PRISON MINISTRY

“Brother Pedro” Costilla ministers in both English and Spanish, to men and women, who are incarcerated in Corpus Christi Nueces County Jail. On a weekly basis he brings them the Word of God, encourages the sacrament of confession, and at the end of the day puts them in God’s hands.

Hungry for the Word of God

By Mary Cottingham, South Texas Catholic

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me” (Mt 25:35-36).

For more than 30 years, Pedro Costilla has started his Bible study in much the same way, greeting each incarcerated man and woman as “brother” and “sister” and leading them in an opening prayer. “They [the guards] call it church,” but he lets prisoners know that he’s from the Catholic Church. Many years ago, Costilla, “Brother Pedro” to the inmates, helped spread the Gospel to the incarcerated in Beeville’s East (now closed) and West Garza Units, the McConnell Unit, San Diego’s Glossbrenner Prison, Three Rivers Federal Correction Institute, County Substance Abuse Treatment Facility (SATF) and Juvenile Detention Centers.

Now every Thursday morning, he continues to bring the Word of God to them at Corpus Christi Nueces County Jail.

The day’s lesson was how to come to Jesus for forgiveness. “Today, they took all my rosaries, Bibles and pamphlets, even the Spanish Bibles,” he said shrugging, “I’m going to have to get some more.”

Pedro is a parishioner at Immaculate Conception Church in Gregory, where he and his wife, Elma, were married more than 50 years ago. They have seven children, five girls and two boys, and after 18, he lost count of how many grandchildren and great-grandchildren they have. “We are raising three of our grandkids,” he said. “They’re wonderful kids,” but it’s not always easy. The children’s ages are 7, 9 and 13.

Thirty years ago, Pedro didn’t know prison and jail ministry would be his call. When first invited to volunteer for prison ministry, he was afraid, mostly because he didn’t know what he was getting himself into. Still, after encouragement from deacons and priests, Pedro began to see how much the prisoners needed the Word of God. And everywhere he went, they would tell him he was helping them. They would say, “Brother Pedro doesn’t give up. He’s always there for the ministry. Rain or shine, he’s always there. He never gives up.”

The guards yell, “church, church,” to the inmates, but Pedro is not a priest; he’s not even a deacon. He finds answers to their questions in the Bible. He doesn’t tell them what the Bible says but encourages them to read it for themselves. If they still don’t understand it, he directs them to read a few more verses before and after a reading. He says they are often amazed by what they read – like discovering it for the first time.

“We can’t talk about what they tell us, and sometimes they just want to talk.” He directs them to a priest for confession, “but sometimes they are afraid because they think their sins are too big.” They say, “Do you really think I can be forgiven,” and he always tells them, “Yes, God will forgive you.” And after they receive the sacrament of confession, “they are so happy. They say I’m free. I don’t have anymore more sins, and I’m going to stay free,” Pedro recalled.

During his drive to and from the jail, Pedro prays the rosary. “Jesus is my pilot, and I’m the copilot,” he said smiling. When life gets stressful, he tells his wife, “How can I abandon Jesus? Look at all the miracles he’s performed for us.”

“And boy, have I had some miracles in my family,” he says.

Pedro explains how his daughter, who once had cancer, became cancer-free within a month of her initial diagnosis. Even the doctor was amazed. He relayed another miracle. His grandson’s legs were getting bowed, and the doctor said it could be signs of polio. After two months of tests, and prayer his grandson’s legs straightened, and he didn’t need braces after all. The doctor asked his wife if she was a churchgoer. She explained that she was, but it was probably her husband who deserves the credit, “he’s always volunteering for the Church.”

Jail and Prison Ministry falls under the diocesan Office of Social Ministry, which Director Jaime Reyna oversees. Reyna is also a volunteer at Nueces County Jail. He first met Pedro 14 years ago when he began volunteering himself. “He was so full of joy,” he said of Costilla. “Most of the staff at the jail know Pedro by name and admire his passion and his sense of humor. He gets volunteers and brings priests to the jail so people can receive the sacrament of confession.

“Brothers and sisters who are at the jail share with me that they are just happy someone comes to visit and talks about God with them. They are just glad someone shows up,” Reyna said. “We need more people like Pedro who want to share their joy and their faith to those who are in our county jails.”

Pedro says it gives him great joy when he sees his brothers and sisters on the outside after they have served their time. He remembers when he and his wife were out, and about one day, a lady recognized him, saying, “Brother Pedro and hugging him, introduced him to her three children and her mother. He, in turn, introduced them to Elma.

The lady turned to her mother and said, “This is Brother Pedro. It’s because of him that I still have a family. Mama, this is the man.” Her mother said, “Thank you for changing my daughter.”

He told her, “No, I didn’t change her. Jesus changed her because she wanted to be changed and look at these beautiful kids. And you still got your mama. My wife just said, ‘That’s what he does.’”

Sergeant Robert Leal, who has worked at the county jail for 23 years, says, “Pedro talks to the inmates and provides a positive message, which our inmates are very hungry for. Many of them come from a disadvantaged life and environment. So, when we get church volunteers like Mr. Costilla, it just makes their day, and it gives them hope, which is what they need most.”

According to Deacon Roger Rosenbaum, coordinator for the diocesan Prison Ministry, there are over 13,000 incarcerated brothers and sisters within the 12 counties the diocese serves and about 25 volunteers who are deacons, priests, religious and laity.

For those who are thinking about volunteering for prison and jail ministry, “It takes a big heart,” Deacon Rosenbaum said. “And to accept the fact that we all make mistakes.

“They’re still human beings –they still deserve the same dignity that any other human being deserves.

“Many of them see their lives in total darkness,” Deacon Rosenbaum said. “They are hungry for the Word of God. And we’re the ones that bring light into their environment,.”

For more information on Prison Ministry or to get involved call Deacon Roger Rosenbaum at (361) 542-9336 or visit diocesecc.org/prisonministry.