Prison ministers Deacon Richard Abel and Hank Howlett wrote these reflections to encourage others to join their ministry. Those interested in this sacred calling are invited to a “come and see” session, 2-4 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 23, in Bachelot Hall at Sacred Heart Church, 1701 Wilder Ave. in Honolulu. For more information, contact the diocesan Prison Ministry Office at 203-6722 or pvernay@rcchawaii.org.
By Deacon Richard Abel
Has there ever been a time in your life when you asked, “Where is the Lord? Is he even watching over me anymore?”
Many in our society are out of sight, out of mind. Our incarcerated brothers and sisters often feel forgotten by us and our Lord. They have been rejected by many, even their families, and feel they are in a deep hole.
Reaching out to prisoners is a ministry of patience, concern for others, and seeking our Lord. It is not for everyone, but is it for you?
Prison ministry is called a ministry of patience because often, even with careful preparation, plans don’t work out. Last minute changes, updates to visiting access, lockdowns, errors in the access pass list are just a few of the difficulties to be expected in a system under strict security.
In our desire to serve our Lord, those times can be frustrating. But they can also be opportunities to practice patience.
When the Apostle Paul was in prison, he wrote, “All I counted before as gain I count as loss. What was important to me before is not that which is important to me now.”
How should Catholics share the grace and mercy we receive from the Lord? What will we do with the light he gives us? Will we share it with those who are in a dark place?
Those who feel abandoned and in a dark place hunger for the light of Christ. Are you willing to consider prison ministry and see if Christ is calling you to serve in that way?
I want to share a prison ministry experience.
After one Communion service at OCCC, an inmate came up to me with tears in his eyes and asked me to pray over him. He said he was tired of making the same mistakes over and over again and wanted to change his life.
I closed my eyes and laid hands on him. When I had finished praying, I opened my eyes to see all the other inmates had moved forward and had laid hands upon him as well. At that moment, I realized “these guys care about each other.”
Another inmate at the same service also asked for prayers. He said, “The last thing my young son remembered was when I got on a bus to come here. He asks his mother every day, ‘When is daddy coming back on the bus?’”
These are two examples of how ministry to others can touch us. When we invest our talents in serving our Lord, our talents are multiplied and we receive much, and often much more, than we give.
By Hank Howlett
Bishop Larry Silva, in his Oct. 1 “Year of Faith” letter to Hawaii Catholics, urged us to “go out beyond our comfort zones to share the Gospel of Jesus.” He further asked us to “be open to new and surprising ways God may be calling each person and each community to respond to him and to serve his beloved people.”
I have been serving my brothers and sisters at Oahu Community Correctional Center with my partner Willie Rash for the last 12 years.
Every Sunday evening, from 6 to 8 p.m., we visit the housing modules, share the Liturgy of the Word with the inmates, and bring them Holy Communion. Unfortunately, because there are only two of us, many of God’s children are left out. In order to visit all the housing modules, we would need eight to 10 more people.
Does the idea of going into a prison intimidate you? Well, don’t worry. Remember how the Apostles felt before receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit? That gift is given to us too when we respond to our Lord’s call. Believe me, you don’t have to be a Bible scholar or have speaking experience or a college degree. The desire to live and share your faith will do just fine.
If you want to join in prison ministry, volunteers will meet with you, train you in the do’s and don’ts of prison protocol, and share their experiences to help you along the way. OCCC also provides monthly training sessions to prepare volunteers for module visits.
In this Year of Faith and in light of the recent canonization of St. Marianne Cope, the patron saint of outcasts, what better time is there to answer Christ’s call of evangelization?
Friends, the harvest is rich, but the laborers are few.
