Each year on the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary, the Catholic Church in Australia marks Prison Sunday, bringing attention to the plight of prisoners and highlighting the important work that prison chaplains undertake. (Catholic Australia) For this day, this year observed on 10 November, Marcia Cox rsj shares a reflection on her experience in prison ministry.
How did I become involved in Prison Ministry?
I wasn’t asked to do it.
I didn’t seek it.
I wasn’t even thinking of it.
How you ask did it happen?
I was visiting another parish and read the bulletin which had an advertisement for a Prison Chaplain. At that moment, which I can’t really explain, I felt an overwhelming sensation compelling me to explore the ministry.
After seeking information and visiting a couple of prisons, my heart responded to the compelling call to prison ministry, knowing I was entering a tough environment.
These two poems of St Francis Assisi speak to me of the inspiration and disposition for the ministry and for life:
God came to my house and asked for charity.
And I fell on my knees and cried, “Beloved, what may I give?”
“Just love,” God said, “Just love.”
Can true humility and compassion exist in our words and eyes
Unless we know we too are capable of any act?
And our own St Mary MacKillop:
And indeed, I did.
The rest is history. Three months later, I began my prison ministry journey in a maximum security prison for over 800 men. This I embraced for seven years.
The team comprised of a Uniting and Anglican minister, and a Patrician Brother and myself as the Catholic members. We were inclusive in our ministry, visiting all inmates and taking turns to run the Sunday Service and Prayer Services during the week for different areas. Visiting Muslim, Buddhist and Maronite Chaplains also came on a regular basis to minister to and support their men.
I was often asked by some family and friends what I did as a Prison Chaplain. My answer was always I believed that engaging with the men in their many different areas was important in building trust and being able to offer support to those who sought it. Such support involved listening to their stories, offering related reading which included material from Richard Rohr OFM, Joan Chittister OSB and Eckhart Tolle and others that the men found helpful.
I recall one man, whom I met only once, offering him one of Richard’s books. When I went back the next day to give it to him, he had been sent to another prison. That happened quite a lot. Inmates would find out the night before they were being moved on. Fortunately, I had the means to locate where his new home was and sent him the book.
Twelve months later I received an unexpected letter written on the back of my letter together with the book I loaned him. He said it had helped transform his life. He was studying to become a Youth Social Worker and Counsellor for when he was released. Such news adds to and confirms my trust in God’s loving touch in the lives of the men, of us all.
Each day we printed out a request form letting us know the men who desired to see a chaplain. Sometimes on the way to a particular area I would detour. One particular time, I recall detouring to reception where I encountered a very young man who was screaming and swearing at the officers. I suggested he calm down and tell me what was wrong. He wanted to phone his grandmother who was coming to see him that day. I asked the officer if I could ring for him. Thankfully he allowed me to ring just in time for the grandfather to stop his wife getting into the taxi. You see God always sent us where we were needed.
Prayer Services were offered for each area on different days. The chapel accommodated up to 50 men. I liked to involve the men in the liturgy. To my delight and I guess surprise the men were always reverent and responsive.
I recall my first Easter. The chapel was packed with 60 plus men. We had the Washing of the Feet, and I was moved by their heartfelt participation. After we washed the men’s feet one of them to my surprise asked if he could wash my feet. Feeling quite emotional and vulnerable I sat down and allowed him to wash my stockinged feet.
We sometimes went through the security ritual to have priests come in to celebrate Mass or for Reconciliation. We also at times needed priests who had a second language like Tamal, Chinese, or Spanish to assist with meeting their needs.
Courses like Seasons for Growth and Positive Lifestyles were offered to the men. Seasons for Growth is a course offering ways to deal with grief. We rarely needed to advertise it because the men did it for us. While we were doing one group, others would ask for their name to be put down for the next group. The amazing outcome was that each man respected the confidentiality of each person’s story.
Vinnies was a life saver many times when I needed clothes for the men attending Court or if they were leaving and needed to be fitted out.
Lockdowns and disturbances in the different areas caused cancellations of courses and Prayer Services. You could go in on a Sunday morning or any day of the week and find out there would be no service or courses that day due to a lockdown. Frustrating as it was, security is the top priority for a prison.
Hardship was evident for the families. I felt for them, some travelled long distances to visit their loved one and endured the security process before they could enter the visiting room.
There is so much that could be shared about prison ministry. I valued and loved my time in the ministry. I guess I met both the best and the broken in humanity. Either way, I pray each man was met with respect and love.
My dream is to eliminate illegal drugs from our society because I believe many people would live happier, fuller lives, and many prisons could be closed.
Marcia Cox rsj