MINISTRY TO PRISONERS
'I
was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me'.. . .
Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, . .. 'When did we see You sick,
or in prison, and come to You?'
The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the
extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of
them, you did it to Me.' (Matthew 25: 35-40)
Each year
thousands of men, women and youth are incarcerated in prisons within Los
Angeles County. The crimes
they have committed run the gamut from murder, to theft, sexual abuse,
embezzlement, racketeering,
arson, etc. Many of the
inmates come from poor communities where they were involved in street
gangs. Some are middle-class
or wealthy citizens who became embroiled in
“white collar” crimes, drugs or temptations to “get rich
quick”.
Once these men, women
and youth enter the prison system, everything changes.
The stark cells, bars, and confinement, the constant surveillance
and lock-up, the drab prison uniforms and shame haunt them with feelings
of failure and worthlessness.
The prison minister
steps into this atmosphere of hopelessness to bring a message of healing
and goodness. In an
environment where the prisoner feels worthless, the minister, like Jesus, brings a message of dignity,
respect and love. The
crime and sin may have been heinous and hateful, but God and God’s
people continue to love the prisoner as being made in the image of the
Father.
At Our Lady of Refuge
parish, members on the Prison Ministry team work with the Archdiocesan
Office of Detention Ministries. They
assist youth at the Los Padrinos Correctional Institution in Downey and
men at the Federal Prison on Terminal Island.
All ministers receive training so they understand the environment
of the prison, the backgrounds and needs of prisoners and how to work with
them in a constructive way. Prisoners
are prepared to receive the sacraments.
They join in Bible study and discussions.
The members of the Prison Ministry team and their students form a
bond of trust, and men and women who were once hardened criminals begin to
see and experience the love of God in action.
If you would like to know more about Prison Ministry, contact:
Father Tom Glynn
(562) 498-6641
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Links
For more information about detention in Los Angeles
County, and how the Church is working with prisoners, click on the
following links.
MINISTRY GROUPS
