A helping hand in darkness: Catholic Prison Ministry

On Sunday, 10 November, the Catholic Church in Australia marks Prison Sunday, bringing attention to the plight of prisoners and highlighting the important work of prison chaplains. CatholicCare Victoria’s (CCV) Prison Ministry supports thousands of vulnerable, isolated and marginalised people in every prison and correctional centre in Victoria—15 in total.

In the Archdiocese of Melbourne, under the leadership of Sr Mary O’Shannassy SGS, the prison chaplaincy team listens, prays and brings hope and courage each day to more than 5,000 people across 10 prisons within the region. Sr Mary says it is ‘a privilege’ to serve in prison ministry, and she urges all to support CCV’s upcoming Pastoral Care Appeal.

Sr Mary O’Shannassy SGS has been a prison chaplain for 30 years. Together with the chaplaincy team at CatholicCare Victoria (CCV), she visits the men and women in all 10 of the prisons located within the Archdiocese of Melbourne, particularly when they first arrive from the courts either into custody on remand or into prison to serve a jail term. She says ’90 per cent of the time, they value the presence of a chaplain, and they remember that first contact.

For many, it is the worst time in their life, and so prison chaplains reach out to them, and show that they care.

‘The majority of the people in our prisons are young and are caught up in the drug culture, and/or family violence. Others are professional people who have made a one-off wrong choice and got caught or have been involved in an accident where someone has died. Career criminals are a minority. For many, it is the worst time in their life, and so prison chaplains reach out to them, and show that they care.’

CCV’s Catholic prison chaplains serve many roles: They visit residents in maximum, medium and minimum-security prisons, as well as people in solitary confinement, and they walk alongside them, helping them adjust to their new surroundings.

Chaplains listen to the men and women in prison who are worried about their situation, and to those who just want to talk to someone who will show compassion. Religious services, including Reconciliation and Mass, are regularly celebrated in prisons, and chaplains can help people in prison get access to Bibles, religious books and other religious items like rosaries.

Sr Mary points out that it’s not just those in prison who need support: ‘There are the needs of the people in prison and the needs of the people who support them. As chaplain, by our presence, we can support the person in prison, and through CatholicCare Victoria, support and help through counselling and emergency relief is available for the family.’

However, Sr Mary says, the role of chaplain is ‘essentially to build a relationship and to engender hope in the lives of these people.

‘God’s great love, care and forgiveness are eye-opening for many of the residents in prison. As messengers of hope, we help those in prison to feel accepted as people who have dignity. It’s really important that they understand that they have dignity as a person—a huge challenge for so many of them!’

Reflecting on ‘why’ people commit crimes, leading them to a life in prison, Sr Mary says the reasons are varied and ‘there is no one size fits all’.

By way of example, she shares the story of Joe,* who is 19 and in prison. ‘We have our Catholic Masses in each of the prisons,’ she explains, ‘and speaking with [Joe] after one Mass a while ago, I learnt that drugs were his challenge. But drugs were actually the end result, not the trigger. This man’s dad had died after a brief illness, and during his challenge, to deal with his grief, his “friends” helped him out by introducing him to drugs. He soon found himself addicted—“hooked”—and committing offences to support his new drug habit. He was caught, and now “found” himself in jail.

‘Joe is in jail, and a mother and siblings are at home grieving the loss of two men from the family, husband, son and brother—the ripple effect of the supposed kindness of “friends” at a time of loss!’

Joe continues to speak and work with a chaplain. He has learnt to manage his challenges and, with the chaplain’s help, is working towards his return to society.

She also tells the story of an older family man who had been doing well but during a time of struggle ‘let himself, his wife and his two children down’. Due to ‘one wrong choice’, explains Sr Mary, he ended up in prison, and the ripple effect has been felt by his wife and family at home. ‘Their car has been recalled by the finance company, and payments on their home [are] unable to be paid. In the above example, you’d appreciate that a reconnection with family is an important ingredient for a way forward.’

Support and funding from our Catholic Archdiocese community will equip Catholic prison chaplains to continue being messengers of God’s mercy, love and compassion.

Given the importance of prison chaplaincy, Sr Mary urges all to support the upcoming CatholicCare Victoria Pastoral Care Appeal, either online or by donating in local Catholic parishes over the weekend of 9 and 10 November.

International, national and Victorian legislation requires that people in prisons be allowed to practise their faith. So there is some funding to enable this to happen, says Sr Mary, but the provision of resources such as Bibles and rosary beads, and the presence of chaplains depend on the support of faith communities. ‘Funding for prison chaplaincy through the Victorian Department of Justice and private prison providers is minimal,’ she says.

‘The support and funding from various sources, including our Catholic Archdiocese community, will enable CatholicCare Victoria to continue to provide this vital ministry and equip the Catholic Prison Chaplains to continue being messengers of God’s mercy, love and compassion.

‘We have a team of trained chaplains and volunteers who assist in the prisons to provide a listening ear and support. We are inspired by the words of Jesus: “I was in prison, and you visited me”’ (Matthew 25:36).

‘Not all of us can or could go into the prisons. We, as chaplains, are there on your behalf—on behalf of the faith communities of the Archdiocese of Melbourne. We appreciate what you can contribute to our appeal for funds to support our ministry in visiting with the women and men in our prisons.’