simple: to provide venues to the countless good Catholics out there who are striving to imitate Christ by performing a vital work of mercy: visiting the imprisoned.

I'll close with a poem written by an inmate of the Santa Rosa Correctional Institution in Milton, FL entitled: "I Promise I'll Be There For You"

If the road ahead seems rough at times,
we’ll walk it side by side;
And I’ll give whatever comfort
and support I can provide.

If you want someone to listen,
or just sit with you for awhile,
I will gladly keep you company
or share a hug and smile.

If you're tired of being brave
and you just need a time to cry,
You can let your feelings out
and I will never question why.

No matter what it is don’t ever hesitate
To say how my help could make life easier.

I’m not about to let you have
the slightest bit of doubt
That you’re Someone very Special
who is deeply cared about.

In whatever ways you need me
I want to be there for you.

Michael E. #608150

Hmmmm ... maybe I should have titled this first post: New Beginnings ...
Anyway, welcome to the Prison Ministry blog. And thanks for visiting.