Radio Maria’s Mission (Jad Kanaan

Radio Maria’s Mission Radio Maria’s work to bring the Gospel announcement to those in prison

Projects and assessments of the ambitious “Mother of Mercy” project

Annamaria Carrozza

RM Italy / “Mary, Mother of Mercy” project

Radio Maria’s widespread presence throughout Italy and the simplicity of the medium of radio means that we are able to penetrate into all environments and areas of individual and communal life.

We have realized that precisely the most critical conditions, such as imprisonment, are precious, even privileged areas of listening, reflection, consolation, and conversion.

Only the Christian proclamation can withstand the challenge of creating a space of forgiveness and redemption, of freedom and happiness in every situation, even the most painful. Radio Maria’s small blue radio sets, shaped in the image of the Madonna and Child, are an immediate call to prayer and a message of tenderness, hope, and life. Collaborating with chaplains and other workers in the penal system who give the radio sets to prisoners, Radio Maria’s voice can enter cells and go straight to the hearts of many inmates. Prisoners can join in a day of prayer and meditation on Radio Maria. The small sets have been specially designed to comply with the strict criteria of prison security.

A prisoner who receives the radio, the rosary, and the prayer booklet feels valued: someone believes in them, believes that they are still able to choose good.

We have chosen to serve the prison chaplains. Free of charge, we send the small radio sets, the rosaries, and the prayer booklets to chaplains who are the ones who distribute them, providing them the opportunity and the tools to approach and comfort prisoners.

And the prisoners are urged to begin a journey that leads them attend the Sacraments, and Sunday Mass. Another advantage is that, in this way, the radios go precisely those who need them the most.

The figures speak for themselves: 80% of people who leave prison at the end of their sentence no longer go back to commit crimes if they have lived a path of conversion in prison. When this path is not followed, the percentages are reversed. At least once a month, Radio Maria’s Sunday Mass is broadcast live from a prison.

On Radio Maria, the program “I Was in Prison and You Visited Me” is broadcasted once a month. Chaplains from all over Italy take turns at the microphone, involving wardens, sisters, volunteers, and others working in the penal system.

The broadcasts also aim at being an apostolate of social promotion, trying to make the reality of prison understood outside of the reality of jail.

The “Mother of Mercy” project has been received in a manner exceeding all expectations. It is present in all of the more than 230 penal institutes in Italy.