Prison through the eyes of a Chaplaincy Volunteer

Jesus saith to them: ‘Amen I say to you, that the publicans and the harlots shall go into the Kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of justice, and you did not believe him. But the publicans and the harlots believed him: but you, seeing it, did not even afterwards repent, that you might believe him.'

Matthew 21:31-32

Although many people may not realise it, witnessing in a prison can be a truly life changing experience. Incarcerated men and women have tried all the world has to offer and, in their depravity and shame, a sense of desperation for truth and beauty rises up within them.

It is a real joy to see so many people turn to the Lord in prison. In our Novus Ordo parishes, sadly, many people lack hunger for their faith and don’t allow their commitment to their faith to stretch beyond an hour on Sunday.

However, in prison there is opportunity to reflect on where one has gone wrong with many recognising their need for redemption. The cynic can easily say that these men only attend the chaplaincy to get out of their cells, but in a rehabilitation focused prison system there are arguably more opportunities than a person might think for these men to get out of their cell and be busy.

In the prison system many working class men from a Catholic background cherish their copy of the Penny and Baltimore Catechism and have a deep desire to grow in their faith. They greatly appreciate information on our traditional faith and long to experience traditional liturgy and devotions, especially when they leave the prison establishment.

Traditional Catholic doctrine is much needed as it avoids the often ambiguous nature of the post-councillor documents and proclaims Catholic truth with simplicity at a level that men and women, especially those with learning difficulties, can grasp.

‘Prisoners generally have a high level of respect for people who take the time out to volunteer in a prison chaplaincy…’

Many men in prison have had encounters with demonic activity and their realisation of this has led them to become aware of the fact that God must also exist and that He is active in this world. Many men have also read the Bible cover to cover and have read many spiritual books; they enjoy meeting visitors, especially those who are committed to their faith and can answer the many spiritual questions they may have.

While it is true that many men are converting to Islam in prison – and a good number are from Catholic backgrounds – many times this is avoided when the faith is proclaimed and good Catholic volunteers in our prisons catechise our men properly.

Although it can sound daunting meeting prisoners, particularly in regards to safety, most prison chaplains will testify that it is actually relatively safe to do so, especially if you follow the safety protocols in the prison. Secondly, prisoners generally have a high level of respect for people who take the time out to volunteer in a prison chaplaincy.

If you have strong people skills and would like to be involved in reaching out to men who are hungry to know more about the traditional Catholic faith, or donate and provide Catholic formation materials to this labour of love, please get in contact with Claire Fitzgerald on: clairesiempre@hotmail.com

The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth labourers into his harvest.

Matthew 9:37-38