Prison Ministry India Volunteers Online Training Program
Prison Ministry’s Unique Online Training Makes Huge Impact
Sr Lini Sheeja MSC
National Secretary, PMI
Bengaluru/Mumbai
29 June 2020
During the time of novel coronavirus the theme of PMI was ‘Lockdown shall not lock us down’, it was decided to have an online training program for full timers/volunteers. The volunteers benefitted immensely out of it and under the guidance of Fr Francis Kodiyan MCBS, the national coordinator and secretary to CBCI for Prison Ministry India and Sr Lini Sheeja MSC, the national secretary. On 15 June 2020, the Prison Ministry India Full timers’ Course 2020 was inaugurated with 60 participants from all over India. Most Rev Dr Allwyn D’Silva-PMI Chairman, Rev Dr Francis Kodiyan MCBS, Rev Fr Varghese Karippery, the cofounders of PMI and Sr Lini Sheeja MSC, PMI national secretary were the dignitaries of the inaugural function.
Prison Ministry India (PMI) on Monday launched an online initiative to train full-time volunteers on its ‘Reform to Reintegrate’ program. Held over Google Meet, the participants will be trained online over the next two weeks on topics ranging from the background and overview of Prison Ministry India (PMI) to visiting prisons and developing skills for interacting with prisoners and their families. Since inception, PMI has grown and is now currently serving 1,412 prisons and 4.5 lakh prisoners across India. PMI, a national voluntary organization under the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), has a history of liberating, rehabilitating and redeeming tens and thousands of prisoners and their families through its 20 rehabilitation centers and 8,000 volunteers all over India. On Monday, nearly sixty volunteers from across different dioceses of India logged in to participate in the program. In an opening prayer, Sr. Lini Sheeja MSC invoked the Trinitarian God and sought the Lord to bestow His blessings on all PMI volunteers and the brethren behind the bars.
On Day 2: 16 June, the first session was handled by Rev Dr Francis Kodiyan MCBS, PMI co-founder and national coordinator. Fr Francis took them through the width and depth of PMI by enlightening the volunteers on the ministry that has grown all over India by the providence of God. Since its inception in 1981, PMI has spread across the 175 Diocese of India. The new focus is on parish-level units, thus enabling parishioners to get involved in this meaningful ministry. Fr Francis emphasised on the roles and responsibilities as PMI Members, and that reintegration is the key.
In response, “We will be the rainbows in the lives of the prisoners. Your years of experience have enlightened us. You are a miracle Fr Francis,” said Libby from Pune.
Sr. Lini Sheeja conducted the second session shedding light on PMI – A Ministry to Regain the Lost. Drawing inspiration from Jesus who said “I have come to seek sinners and not the righteous”, PMI volunteers are called to reach out to the least, the last and the lost. She enlightened the participants on the three new projects of PMI and introduced them to the first two basic principles of PMI – Prayer Our Power House and Inconvenience Our Convenience.
“Overall, the session was enriching based on deep spiritual values of Jesus Christ. Sr. Lini put the fire on all of us,” remarked a happy Sr Justine SJA from Bhubaneshwar, Odisha.
Day 3: 17 June saw Bishop Most Rev Dr Allwyn D’Silva, PMI chairman who enlightened the volunteers on biblical foundations of PMI. He said, “We need to focus on regeneration of prisoners not just rehabilitation. For that, we need to be regenerated. This is possible only if we are deeply rooted in Christ and Scripture. Using Scriptural references, Bishop Allwyn explained the five principles of PMI Volunteers – Redemption, Relationship, Service, Deliverance and Transformation.
“We were blessed to listen to Bishop Allwyn. It was spiritual and fabulous as you connected PMI biblically. Thank you imparting the biblical perspectives of PMI Your Grace”, said Josephine from Mumbai.
Fr Varghese Karippery took the participants gave an historical perspective of PMI. Quoting Mt 25:36, he said the foundation of PMI is “I was in prison, you visited me”. “We should be channels of repentance for prisoners, offering them hope for a renewed life. Now it’s our turn to co-operate and collaborate in this noble venture.”
“You are a wonder, thank you for inviting us to attune ourselves to the voice of the Holy Spirit Fr Varghese”, said by Ashok Kumar from Vijayawada.
Day 4: 18 June was handled by Rev Dr Francis Kodiyan MCBS, the national coordinator and secretary to CBCI for PMI who imparted to the volunteers on Spirituality of PMI. He shared his God-experience of PMI as he quoted Pope Francis who exhorted everyone to reach out to the marginalized especially those on the periphery/fringes of society. Five dimensions of Prison Ministry spirituality were explained, “Jesus centred spirituality, people-oriented spirituality, spirituality of the good shepherd, spirituality of the father of the prodigal son and reformation spirituality. We, as PMI volunteers, need to undergo a spiritual transformation before we can minister to the lost sheep. Stages of reformation begin with self-reformation followed by reformation of prisoners, prisons, churches, society and finally the world.
“Prison Ministry is completely the work of the Holy Spirit as we serve the lost, least and the last. Thank you Fr Francis for the words of wisdom and leading an exemplary life. We are blessed to be part of the PMI family. Thank you Fr Francis for the enriching talk”, exclaimed by Pramila from Delhi.
The second speaker of the day was Sr Clara HC, the directress of Jeevodaya, a rehabilitation centre for released women prisoners and women in distress. She spoke to on types of prisons and prisoners. She presented statistics and descriptions of various prisons across India based on location, nature of crime, tenure of sentence etc. She also said, “Our purpose of jail visits is two-fold – we are visiting Jesus in the jail and we are also representing Jesus to others. We should aim to release prisoners in their hearts and thus focus on being faithful to them. Do not be worried about one’s qualification – When God calls us He qualifies us. We should fully trust in the divine providence of God and we will see miracles unfold”. Sr Clara shared two beautiful and recent miracles a result of prayer – a convicted women was acquitted at the last moment and the miraculous donation of a convict’s marriage gift.
“It was very informative session and thank you for moving our hearts with the life testimony Sr Clara. We could feel divine providence from your sharing,” said Patricia from Maharashtra.
On Day 5: 19 June, after being enriched with lot of God experience and real life stories, it was the day for the volunteers to know about ‘Human Rights and Prisoners’ Rights’. Rev Dr P D Mathew, the first priest lawyer and Supreme Court Judge, said, “The basic principle of spirituality related to social justice is that we are all are called by God to be ministers/servants of the children of God. We should view the imprisoned as our brothers and sisters in the family of God. Our service to them is service of God”.
“It was very informative and fruitful session. We gained much knowledge. Well explained in detail and in depth Fr P D Mathew,” said Sushma Xavier from Gujarat.
On day six, Sr Lini Sheeja, continued her session on P’MI – A Ministry to Regain the Lost’. The other two basic principles of PMI were explained by her. She spoke convincingly with her life experience that, “We leap with faith into the life of a prisoner believing that if we do our best then God will do the rest. Also, by taking a beggar’s approach we can empathize and feel the angst and struggles of our brethren behind the bars. Don’t be discouraged by three inevitable realities of Prison Ministry – no appreciation guaranteed, non-encouraging situations and no immediate results. ‘When I was in prison you visited me so now enter into the kingdom of my father’”.
“You spoke from the heart, Sr Lini. Thank you for enlightening us with your life experience”, said Daisy Mathew from Trivandrum.
Best Practices of PMI were presented by Sr Lini Sheeja. “Every saint has a past and every sinner a future, thus we should not be judgemental but rather offer hope for the hopeless. As she explained the guidelines for PMI she said, “to begin with, we need plan and prepare ourselves before we enter a prison – we need to put on the armour of God and follow the entry procedures. Once inside, we are the guests of the Prison Officials in a highly restricted area. We need to strictly adhere to the prescribed and permitted behaviour guidelines.”.
“Thank you Sr Lini for the guidelines that we the volunteers need to live” said Br Andrew Pereira from Goa
The second resource person of the day was Alex Gracian (name changed), an ex-prisoner who shared with tears his life experience. Alex was incarcerated at the age of 21 for 12 years (1996-2008). He was bailed out a few times but continued to be a repeat offender. He was addicted to alcohol. He had no repentance. Hailed from a devout Catholic family, he said “until we feel the grace of God, we can’t be transformed. Criminal is not born a murderer or rapist. Life’s circumstances drive them there. Deprivation of love leads them to crime”. Finally in 2000, He experienced the Fathers’ love as that of the love of the father to the prodigal son. Today, he is a reformed man of deep faith. He has a job and a family.
“Alex, you moved us with your life experience. It was heart touching testimony and great learning for each one of us. Our prayers for you and your family”, said by Sheila D’Souza from Goa.
In a unique initiative held the whole of last week, Prison Ministry India (PMI)’s ‘Reform to Re-integrate’ program held over Google Meet witnessed 60 eager participants taking part from all over India. PMI, a national voluntary organization under the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), has a history of liberating, rehabilitating and redeeming tens and thousands of prisoners and their families through its 20 rehabilitation centers and 8,000 volunteers all over India. Since inception, PMI has grown and is now currently serving 1,412 prisons and 4.5 lakh prisoners across India.
Prisoners’ Reformation Trajectory
On day 8, Rev Dr Francis Kodiyan MCBS, the national coordinator and chief editor of Reformative Explorations motivated the volunteers with Prisoners’ Reformation Trajectory. He said, “Prisoners’ Reform is a process (follows a pathway) and takes time. In this process, prisoners move from Self-Acceptance to Self Transformation to Self Actualization and then Self Transcendence. Renew a prisoner today and better the world tomorrow was the message conveyed by Fr Francis to the volunteers. When we reform a prisoner, reformed person thus feels renewed, committed, God-oriented, fully functional, well integrated and victorious. They have deep prayer experiences, realization of dreams and undergo a personality change. They undertake missions and ministries and invite others to reform. They experience “being in love”.
“Thank you for challenging each one of us Fr Francis. Your presentation was too good and helpful. Thank you for making us to understand with your simple presentation being in love is the core of our being”, gratefully Amira from Pune said.
Ministries Inside and Outside the Prison
On day 9, we had two speakers, Fr Benny Pachanal CPRS, the assistant national coordinator who detailed of the ministries outside the prison followed by the ministries inside the prison presented by Sr Adele SCCG. Fr Benny in his presentation said that the prisoners face many challenges upon their release which include, lack of acceptance and support from family and society, temptation from old friends and old habits, inability to get started in a positive direction, inability to find jobs and get settled which leads them to the feelings of despair and helplessness and they return to old ways. He also quoted, PMI offers them acceptance, a positive environment and a chance to reform and rebuild their lives.
“It’s lovely to know about the great services you are rendering for the released prisoners and to their families”, exclaimed Angel from Bangaore, a newcomer.
Sr Adele Korah SCCG, national executive member narrated about the ministries inside the prison. PMI’s inside services are aimed at healing through prayer and spiritual services, health camps, palliative care and physiotherapy, counseling, celebrations of festivals, skills and trade training, sports and recreational activities, etc. PMI conducts special programs for women, youth and seniors in the prisons. To help with their healing, PMI encourages and supports reconciliation with families and victims and looks after welfare of their children through financial assistance for education and offering a safe and healthy living environment in one of our children’s homes.
“Through powerful testimonies and success stories you moved our hearts Sr Adele. Thank you for sharing your years of merciful stories with the brethren behind the bars. We learned that it doesn’t take a giant flame to light the wick of another candle”, Said Sr Rosily from Bangalore.
PMI Rehabilitation Centers – Providence of God
On Day 10, we had four speakers who threw light on the participants about the rehabilitation centers. PMI has 20 rehabilitation centers and from the beginning the centers have experienced the providence of God through tremendous means. Sr Fidelis, who spoke about Jeevodaya, a center for released women prisoners and any women in distress said, “Jeevodaya is home away from home for women drawn into crime due to poverty and despair, those forced to sell their womanhood for survival, women brutally molested in brothels and flesh trading centers and women in any other moral danger. Its located in Bengaluru and the vision of Jeevodaya is to create a society where every woman can freely live and grow with self respect and dignity, away from all abuse. Jeevodaya ia an inspiration from Jesus’ care for the Samaritan women in (Jn 8:11) who said“I do not condemn you either; go, but do not sin again”
Van Thuan Home is a center for released men prisoners located at Carmelaram, Bengaluru under PMI national office was presented by Fr George Kalassery VC, Director Van Thuan Home. Inmates are regenerated through sports activities, counselling, psychotherapy, de-addiction, prayer services, vocational and trade training, seminars etc. Recently, during the lockdown, a paper bag production unit was set up for the inmates. Inspiration to set up the Van Thuan home came to Fr Francis Kodiyan MCBS when he received a relic of Van Thuan from Pope Francis on his visit to the Vatican. Van Thuan Home welcomed many prisoners who were released due to the jail decongestion efforts of the prison officials and currently the center has 8 inmates.
Kolbe Home, a center for prisoners’ children was presented Sr Gertude, Kolbe Home Superior. Inspired by Fr. Sebastian Vadakumpadan (former National Coordinator of PMI) Kolbe Home is for children of prisoners and for children living in extreme poverty/living in broken homes. It is located in Bengaluru, under PMI national office. The life situation of these children has a deep impact on their psychological, spiritual and intellectual well-being. Kolbe Home strives to enhance their love, intellectual, social, emotional and spiritual quotients so as to regenerate them back into main stream society. Currently, Kolbe Home has 18 children in their care with a plan to extend capacity.
Snehashramam, a rehabilitation & renewal center for released female prisoners and abandoned girls located at Trivandrum, Kerala was presented by Sr Beena SdP. The center is under the auspices of Jesus Fraternity. Fr Francis Kodiyan inspired by the Spirit of God, placing his complete trust began this center with nothing. Through its 28 years of service, Snehasharamam has accommodated and trained 554 girls and assisted in the marriages of 49 women. The women who come to Snehashramam have been drawn into crime due to poverty and despair, forced to sell their womanhood for survival, brutally molested in brothels and flesh trading centers and have experienced grave moral danger. These broken, bruised, dejected and despised women are regenerated here through spiritual and psychological renewal and rehabilitation. It aims to rehabilitate and re-integrate women into mainstream society through spiritual healing, psychological healing, reconciliation (with self, society & God) and vocational training.
PMI Ministries as Model
On Day 11, we concentrated on various levels are Prison Ministry for the welfare of our brethren behind the bars. Prison Ministry India has grown like a banyan tree and God has blessed this ministry with committed volunteers. PMI state level ministry was presented by Fr Shaji Stephen, Kerala State Coordinator. He shared the roles, responsibilities and pre-requisites of the different office bearers of the Kerala State, PMI. To be more effective, various administrative committees and councils have been created, including units for different seminaries. He said that the outreach teams have been assigned to specific jails.
PMI diocese level ministry was presented by Mrs Veera Pinto, PMI Bangalore unit secretary. The structured hierarchy of office bearers, meticulous plans and vibrant volunteers help PMI in Bangalore effectively reach out to the least, the lost and the last. She shared about their inside and outside outreach programs including COVID pandemic activities. She said that the volunteer enrichment and appreciation is integral to their success.
PMI parish level ministry was presented by Fr Wilfred Fernandes, PMI Pune unit coordinator. PMI Pune Diocese is spread widely across 15 Parishes and 7 congregations. By de-centralization through parish-level units PMI Pune aims to increase awareness, participation, garner talents and funds. He shared guidelines and the roadmap for setting up a parish-level unit, along with roles and responsibilities of the various office bearers. He also shared the parish-level activities with their adopted prisons.
PMI seminary level ministry was presented by Fr Joseph Mackolil, parish priest Vignana Matha Church, Thodupuzha. Prison Ministry plays a prominent role in the formation of priests at the Seminary and Seminarians play a key role in implementing the mission of PMI. Jesus Fraternity participated actively in PMI through fasting, different forms of prayer, visits to prisons and families of prisoners. They also increase awareness of PMI among the general public through art, music and sports. He said that, “PMI provides an opportunity to proclaim the Word of God – it is a Ministry of HOPE for the inmates and the volunteers”.
Counseling Skills and PMI Special Task Force Angels
Day 12 was a great day as we had the important topic of counseling skills and special task force angels were introduced to the volunteers. Prisoners’ counseling skills were presented by Fr Subash CRPS, the Rector of Barnabite Seminary, Bengaluru. He said, “Where there is no guidance, a nation falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety” (Prov 11:14) is an inspiration behind counseling in the prisons. Solution to any problem of the individual lies largely within that individual. Thus, counseling is an interactive process that aims to bring about change in behavior, beliefs and levels of emotional distress. There are three stages of counseling – initial disclosure, in-depth exploration and commitment to action.
These stages involve listening to verbal and non-verbal communication, drawing out the client’s feelings with gentle probing, observing signs of trouble/violence/threats, and infusion of positive energy, agreeing on client’s next steps to change the current situation and scheduling regular follow ups. He also detailed the characteristics of a good counselor. Finally, Fr Subash touched upon depression, its signs and symptoms. Depression is a result of biochemistry, genetics, personality traits and environment and can be treated by support, psychotherapy and medication.
PMI Special Task Force Angels were introduced by Rev Dr Francis Kodiyan MCBS, the cofounder and chief editor of Reformative Explorations. After Eucharistic adoration, Fr Francis was inspired to develop a new Spiritual Warfare wing of PMI called Special Task Force Angels. These are Spiritual angels who focus their prayer and fasting efforts for the transformation of specific prisoners in dire need. The different Task Force Angels are Death Row Commandoes (DRC), Terrorist Saving Squads (TSS), Mafia Redeemers (MR), Antihuman Trafficking Brigadiers (ATB), Serial Killers’ Redeemers (SKR) and Habituals’ Saving Squadron (HSS). Fr Francis described discussed the 40-day warfare program of PMI’s Task Force Angels. The patron of this new wing of PMI is St Therese of Lisieux, who by offering Holy Mass and mortifications led to the repentance of Pranzini, a hardcore triple murderer. We need to promote this new wing of PMI in our units. Those interested are required to register by completing the membership form.
Finally to add the color for the day we had Shri Sunil Ramanand, (IPS) Addl. DG of Police & IG of Prisons & Correctional Service, Maharashtra who addressed the participants of 2020 Online Training Program Volunteers/Fulltimers who threw the light on the volunteers on ‘Role & expectation from NGOs like PMI for the upliftment of prisoners’. Prison management in undergoing a paradigm shift from penal service to correctional service. Prison Management in Maharashtra has traditionally been conservative in its approach, but is slowly undergoing a change. He shared four areas in Maharashtra that he requires the support of PMI and NGOs.
These require a study and recommendations for healthy and effective communication between prisoners and the outside world in keeping with prison guidelines opening up of kitchens to serving non-vegetarian food and thus more protein in their diet. Effective program for the Open Prisons, training opportunities for prisoners to enable gainful employment upon their release need to be focused on. There was a good interaction and appreciation shared between PMI leaders and Shri Sunil Ramanand. It was a great joy that Most Rev Dr Allwyn D’Silva, PMI Chairman also was present for the interactive session. Sr Lini Sheeja MSC, PMI National Secretary proposed vote of thanks to Shri Sunil Ramanand, (IPS) Addl. DG of Police & IG of Prisons & Correctional Service, Maharashtra who encouraged the volunteers with his knowledge and new ideas.
Regional Activities and Involvement of Laity
On Day 13, we had the regional coordinators to present to us the activities that are carried by each region. There are four regions, south, central, north and north east which works under national office. All the states are divided under these regions. We had Fr Wilfred Fernandes, the central regional coordinator as the first speaker to present on the activities and future programs of Central Region to us. Central region comprises of 10 states serving around 580 jails. Various outreach programs are organized both inside and outside the prisons. Through some very powerful testimonies Fr Wilfred shared the positive impact these outreach programs have on the prisoners and their families. Future plans of the Central Region with a focus on decentralization (parish units), crime prevention and setting up of rehabilitation centers in each state were well presented.
The second speaker of the day was Fr G J Antonyswamy, south regional coordinator who took us through the activities of South Region. South region covers 5 states and prisons therein. PMI conducts activities in keeping with the Prison Manuals of each State. Outreach activities are carried out, inside and outside the prison. The South region also has a focus on repatriation of foreign prisoners. Volunteer meetings, training and gatherings help keep the team motivated.
The third speaker of the day was Sr Jobina UFS, the northeast regional coordinator to present to us the activities that are carried out in North East Region. There are 14 PMI Northeast units in 8 states serving 77 prisons. PMI North east region conducts inside and outside programs. More recently, COVID awareness programs, distribution of masks and sanitizers are being undertaken. The PMI volunteers are constantly in touch with officials so as to reach as needed. Volunteer training and motivation is regularly conducted. PMI Northeast in collaboration with CRI extends better service for our brethren behind the bars.
Finally, Mr Jesuraja PMI Tamilnadu State Secretary enlightened every participant on ‘How a laity can collaborate in PMI’ keeping its origin. Prison Ministry has strong Biblical foundations. Compassion appears 72 times in the Bible and it invites us to be with others. Moses, Abraham, Mother Mary all received a call of God and were obedient. Prison Ministry is a special calling and we respond to it humbly. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” should not be our approach rather prisoners are our brothers and sisters. We are responsible for the well-being of our brethren behind the bars. We have a role model in St Paul and can learn from his positive approach despite being in prison himself.
Personal Sharing of the Volunteers
On 28 June 2020, at 4pm the participants logged into Google Meet to share their rich experience of being as the member of prison ministry family. Many shared their call within a call in PMI. One surprised the other with their life experience and their contributions to the brethren behind the bars. The new volunteers were overwhelmed and inspired by the sharing of the old volunteers and their lived experience. The newcomers promised their commitment and dedication to the ministry.
Valedictory Ceremony
29 June 2020
The valedictory ceremony of fulltimers’/volunteers 2020 online training program started at 10am with the prayer led by Sr Flory OSF from Delhi. Invoking the Holy Spirit to guide us throughout the ministry, we surrendered all our volunteers and all our brethren behind the bars to the Trinitarian God as we began the valedictory ceremony. Mrs Jennifer from Chennai, then took us through a succinctly prepared revision of the course content over the past 13 days. It was a lovely refresher for all the participants.
Fr Francis Kodiyan MCBS the national coordinator began the Valedictory Function with a warm and joyous address to all the participants. He welcomed Most Rev Dr Peter Machado and thanked him for all his support as our national office is located here in Bangalore. Most Rev Dr Allwyn D’Silva, PMI Chairman was welcomed and he was applauded for being a light as he ignites our minds with new ideas. Sr Lini Sheeja MSC, PMI national secretary was welcomed and she was thanked for her amazing planning, organizing and day to day coordination and management of the program. Fr Francis Kodiyan MCBS, the love bomb of PMI was welcomed by Sr Lini Sheeja and she thanked him for his vision, commitment and hard work. Fr Francis thanked all the participants for joining the program and for their patience and persistence as we worked our way through the technology glitches. He encouraged us all to continue our commitment to the ministry and to keep reading all the material that has been shared with us. As volunteers, all our guidelines are enclosed in those materials.
Most Rev Dr Peter Machado, Archbishop of Bengaluru in his valedictory address said, on the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, missionaries of Christ, our valedictory function couldn’t have been held on a more fitting day. Bringing context to the current times, he said that COVID 19 has made us all aware of what its like to be a prisoner; to experience isolation and a desperate desire to be connected to the outside world. His Lordship proceeded to add that pioneers like Fr Francis Kodiyan have created a welcoming heart amongst the volunteers of PMI. He applauded PMI for all their works and efforts in reaching out to the least of our brethren. With words of encouragement, he referred to Prison Ministry as a Pastoral Ministry – a Ministry designed to reach out to all. Like Jesus, we too are visiting the prisoners, their families and even the victims. We are doing good work sometimes even with small solutions. He added that he was very proud that PMI is based in Bangalore and happy to always support this Ministry. Finally, on this feast of Saints Peter and Paul he imparted their special blessings upon us all!. Most Rev Dr Peter Machado then released and blessed the Souvenir that was designed for this Program.
Most Rev Dr Allwyn D’Silva, PMI Chairman, Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay in his presidential address, addressed the group next with a high appreciation for Fr Francis and Sr Lini for organizing the first-ever online training program for PMI. His Lordship also thanked Bishop Machado for gracing this function with his presence as it reaffirms the support and cooperation of the local church. Bishop Allwyn went on to appreciate the online platform for training as it has increased the participation due to its convenience for the participants. While face to face in-person interaction was not possible, we did have some meaningful one on one interaction. He added that the training program was very topical and will be extremely helpful in developing the skills of the volunteers, equipping them to serve in this Ministry of Love. He was pleased to note that the role and power of prayer has been rightly given a very important emphasis in this Ministry. He also applauded the experienced volunteers for attending this program and sharing their testimonies and learning with the rest of the group. In conclusion, His Lordship blessed this group of Full-Timers and wished us all the very best as we begin our Mission in our own areas.
This was followed by the Awarding of Participants’ Certificates. Bishop Allwyn had a kind and encouraging word for each participant as his/her certificate was presented.
Fr Benny Pachanal CRSP, assistant national coordinator then released a beautiful collage prepared by Juliet and Sr Lini of all the participants and speakers of this Program. Sr Lini Sheeja MSC, the national secretary concluded the Valedictory Function proposing vote of thanks for the dignitaries, resource persons and all the participants.
Sr Lini Sheeja MSC
National Secretary, PMI
Bengaluru/Mumbai
29 June 2020
During the time of novel coronavirus the theme of PMI was ‘Lockdown shall not lock us down’, it was decided to have an online training program for full timers/volunteers. The volunteers benefitted immensely out of it and under the guidance of Fr Francis Kodiyan MCBS, the national coordinator and secretary to CBCI for Prison Ministry India and Sr Lini Sheeja MSC, the national secretary. On 15 June 2020, the Prison Ministry India Full timers’ Course 2020 was inaugurated with 60 participants from all over India. Most Rev Dr Allwyn D’Silva-PMI Chairman, Rev Dr Francis Kodiyan MCBS, Rev Fr Varghese Karippery, the cofounders of PMI and Sr Lini Sheeja MSC, PMI national secretary were the dignitaries of the inaugural function.
Prison Ministry India (PMI) on Monday launched an online initiative to train full-time volunteers on its ‘Reform to Reintegrate’ program. Held over Google Meet, the participants will be trained online over the next two weeks on topics ranging from the background and overview of Prison Ministry India (PMI) to visiting prisons and developing skills for interacting with prisoners and their families. Since inception, PMI has grown and is now currently serving 1,412 prisons and 4.5 lakh prisoners across India. PMI, a national voluntary organization under the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), has a history of liberating, rehabilitating and redeeming tens and thousands of prisoners and their families through its 20 rehabilitation centers and 8,000 volunteers all over India. On Monday, nearly sixty volunteers from across different dioceses of India logged in to participate in the program. In an opening prayer, Sr. Lini Sheeja MSC invoked the Trinitarian God and sought the Lord to bestow His blessings on all PMI volunteers and the brethren behind the bars.
On Day 2: 16 June, the first session was handled by Rev Dr Francis Kodiyan MCBS, PMI co-founder and national coordinator. Fr Francis took them through the width and depth of PMI by enlightening the volunteers on the ministry that has grown all over India by the providence of God. Since its inception in 1981, PMI has spread across the 175 Diocese of India. The new focus is on parish-level units, thus enabling parishioners to get involved in this meaningful ministry. Fr Francis emphasised on the roles and responsibilities as PMI Members, and that reintegration is the key.
In response, “We will be the rainbows in the lives of the prisoners. Your years of experience have enlightened us. You are a miracle Fr Francis,” said Libby from Pune.
Sr. Lini Sheeja conducted the second session shedding light on PMI – A Ministry to Regain the Lost. Drawing inspiration from Jesus who said “I have come to seek sinners and not the righteous”, PMI volunteers are called to reach out to the least, the last and the lost. She enlightened the participants on the three new projects of PMI and introduced them to the first two basic principles of PMI – Prayer Our Power House and Inconvenience Our Convenience.
“Overall, the session was enriching based on deep spiritual values of Jesus Christ. Sr. Lini put the fire on all of us,” remarked a happy Sr Justine SJA from Bhubaneshwar, Odisha.
Day 3: 17 June saw Bishop Most Rev Dr Allwyn D’Silva, PMI chairman who enlightened the volunteers on biblical foundations of PMI. He said, “We need to focus on regeneration of prisoners not just rehabilitation. For that, we need to be regenerated. This is possible only if we are deeply rooted in Christ and Scripture. Using Scriptural references, Bishop Allwyn explained the five principles of PMI Volunteers – Redemption, Relationship, Service, Deliverance and Transformation.
“We were blessed to listen to Bishop Allwyn. It was spiritual and fabulous as you connected PMI biblically. Thank you imparting the biblical perspectives of PMI Your Grace”, said Josephine from Mumbai.
Fr Varghese Karippery took the participants gave an historical perspective of PMI. Quoting Mt 25:36, he said the foundation of PMI is “I was in prison, you visited me”. “We should be channels of repentance for prisoners, offering them hope for a renewed life. Now it’s our turn to co-operate and collaborate in this noble venture.”
“You are a wonder, thank you for inviting us to attune ourselves to the voice of the Holy Spirit Fr Varghese”, said by Ashok Kumar from Vijayawada.
Day 4: 18 June was handled by Rev Dr Francis Kodiyan MCBS, the national coordinator and secretary to CBCI for PMI who imparted to the volunteers on Spirituality of PMI. He shared his God-experience of PMI as he quoted Pope Francis who exhorted everyone to reach out to the marginalized especially those on the periphery/fringes of society. Five dimensions of Prison Ministry spirituality were explained, “Jesus centred spirituality, people-oriented spirituality, spirituality of the good shepherd, spirituality of the father of the prodigal son and reformation spirituality. We, as PMI volunteers, need to undergo a spiritual transformation before we can minister to the lost sheep. Stages of reformation begin with self-reformation followed by reformation of prisoners, prisons, churches, society and finally the world.
“Prison Ministry is completely the work of the Holy Spirit as we serve the lost, least and the last. Thank you Fr Francis for the words of wisdom and leading an exemplary life. We are blessed to be part of the PMI family. Thank you Fr Francis for the enriching talk”, exclaimed by Pramila from Delhi.
The second speaker of the day was Sr Clara HC, the directress of Jeevodaya, a rehabilitation centre for released women prisoners and women in distress. She spoke to on types of prisons and prisoners. She presented statistics and descriptions of various prisons across India based on location, nature of crime, tenure of sentence etc. She also said, “Our purpose of jail visits is two-fold – we are visiting Jesus in the jail and we are also representing Jesus to others. We should aim to release prisoners in their hearts and thus focus on being faithful to them. Do not be worried about one’s qualification – When God calls us He qualifies us. We should fully trust in the divine providence of God and we will see miracles unfold”. Sr Clara shared two beautiful and recent miracles a result of prayer – a convicted women was acquitted at the last moment and the miraculous donation of a convict’s marriage gift.
“It was very informative session and thank you for moving our hearts with the life testimony Sr Clara. We could feel divine providence from your sharing,” said Patricia from Maharashtra.
On Day 5: 19 June, after being enriched with lot of God experience and real life stories, it was the day for the volunteers to know about ‘Human Rights and Prisoners’ Rights’. Rev Dr P D Mathew, the first priest lawyer and Supreme Court Judge, said, “The basic principle of spirituality related to social justice is that we are all are called by God to be ministers/servants of the children of God. We should view the imprisoned as our brothers and sisters in the family of God. Our service to them is service of God”.
“It was very informative and fruitful session. We gained much knowledge. Well explained in detail and in depth Fr P D Mathew,” said Sushma Xavier from Gujarat.
On day six, Sr Lini Sheeja, continued her session on P’MI – A Ministry to Regain the Lost’. The other two basic principles of PMI were explained by her. She spoke convincingly with her life experience that, “We leap with faith into the life of a prisoner believing that if we do our best then God will do the rest. Also, by taking a beggar’s approach we can empathize and feel the angst and struggles of our brethren behind the bars. Don’t be discouraged by three inevitable realities of Prison Ministry – no appreciation guaranteed, non-encouraging situations and no immediate results. ‘When I was in prison you visited me so now enter into the kingdom of my father’”.
“You spoke from the heart, Sr Lini. Thank you for enlightening us with your life experience”, said Daisy Mathew from Trivandrum.
Best Practices of PMI were presented by Sr Lini Sheeja. “Every saint has a past and every sinner a future, thus we should not be judgemental but rather offer hope for the hopeless. As she explained the guidelines for PMI she said, “to begin with, we need plan and prepare ourselves before we enter a prison – we need to put on the armour of God and follow the entry procedures. Once inside, we are the guests of the Prison Officials in a highly restricted area. We need to strictly adhere to the prescribed and permitted behaviour guidelines.”.
“Thank you Sr Lini for the guidelines that we the volunteers need to live” said Br Andrew Pereira from Goa
The second resource person of the day was Alex Gracian (name changed), an ex-prisoner who shared with tears his life experience. Alex was incarcerated at the age of 21 for 12 years (1996-2008). He was bailed out a few times but continued to be a repeat offender. He was addicted to alcohol. He had no repentance. Hailed from a devout Catholic family, he said “until we feel the grace of God, we can’t be transformed. Criminal is not born a murderer or rapist. Life’s circumstances drive them there. Deprivation of love leads them to crime”. Finally in 2000, He experienced the Fathers’ love as that of the love of the father to the prodigal son. Today, he is a reformed man of deep faith. He has a job and a family.
“Alex, you moved us with your life experience. It was heart touching testimony and great learning for each one of us. Our prayers for you and your family”, said by Sheila D’Souza from Goa.
In a unique initiative held the whole of last week, Prison Ministry India (PMI)’s ‘Reform to Re-integrate’ program held over Google Meet witnessed 60 eager participants taking part from all over India. PMI, a national voluntary organization under the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), has a history of liberating, rehabilitating and redeeming tens and thousands of prisoners and their families through its 20 rehabilitation centers and 8,000 volunteers all over India. Since inception, PMI has grown and is now currently serving 1,412 prisons and 4.5 lakh prisoners across India.
Prisoners’ Reformation Trajectory
On day 8, Rev Dr Francis Kodiyan MCBS, the national coordinator and chief editor of Reformative Explorations motivated the volunteers with Prisoners’ Reformation Trajectory. He said, “Prisoners’ Reform is a process (follows a pathway) and takes time. In this process, prisoners move from Self-Acceptance to Self Transformation to Self Actualization and then Self Transcendence. Renew a prisoner today and better the world tomorrow was the message conveyed by Fr Francis to the volunteers. When we reform a prisoner, reformed person thus feels renewed, committed, God-oriented, fully functional, well integrated and victorious. They have deep prayer experiences, realization of dreams and undergo a personality change. They undertake missions and ministries and invite others to reform. They experience “being in love”.
“Thank you for challenging each one of us Fr Francis. Your presentation was too good and helpful. Thank you for making us to understand with your simple presentation being in love is the core of our being”, gratefully Amira from Pune said.
Ministries Inside and Outside the Prison
On day 9, we had two speakers, Fr Benny Pachanal CPRS, the assistant national coordinator who detailed of the ministries outside the prison followed by the ministries inside the prison presented by Sr Adele SCCG. Fr Benny in his presentation said that the prisoners face many challenges upon their release which include, lack of acceptance and support from family and society, temptation from old friends and old habits, inability to get started in a positive direction, inability to find jobs and get settled which leads them to the feelings of despair and helplessness and they return to old ways. He also quoted, PMI offers them acceptance, a positive environment and a chance to reform and rebuild their lives.
“It’s lovely to know about the great services you are rendering for the released prisoners and to their families”, exclaimed Angel from Bangaore, a newcomer.
Sr Adele Korah SCCG, national executive member narrated about the ministries inside the prison. PMI’s inside services are aimed at healing through prayer and spiritual services, health camps, palliative care and physiotherapy, counseling, celebrations of festivals, skills and trade training, sports and recreational activities, etc. PMI conducts special programs for women, youth and seniors in the prisons. To help with their healing, PMI encourages and supports reconciliation with families and victims and looks after welfare of their children through financial assistance for education and offering a safe and healthy living environment in one of our children’s homes.
“Through powerful testimonies and success stories you moved our hearts Sr Adele. Thank you for sharing your years of merciful stories with the brethren behind the bars. We learned that it doesn’t take a giant flame to light the wick of another candle”, Said Sr Rosily from Bangalore.
PMI Rehabilitation Centers – Providence of God
On Day 10, we had four speakers who threw light on the participants about the rehabilitation centers. PMI has 20 rehabilitation centers and from the beginning the centers have experienced the providence of God through tremendous means. Sr Fidelis, who spoke about Jeevodaya, a center for released women prisoners and any women in distress said, “Jeevodaya is home away from home for women drawn into crime due to poverty and despair, those forced to sell their womanhood for survival, women brutally molested in brothels and flesh trading centers and women in any other moral danger. Its located in Bengaluru and the vision of Jeevodaya is to create a society where every woman can freely live and grow with self respect and dignity, away from all abuse. Jeevodaya ia an inspiration from Jesus’ care for the Samaritan women in (Jn 8:11) who said“I do not condemn you either; go, but do not sin again”
Van Thuan Home is a center for released men prisoners located at Carmelaram, Bengaluru under PMI national office was presented by Fr George Kalassery VC, Director Van Thuan Home. Inmates are regenerated through sports activities, counselling, psychotherapy, de-addiction, prayer services, vocational and trade training, seminars etc. Recently, during the lockdown, a paper bag production unit was set up for the inmates. Inspiration to set up the Van Thuan home came to Fr Francis Kodiyan MCBS when he received a relic of Van Thuan from Pope Francis on his visit to the Vatican. Van Thuan Home welcomed many prisoners who were released due to the jail decongestion efforts of the prison officials and currently the center has 8 inmates.
Kolbe Home, a center for prisoners’ children was presented Sr Gertude, Kolbe Home Superior. Inspired by Fr. Sebastian Vadakumpadan (former National Coordinator of PMI) Kolbe Home is for children of prisoners and for children living in extreme poverty/living in broken homes. It is located in Bengaluru, under PMI national office. The life situation of these children has a deep impact on their psychological, spiritual and intellectual well-being. Kolbe Home strives to enhance their love, intellectual, social, emotional and spiritual quotients so as to regenerate them back into main stream society. Currently, Kolbe Home has 18 children in their care with a plan to extend capacity.
Snehashramam, a rehabilitation & renewal center for released female prisoners and abandoned girls located at Trivandrum, Kerala was presented by Sr Beena SdP. The center is under the auspices of Jesus Fraternity. Fr Francis Kodiyan inspired by the Spirit of God, placing his complete trust began this center with nothing. Through its 28 years of service, Snehasharamam has accommodated and trained 554 girls and assisted in the marriages of 49 women. The women who come to Snehashramam have been drawn into crime due to poverty and despair, forced to sell their womanhood for survival, brutally molested in brothels and flesh trading centers and have experienced grave moral danger. These broken, bruised, dejected and despised women are regenerated here through spiritual and psychological renewal and rehabilitation. It aims to rehabilitate and re-integrate women into mainstream society through spiritual healing, psychological healing, reconciliation (with self, society & God) and vocational training.
PMI Ministries as Model
On Day 11, we concentrated on various levels are Prison Ministry for the welfare of our brethren behind the bars. Prison Ministry India has grown like a banyan tree and God has blessed this ministry with committed volunteers. PMI state level ministry was presented by Fr Shaji Stephen, Kerala State Coordinator. He shared the roles, responsibilities and pre-requisites of the different office bearers of the Kerala State, PMI. To be more effective, various administrative committees and councils have been created, including units for different seminaries. He said that the outreach teams have been assigned to specific jails.
PMI diocese level ministry was presented by Mrs Veera Pinto, PMI Bangalore unit secretary. The structured hierarchy of office bearers, meticulous plans and vibrant volunteers help PMI in Bangalore effectively reach out to the least, the lost and the last. She shared about their inside and outside outreach programs including COVID pandemic activities. She said that the volunteer enrichment and appreciation is integral to their success.
PMI parish level ministry was presented by Fr Wilfred Fernandes, PMI Pune unit coordinator. PMI Pune Diocese is spread widely across 15 Parishes and 7 congregations. By de-centralization through parish-level units PMI Pune aims to increase awareness, participation, garner talents and funds. He shared guidelines and the roadmap for setting up a parish-level unit, along with roles and responsibilities of the various office bearers. He also shared the parish-level activities with their adopted prisons.
PMI seminary level ministry was presented by Fr Joseph Mackolil, parish priest Vignana Matha Church, Thodupuzha. Prison Ministry plays a prominent role in the formation of priests at the Seminary and Seminarians play a key role in implementing the mission of PMI. Jesus Fraternity participated actively in PMI through fasting, different forms of prayer, visits to prisons and families of prisoners. They also increase awareness of PMI among the general public through art, music and sports. He said that, “PMI provides an opportunity to proclaim the Word of God – it is a Ministry of HOPE for the inmates and the volunteers”.
Counseling Skills and PMI Special Task Force Angels
Day 12 was a great day as we had the important topic of counseling skills and special task force angels were introduced to the volunteers. Prisoners’ counseling skills were presented by Fr Subash CRPS, the Rector of Barnabite Seminary, Bengaluru. He said, “Where there is no guidance, a nation falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety” (Prov 11:14) is an inspiration behind counseling in the prisons. Solution to any problem of the individual lies largely within that individual. Thus, counseling is an interactive process that aims to bring about change in behavior, beliefs and levels of emotional distress. There are three stages of counseling – initial disclosure, in-depth exploration and commitment to action.
These stages involve listening to verbal and non-verbal communication, drawing out the client’s feelings with gentle probing, observing signs of trouble/violence/threats, and infusion of positive energy, agreeing on client’s next steps to change the current situation and scheduling regular follow ups. He also detailed the characteristics of a good counselor. Finally, Fr Subash touched upon depression, its signs and symptoms. Depression is a result of biochemistry, genetics, personality traits and environment and can be treated by support, psychotherapy and medication.
PMI Special Task Force Angels were introduced by Rev Dr Francis Kodiyan MCBS, the cofounder and chief editor of Reformative Explorations. After Eucharistic adoration, Fr Francis was inspired to develop a new Spiritual Warfare wing of PMI called Special Task Force Angels. These are Spiritual angels who focus their prayer and fasting efforts for the transformation of specific prisoners in dire need. The different Task Force Angels are Death Row Commandoes (DRC), Terrorist Saving Squads (TSS), Mafia Redeemers (MR), Antihuman Trafficking Brigadiers (ATB), Serial Killers’ Redeemers (SKR) and Habituals’ Saving Squadron (HSS). Fr Francis described discussed the 40-day warfare program of PMI’s Task Force Angels. The patron of this new wing of PMI is St Therese of Lisieux, who by offering Holy Mass and mortifications led to the repentance of Pranzini, a hardcore triple murderer. We need to promote this new wing of PMI in our units. Those interested are required to register by completing the membership form.
Finally to add the color for the day we had Shri Sunil Ramanand, (IPS) Addl. DG of Police & IG of Prisons & Correctional Service, Maharashtra who addressed the participants of 2020 Online Training Program Volunteers/Fulltimers who threw the light on the volunteers on ‘Role & expectation from NGOs like PMI for the upliftment of prisoners’. Prison management in undergoing a paradigm shift from penal service to correctional service. Prison Management in Maharashtra has traditionally been conservative in its approach, but is slowly undergoing a change. He shared four areas in Maharashtra that he requires the support of PMI and NGOs.
These require a study and recommendations for healthy and effective communication between prisoners and the outside world in keeping with prison guidelines opening up of kitchens to serving non-vegetarian food and thus more protein in their diet. Effective program for the Open Prisons, training opportunities for prisoners to enable gainful employment upon their release need to be focused on. There was a good interaction and appreciation shared between PMI leaders and Shri Sunil Ramanand. It was a great joy that Most Rev Dr Allwyn D’Silva, PMI Chairman also was present for the interactive session. Sr Lini Sheeja MSC, PMI National Secretary proposed vote of thanks to Shri Sunil Ramanand, (IPS) Addl. DG of Police & IG of Prisons & Correctional Service, Maharashtra who encouraged the volunteers with his knowledge and new ideas.
Regional Activities and Involvement of Laity
On Day 13, we had the regional coordinators to present to us the activities that are carried by each region. There are four regions, south, central, north and north east which works under national office. All the states are divided under these regions. We had Fr Wilfred Fernandes, the central regional coordinator as the first speaker to present on the activities and future programs of Central Region to us. Central region comprises of 10 states serving around 580 jails. Various outreach programs are organized both inside and outside the prisons. Through some very powerful testimonies Fr Wilfred shared the positive impact these outreach programs have on the prisoners and their families. Future plans of the Central Region with a focus on decentralization (parish units), crime prevention and setting up of rehabilitation centers in each state were well presented.
The second speaker of the day was Fr G J Antonyswamy, south regional coordinator who took us through the activities of South Region. South region covers 5 states and prisons therein. PMI conducts activities in keeping with the Prison Manuals of each State. Outreach activities are carried out, inside and outside the prison. The South region also has a focus on repatriation of foreign prisoners. Volunteer meetings, training and gatherings help keep the team motivated.
The third speaker of the day was Sr Jobina UFS, the northeast regional coordinator to present to us the activities that are carried out in North East Region. There are 14 PMI Northeast units in 8 states serving 77 prisons. PMI North east region conducts inside and outside programs. More recently, COVID awareness programs, distribution of masks and sanitizers are being undertaken. The PMI volunteers are constantly in touch with officials so as to reach as needed. Volunteer training and motivation is regularly conducted. PMI Northeast in collaboration with CRI extends better service for our brethren behind the bars.
Finally, Mr Jesuraja PMI Tamilnadu State Secretary enlightened every participant on ‘How a laity can collaborate in PMI’ keeping its origin. Prison Ministry has strong Biblical foundations. Compassion appears 72 times in the Bible and it invites us to be with others. Moses, Abraham, Mother Mary all received a call of God and were obedient. Prison Ministry is a special calling and we respond to it humbly. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” should not be our approach rather prisoners are our brothers and sisters. We are responsible for the well-being of our brethren behind the bars. We have a role model in St Paul and can learn from his positive approach despite being in prison himself.
Personal Sharing of the Volunteers
On 28 June 2020, at 4pm the participants logged into Google Meet to share their rich experience of being as the member of prison ministry family. Many shared their call within a call in PMI. One surprised the other with their life experience and their contributions to the brethren behind the bars. The new volunteers were overwhelmed and inspired by the sharing of the old volunteers and their lived experience. The newcomers promised their commitment and dedication to the ministry.
Valedictory Ceremony
29 June 2020
The valedictory ceremony of fulltimers’/volunteers 2020 online training program started at 10am with the prayer led by Sr Flory OSF from Delhi. Invoking the Holy Spirit to guide us throughout the ministry, we surrendered all our volunteers and all our brethren behind the bars to the Trinitarian God as we began the valedictory ceremony. Mrs Jennifer from Chennai, then took us through a succinctly prepared revision of the course content over the past 13 days. It was a lovely refresher for all the participants.
Fr Francis Kodiyan MCBS the national coordinator began the Valedictory Function with a warm and joyous address to all the participants. He welcomed Most Rev Dr Peter Machado and thanked him for all his support as our national office is located here in Bangalore. Most Rev Dr Allwyn D’Silva, PMI Chairman was welcomed and he was applauded for being a light as he ignites our minds with new ideas. Sr Lini Sheeja MSC, PMI national secretary was welcomed and she was thanked for her amazing planning, organizing and day to day coordination and management of the program. Fr Francis Kodiyan MCBS, the love bomb of PMI was welcomed by Sr Lini Sheeja and she thanked him for his vision, commitment and hard work. Fr Francis thanked all the participants for joining the program and for their patience and persistence as we worked our way through the technology glitches. He encouraged us all to continue our commitment to the ministry and to keep reading all the material that has been shared with us. As volunteers, all our guidelines are enclosed in those materials.
Most Rev Dr Peter Machado, Archbishop of Bengaluru in his valedictory address said, on the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, missionaries of Christ, our valedictory function couldn’t have been held on a more fitting day. Bringing context to the current times, he said that COVID 19 has made us all aware of what its like to be a prisoner; to experience isolation and a desperate desire to be connected to the outside world. His Lordship proceeded to add that pioneers like Fr Francis Kodiyan have created a welcoming heart amongst the volunteers of PMI. He applauded PMI for all their works and efforts in reaching out to the least of our brethren. With words of encouragement, he referred to Prison Ministry as a Pastoral Ministry – a Ministry designed to reach out to all. Like Jesus, we too are visiting the prisoners, their families and even the victims. We are doing good work sometimes even with small solutions. He added that he was very proud that PMI is based in Bangalore and happy to always support this Ministry. Finally, on this feast of Saints Peter and Paul he imparted their special blessings upon us all!. Most Rev Dr Peter Machado then released and blessed the Souvenir that was designed for this Program.
Most Rev Dr Allwyn D’Silva, PMI Chairman, Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay in his presidential address, addressed the group next with a high appreciation for Fr Francis and Sr Lini for organizing the first-ever online training program for PMI. His Lordship also thanked Bishop Machado for gracing this function with his presence as it reaffirms the support and cooperation of the local church. Bishop Allwyn went on to appreciate the online platform for training as it has increased the participation due to its convenience for the participants. While face to face in-person interaction was not possible, we did have some meaningful one on one interaction. He added that the training program was very topical and will be extremely helpful in developing the skills of the volunteers, equipping them to serve in this Ministry of Love. He was pleased to note that the role and power of prayer has been rightly given a very important emphasis in this Ministry. He also applauded the experienced volunteers for attending this program and sharing their testimonies and learning with the rest of the group. In conclusion, His Lordship blessed this group of Full-Timers and wished us all the very best as we begin our Mission in our own areas.
This was followed by the Awarding of Participants’ Certificates. Bishop Allwyn had a kind and encouraging word for each participant as his/her certificate was presented.
Fr Benny Pachanal CRSP, assistant national coordinator then released a beautiful collage prepared by Juliet and Sr Lini of all the participants and speakers of this Program. Sr Lini Sheeja MSC, the national secretary concluded the Valedictory Function proposing vote of thanks for the dignitaries, resource persons and all the participants.
Prison Ministry India State/Diocesan Coordinators Training Program
Prison Ministry India Online Retreat
IL Risveglio - The Awakening
Awake and Arise, Christ will Shine on You (Eph 5:14)
Sr Lini Sheeja MSC
Introduction
Prison Ministry India national team conducted an online retreat for 90 volunteers from 13-19 September 2020. PMI is grateful to the God of the Lost as it brought blessings in abundance during the days of retreat. The purpose of the retreat was the renewal of the PMI before we could renew our brethren behind the bars. It was a moment of blessing as we started the retreat with a Holy Hour with Blessed Sacrament being exposed to set the atmosphere of the retreat. The blue backdrop beautifully adorned the Blessed Sacrament with the candles illumined the atmosphere. Through we being exposed virtually, but in spirit we felt very near the Sacrament. Every morning at 1000 the retreat was started with the praise and worship followed by the Holy Eucharist with an inspiring homilies preached by Fr Francis Kodiyan which had challenged the core of the retreatants. After the Eucharist, an hour of talk was delivered by experienced resource persons of PMI. The retreatants were asked to remain in silence and in prayerful atmosphere throughout the retreat which one can attain the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Every evening at 1730 with Rosary we began the retreat followed by Divine Mercy Chaplet, evening talk and Holy Hour. Every day was an unique experience for the retreatants as they were drawn closer to the Lord of the Lost and strengthened them with the deeper experience to serve with more commitment.
Inaugural Address
Rev Dr Francis Kodiyan MCBS, the national coordinator in his welcome address gave a brief introduction as how to derive optimum benefits from this online retreat and inspired the participants with 6 ‘I’s; introduction, invitation, introspection, investigation, insight and innovation. As Jesus was a man of prayer He invites the PMI volunteers to plunge in the deep spiritual life and this retreat is an opportunity to enter into the depth of our hearts to know the Master and to renew our vocation to PMI. Let our attitude be of a tax collector who went into the temple to pray as he said, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner’ (Lk 18:13). Fr Francis applied present scenario of COVID 19 and the chaos that has created in the mind of the people. He said that this is the time for repentance. Repent and do penance for the sins of the mankind and the methodology to follow is 5 ‘Be’s; be attentive, be reasonable, be intelligent, be responsible and be in love.
The Significance of the retreat is a time to purify, examine one’s life, to see the divine blue print prepared by Jesus for us, to regain energy and spiritual power, to discern, to say yes to the Lord and no to the devil, to liberate oneself from evil ways and to bring forth virtues and good habits. Fr Francis quoted the words of St John XXII that retreat is an opportunity to shake of the dust that is gathered in our lives, to; (1) renew the world and myself, family, community, church (2) experience God by regaining strength and going back to work. We are like ship’s crew trapped by in a storm struggling to come out of it. Thomas Merton said “God is searching me, Let me be found”. Let this be our desire as mentioned in Psalm 42:1-2 “As the deer pants for water so my soul pants for you God”. This retreat is an unique opportunity and special grace to be with Jesus who came to seek the Lost and the Least.
Inaugural Mass
On 14 September 2020, being the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, the volunteers were asked to carry their crosses along the crosses of the prisoners joyfully in order to bring the blessings for whom our service is extended by Fr Francis. The inaugural mass was celebrated by Most Rev Dr Peter Machado, the archbishop of Bengaluru. The Holy Eucharist was celebrated all the intentions of the brethren behind the bars, their families and the PMI volunteers all over India. Archbishop imprinted the deep meaning and the value of carrying the cross for the sake of the lost ones behind the bars in the hearts of the retreatants by explaining it in depth, “Cross is a blessing as in the Old Testament Moses lifted up the serpent and the people were healed. Jesus said, ‘And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life’ (Jn 3:14-15). The cross is a sign of liberation to the humanity. The prisoners are carrying the cross in the closed walls of prisons. We the PMI volunteers help them to kiss the cross lovingly and convey the message of glorification after every suffering.
God’s Love
After the Holy Eucharist, Most Rev Dr Allwyn D’Silva, PMI Chairman delivered his talk on ‘God’s Love’. His message on God’s love was quiet different as he asked the volunteers to recall their personal experience of being loved by God. “One cannot understand God’s love unless one experiences it personally. Deepest need of human being is to be loved and the greatest liberation is to know and experience the divine love. God loved us before we loved Him and the problem we do not know how to receive that love. There were many times we had not allowed ourselves to be touched and loved, but rather we had placed conditions on God’s love. One cannot demand love; rather it can only be received. We find ourselves vulnerable in accepting God’s love. Deepest form of love is giving oneself completely to the one who loves us. We need to ask ourselves, ‘did I allow God to love me completely?’ When we experience the divine love in full, it becomes easier for the PMI volunteers to love the broken beings behind the bars.
Bishop Allwyn asked the participants to record a moment where we experienced the depth of God’s love and asked to recall the grace filled feeling. Once we experience God’s unconditional love in the depth of our hearts, then we feel precious, someone who is loved, someone who is wanted by the universe for we can hear God saying “You are precious to me”. The moment you are convinced of divine love we will be able to love the ones who are entrusted to us; for the volunteers of PMI is the brethren behind the bars. Lost sheep is entrusted in our hands by the God of the Lost. “If you say I love God, while you hate your brother or sister, you a liar. How can you love God whom you do not see, if you do not love your brother whom you see?” (1 Jn 4:20). We received from him noble commandment: let those who love God also love their brothers. We know all answers of God’s love, but how do we place in action in sharing this God’s love to the prisoners.
Jesus’s Love
Rev Fr Varghese Karippery, PMI cofounder gave an inspiring note on Jesus’ love based on his personal encounter with Jesus, who willingly went up to the cross for the redemption of mankind. Cross is the greatest sign of Jesus’s love as He redeemed us through it. The cross which was the symbol of shame became the symbol of love and grace by Jesus. He quoted three last words of Jesus and explained in detail; (1) “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do” (Lk 23:34). Jesus made the forgiveness possible even on the cross. Every reality can be made positive by our forgiveness. People in prison cells have revengeful attitude. We need to accompany them in their journey to encounter the crucified Christ on the Cross and make all things possible by forgiveness. (2) “You will be with me in paradise” (Lk 23:43). Jesus, even in his pain he thought of the other, even on His cross He redeemed the other. Before His death He converted a sinner and this is the ministry entrusted to us. (3) “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Lk 23:46). By receiving His spirit from the cross we become blessing and we are called to preach the crucified Christ.
Jesus was with the people, the marginalized, the poor and the lost ones. Human methodology is 99 or 95, but the methodology of Jesus is one, the failed one, the lost one. Let our methodology be as of Jesus. Though initially we may not find results let us never give up our methodology of the failed one. “Heaven rejoices over one sinner than over 99” (Luke 15: 17). First Pope of the Catholic Church was a failure. Though Peter was with Jesus all the time, but when he was needed the most, he was not there. But the Risen Lord made him successful. We have to work till the last. Never give up as we are called by the God of hope. The first missionary was a Samaritan woman near the well. (Jn 4:1-2) First she addresses Jesus as a Jew, then Lord and ultimately as Savior and she became the first missionary to bring people to Jesus. Jesus had different types of people around him all the time; fishermen, murderers, tax collectors, the Samaritan woman. Peter the fisherman gets converted and then he converts 3000 people in one preaching. Tax collector Matthew wrote the gospel. Jesus empowers and upholds people, the down trodden. Jesus upholds everyone and this is the love of the Master. Jesus teaches us that without Him we are zeroes and with Him we are heroes. The volunteers of PMI are blessed; they are elected for a greater task. The work may seem simple but it has great value when we do for the sake of the One who called us.
Holy Spirit
On 15 September 2020 the morning talk was delivered by Rev Fr Wilfred Fernandes, PMI central regional coordinator. In today’s terminology, the Holy Spirit is like a GPS for us whose battery never goes down. He knows everything. He is the memory of God. ‘Being led’ means living according to Jesus teaching. He is our advocate, our counselor, helper etc. The three basic truths of the Holy Spirit are, He is all powerful, He is wise, He is everywhere. There is this story of a boy who had no shoes, no education, but today he has become a millionaire. He was asked how? He said that whenever he has to make an investment, he goes to the chapel and prays waiting for an answer from the Lord. No matter how long, days, but only when he gets an answer he goes out and invests and so he is a millionaire today. The message is “Lean on to God completely and trust him to give you the strength to do what you need to do”.
He quoted Luke 11:13 “If you know to give good things to your children, how much more God will give”. God will give best to His children and God’s gifts are best. There are 4 ways to be led by the Holy Spirit. (1) Meditate on the Word of God – “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall mediate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Joshua 1:8). (2) Be a doer of the Word of God – People may doubt what you say. But they will believe what you do. (3) Put the Word of God above everything - “My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from eyes, Keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them. And health to all their flesh” (Proverbs 4:20-22). (4) Instantly respond to your Spirit – The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord.
Holy Eucharist
Mar Tony Neelankavil, the auxiliary bishop of Trissur delivered a talk on Holy Eucharist in depth. He started by saying that whenever he sees his role in the prison ministry in his life, it has always confirmed his vocation. Whenever there was confusion in his mind he was strengthened and felt that the people are in need of him and service. Eucharist brings us close to God and to prisons. The mystery of death and passion in the Holy Eucharist is close to people’s suffering. Our God shares and take part in our suffering. Eucharist is just not a memorable event that took place 2000 years ago, but it is a reality. We are not just doing a rite of an incident that happened before, but is again takes place in real time. In the Eucharist we feel the person and not just a rite. Through the sacrament of the Eucharist the people are brought before God.
Eucharist takes away our sin. On the mount Calvary, the thief on the left side did not believe, no hope in life, he was beyond redemption. This is the situation we face daily. Many of them feel lost; feel that they cannot be redeemed. We need to tell them redemptive nature of the Mass. They all are saved by the death of Jesus on the cross. People should be made aware of this (Isaiah 53:4-5) “By his stripes we are healed”. Our celebration shall instill hope and love in them. We encounter Jesus in the Holy Eucharist through which the greatest blessing is showered upon us. Nothing is impossible for God. (John 6:52). Jesus gave his body and said eat it. The people had a doubt how can Jesus give his body to eat. What did you eat when you were in your mother’s womb? The baby there is not hungry, but still it continues to receive food from the Mother. In fact the baby is eating the mother. She is offering herself to the tiny baby and the baby begins to grow by eating this food. Jesus gives his food (John 6:54) not for physical life but for the soul and to grow in eternal life (John 6:57). We live on Jesus Christ. This we have to tell the prisoners. In Jesus you are going to change your life.
PMI Virtues
On 16 September 2020 the morning talk was delivered by Sr Inigo SSA, the former superior general and the volunteer of PMI at Tihar Prison, Delhi. She challenged the retreatants as her every word was based on her experience with the brethren behind the bars for 14 years. She said convincingly that they are our brothers and sisters. Jesus was also a man of prayer. Prayer is reality; you will be pulled to suffering. Jesus prayed in two ways “mountain prayer”, where he went all by himself and prayed and “multitude prayer” where he was with the people. We to be mystic if we want to be missionary and therefore prayer is most important aspect in Prison Ministry. It’s not a social ministry; it is a mission, an ethical and spiritual mission. It is only the involvement of the heart and therefore we need to be renewed by the Holy Spirit. Prison ministry is born out of love. In ancient time a prison was considered as house of captives and a place of punishment. Now it is a home of correction and rehabilitation. Who is a prisoner? The definition of a prison and a prisoner is to be punished and be changed. For us the PMI volunteers, a prisoner is a human being without voice, no space of his own, being disciplined in every possible way and his movements are curtailed. He is confined in a 40 square feet space.
He is not a born prisoner. They are there because of the society. The prisoners need you as they are deprived of privacy and love, he is kept under close watch, he has no privacy, there is no provision to keep his things safely and no legal aid. In this lockdown situation, we have experienced the restrictions of movement; we are confined to our homes only. What do we actually do in the prison? Prison ministry is not about doing miraculous work among the inmates or securing their release from the prison, of course sometimes we do. Our primary purpose is to instill in them the value of hope. Compassion is a virtue, it cannot be explained, but it has to be experienced. Compassion means sensitivity, generosity. We need to remain non-judgmental; we need to approach them with sincere love. Our presence brings them lots of healing, hope and conversion of hearts. The Prison authorities say that your presence makes a lot of difference as our language and yours is different. The language of prison ministry volunteers should be love, compassion and tenderness. They crave to listen to your soothing voice, and only you can do it. At times we have to be patient. Their self-esteem is very low. They need to be encouraged, given hope and enable them to see the good things in themselves. Therefore we must be ready to accept lots of inconvenience and to rely on the providence of God.
Mother Mary
Honorable Justice Kurian Joseph, former Supreme Court Judge presented on Mother Mary. We celebrated the feast of seven sorrows of Mother Mary. But in prison they have 70 sorrows. Prison Ministry is not a service but a ministry. The disciples of Jesus did not do service, they did ministry and it is continued. The first Christian is Mary and she is the tabernacle of Jesus. I have a special attachment to Mother Mary. When I had many ups and downs in my profession, and the storm was rough, I had recourse to Mother Mary. Mother Mary’ virtue is simplicity and holiness. One cannot do this ministry unless one has simplicity and humility. Mother Mary is present in the prisons together with her Son Jesus. Without the guidance of Mary we cannot say we have to love the prisoners.
The meaning of compassion is to love and service. Her presence itself is a blessing. We can ask a question: Is our presence accepted by the people, and especially in the prison. Without compassion and love we cannot be accepted. It has to be like Peter who stood near the golden gate. Peter’s response to the beggar is a big challenge for us. What you ask I don’t have, but what you need is with me. This is a great challenge for us. We have to be simple and holy having the discernment to know what they deserve and need. We cannot give what they want, but give what they need for liberation. We should never work for self-glory. Mary was far away from this, but she was omnipresent. She was positive to accept Jesus. Faith in Jesus and faithfulness to Jesus can always look up to. The other quality she had was that she was a great leader. What is the role of a leader? Mary never claimed it, but always was present. Mother Mary rekindled in the minds of the disciples as she said to the disciples, “Do whatever He tells you” (John 2:5).
PMI Mission
On 17 September 2020 Fr Alexander Kureekattil CMF moved the hearts of the retreatants as he poured his experience with the released prisoners in rehabilitation centers with the given topic on PMI mission. Great contributions are done to PMI by Fr Kureekattil in Kerala in an advanced level as he launched the ministry to redeem the ‘hired killers’. A prisoner introduced him to Fr Alexander saying, ‘I am Killer JV’, as he has done achievements in the society. Father spent almost an hour quoting and sharing the scriptures from the Bible. Killer JV had killed 8 people, repented and asked God to give him the heart to love him, Killer JV was in prison for 12 years, Fr Alexander took him to Trivandrum and for 6 years he was with Fr Kureekattil and became a renewed person. Father followed Killer JV everywhere, met all the connected people who use to give quotations for killing people. Fr Alexander realized that Killer JV was very simple deep within. He said, “I realized that if we hold the hands of a prisoner, we will see the tears, for they had gone through hard times in their lives”.
One of the most touching and scary narration was when 4 men came with weapons to kill Fr Alexander and he retrieved back his footsteps and ran to the police station and told them that his life is under threat. The police told him that they had already warned him that criminals will always be criminals, but yet Fr Alexander was not scared of this episode, he prayed and he slept well and his mission to transform the hard core criminals continued with compassion and communion with God. This story truly gave goose-bumps to all the retreatants and Fr Alexander is truly charismatic, God’s own Son, daring to reach out, whom no one would like to be even involved. When you are in communion with God you will be able to touch the lives of such people. He quoted Mother Theresa ‘open your eyes in front of your home’, as we have opportunity to serve and care people. You need not travel far but look around in your area nearby for which your eyes need to be opened. “Unless you have communion with God, you cannot have union with the prisoners”. Take the risks and we will see the transformation in their lives.
PMI Vocation
Fr Sebastian Vadakumpadan, PMI former national coordinator shed the light on the retreatants on PMI vocation. Prison ministry is a call within a call. Whenever God calls someone, he asked to do something concretely. We are called to leave everything as he invited us personally to leave everything and take up our cross and follow Him. Every call is a covenant with God. Each covenant takes place inside of you and it is the God who makes the covenant. The moment you are in this ministry you will be controlled – your going will be controlled, your movement will be controlled, your association will be controlled, and your enjoyment will be controlled, because you are entering into the restricted place. I congratulate all our dedicated PMI volunteers who allow themselves to be restricted for a cause. Luke 5:1, at the Sea of Galilee, He called Peter, John, James and Andrew. First miracle of catch of fish and last catch of fish after the resurrection took place at this sea. There is a ‘smell of call’ beside the smell of fish. It is better to be in this sea to think about a call within a call.
God does not use and throw us. God never make the policy of ‘Use and throw’ He is interested in Peter. He speaks to him, He interacts with Peter. God never leaves. If you give something, you will receive hundred fold is the promise of the Master who called personally. Now Jesus tells Peter to cast his nets and he gets rewarded. Obey the master and don’t depend on your expertise. Peter obeyed the Master even though his field was different from Jesus field. Your expertise has to be submitted before the Lord. It is Jesus who gives you fruit. Be ready to share from what you have received. Peter calls others to share the fishes; ready to share what he has got. No blessings are for the individuals; we are blessed to become a blessing for others. We need to look at Jesus and not the blessings as peter looked at Jesus. From the miraculous catch of fish he looked at Jesus. He directed his sight from creature to the creator. Nobody comes to you because of your performance. It is the wok of God. Your eyes should get entangled with Jesus eyes.
Sin and Repentance
On 18 September 2020 Fr Sebastian Thekkanath, PMI former national coordinator took the retreatants through the important theme of ‘Sin and Repentance’. We all are rendering our service to a group of people who are branded as sinners or about whom we think they have to repent on their sins, because they all are caught in some wrong actions and accused of such actions. Sin is an attraction to the world and it gives burden. Repentance is an attraction to God and His love lightens the burden. Sin separates us from God. Christian life is a war against Sin. It is a continuous fight against sin. The greatest commandment is “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, love your neighbor as yourself” (Lk 10:27)
Prison ministry is a special ministry different from all other ministries of the church. We cannot compare any other ministry with the service inside the prison. People inside the prison are confined to the four walls of prison. They are branded people accused of some crime. General public look at them in a different way. They are wounded people, isolated people, psychologically down, depressed people with grudge, and nobody believes them. But look at ourselves we are also sinners before God, our creator. We cannot say keeping our right hand on our chest, we are perfect: we have no stain of sin. Repentance is not an option, but it is a commandment of God. There are only two types of people in the world; sinners who are caught and put into the prison as accused and sinners those who are not yet caught and we are those people.
Confession – The Sacrament
Sin is poison. Poison spreads. In the prisons we are meeting people who have been wounded and hence vulnerable. If PMI volunteers are not transparent/pure as crystal, the sin in them can affect the prisoners. Hence the need for PMI volunteers to take confession more seriously and more often. Confession is a mirror through which we can see our inside, see the dirt inside us and when we accept them, the lord cleanses them through his blood. How often do we need to make our confessions? Jesus said to Simon: “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Mt 16:18-19). The modern day problems are we have lost the sense of sin, we justify our sins, we find external cause for our sins, we live mediocre lives without being responsible for our lives.
What is sin? Sin breaks the relationship with God, with oneself, with others and with the nature. What is my sin? How close or far away am I from my god? God is Holy and me being His child what is my destination/target? God has called us to live, not in impurity but in holiness (1 Thess 4:7). But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin (1 John 1:7). Not only that; we feel secure in God because of Christ Jesus, our lord, through whom we have been reconciled. Jesus’ call is not just oriented to an outward expression, but conversion of the heart, interior conversion. External works without interior conversion is sterile and false. Interior repentance is a radical reorientation of our whole life, a return, a return to God with all our hearts is an end of sin, a turning away from evil, with repugnance toward the evil actions we have committed. None of us exempted from the Sacrament of Confession. Feel sorry for your sins, cry out to him for forgiveness and healing. Feel His arms around you as He waits for your return as the father waited for the return of the prodigal son.
Renewed Life
On 19 September 2020 Most Rev Dr Allwyn D’Silva, PMI chairman enlightened the retreatants on ‘Renewed Life’. As you have listened to a number of talks during this retreat it’s time to examine ourselves as we are at the end of our retreat. Talks are like chewing gum. Chew them and examine yourself. Let us ask ourselves, what treasure do I carry from these past few days. The first treasure is the realization of what we are and what we have is a gift of God. “Can a woman forget her nursing child or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these may forget you, see I have inscribed you on the palm of my hands” (Is 49:15-16). Yahweh is telling us, you are precious. Experience that we are God’s gifts. The moment we realize we are God’s gifts we learn that the others too are the gifts of God.
The second treasure is we are redeemed. Having this experience of redeemed makes oneself a joyful. One need to overcome one’s fear, anger, hurts. The hurtful memories need to be healed. Once you are healed of your negativity you will accept yourself and will love yourself. In life we have make the choices to treasure every moment.
I choose to be happy
I choose not to be offended.
I choose to accept responsibility and not to blame.
I choose to be lovingly silent and not react.
I choose to let go and not be stubborn.
Another treasure we can hold for ourselves is change the way to look at others. Look with the eyes of Jesus as Jesus looked and the person changed. Thomas Merton says, “Anxiety is a mark of spiritual failure”. We must believe in ourselves that we are capable, many a times we are anxious. One who trusts God has no right to be anxious. Think differently that we are capable and God is with us. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). Go out and show the Kingdom of God to others. As we take tablets to increase our immunity during this Corona Virus Pandemic, the act of kindness will keeps us highly immune against sin.
Call to be a Blessing to the Broken Beings
As concluding talk Sr Lini Sheeja MSC, former PMI national secretary invited the volunteers to be a blessing to the broken beings. “Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me” (Lk 22:19). The first act of Jesus is ‘took bread’. We are taken in God’s hands. When He took us He had a purpose. Before we were born, we were in His hands. His hand is always safe; nothing would harm and there is no fear when we are in His hands. God took us, because He trusted us. There are hundreds of ministries. But, we are chosen by God for this unique, noble ministry by the God of the Lost for a purpose. The second act is ‘gave thanks’. After having taken us in His hands, He looked up to heaven; He looked up to His Heavenly Father and thanked for the gift of us. We are counted and our service is counted. Jesus asks us to commit ourselves in our selfless service to Him through which we can glorify the God of the Lost together with all the heavenly angels and saints. The third act is ‘broke it’. Let us cast our nests into the deep water, to know ourselves. His personal invitation to each one of us is to break ourselves. To taste the sweet coconut water, we need to break the outer and hard shells of it. Let us break ourselves from anger, break our pride, jealousy, ego, disunity and break from our own comfort zones to reach out to the broken ones behind the bars. The final act of Jesus in this passage is ‘gave it to them’. Jesus has given each one of us to our vulnerable brethren and their families in humble service.
She reminded the retreatants on begging style as she said ‘feel blessed to beg’. The life in prison is unspeakably different from the life of an ordinary person outside. Our brothers and sisters behind the bars struggle with the life inside. We have four basic principles to be effective ministers in this ministry and to do wonders in the name of Jesus Christ. (1)Prayer our powerhouse (2) God’s providence our bank balance (3) Inconvenience our convenience (4) Begging our lifestyle. Prison ministry is a continuous struggle for our brethren behind the bars and this struggle is expressed by our begging lifestyle. God blesses us in our struggle. Why do we follow this lifestyle? The reason is very simple as it touches the hearts our inmates in the rehabilitation centers. Very often they say, ‘Our fathers and sisters are begging to feed us and help us’. This itself makes them changed persons. Go out of your life to beg to feed our brothers, sisters and their children whom God has placed in our care. Let us not be ashamed to beg, rather feel blessed to beg. Begging is grace given to each volunteer by the God of the poor, by Jesus who had no place to be born, to place to lay His head. We beg to make them kings and queens. Let our attitude be, they are the kings and queens and we are servants.
Inner Healing
This last session of the retreat was the time for Inner Healing which was led by Rev Fr. Jose Vettiyankal VC, the director of Logos Retreat Centre Bangalore. Father Jose prayerfully led all into this healing session with his talk on Inner Healing. To have inner healing we have to say the Inner Healing Prayer. Transfix your hands above your chest them in a form of a cross about half a foot away from your chest. Moses put a piece of wood in bitter water; it was changed into sweet water. Similarly, the power of the cross can change all our bitter memories and experiences into sweet ones. Imagine that white rays are radiating from the cross to your hearts, where all the bitterness is stored up. These powerful rays bring the inner healing that you need.
We have 7 stages in our growth, developments and so the inner healing should take place in all these 7 stages. We need to pray over each stage and Lord Jesus goes back to those stages and heals us of those painful memories. This will happen only if we are open to His grace and healing touch. Fr Jose asked the retreatants to cry out to the Lord when the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed. Believe that the Jesus our healer is here in our midst and all things are possible if we have faith in Him.
Prenatal – 9 months and nine days.
Infancy – 0-5 years
Childhook – 6 – 12 years
Adolescence (teens) – 13 – 19 years
Youth – 20 – 35 years
Middle ages – 36 – 60 years
Senior Citizens – above 60 years
And RIP is the last stage there we don’t need inner healing. God takes us completely to Him. In all 7 stages we need healing. Because we are not 100% perfect and all have some kind of manifestation of negative memories in one or the other stages. Only Jesus can heal. He is the physician of the mind, body and soul.
The manifestation of negative memories can be in 3 areas:
Body – Psychosomatic disease
Mind – Emotional imbalance and instabilities, psychosis and neurosis, personality disorder, fear, anxiety, phobia etc.
Soul – Spiritual problems such as scrupulosity, faith in fatalism, criminal and sinful tendencies etc.
Some manifestations of inner wounds will prevent to achieve something good in your life. There are some manifestations of the inner wounds that will lead you towards sin. There are times; we may not receive inner healing because we have not confessed our sins. The reasons of inner wounds are unloved experiences, feeling of rejection, trauma, negative feelings, ancestral causes/parental causes, diabolical causes. The remedies to these are walk along with Jesus towards the past stages of growth, unconditional forgiveness, inner healing adoration led by a person who has the gift of inner healing, ongoing inner healing prayers, deliverance and protection prayers, infilling prayers/anointing prayers, prayer of praise, worship and adoration.
Concluding Retreat Prayer
Jesus, you are the same yesterday, today and forever. Come into my yesterdays; into my wounded feelings and negative events to transform them for my favor and good. Jesus I pray over all these negatives that happened in my life and feelings such as rejection, unforgiveness, sorrows, fear, loneliness and failure and so on. I pray over them all. Jesus, come into my bitter experiences and change them into sweet memories. I pray and forgive all who have offended me unjustly and bless them more than you bless me. Jesus alone will hear our prayers. “Jesus is sufficient for me” (2 Cor 2:16).
Final Blessing
After the talk on healing, it was followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament wherein the Fr Jose invoked God’ blessings and protection over the retreatants. It was a moment of grace and heavenly experience as everyone were gazing at the Eucharistic Master pleading for His healing touch. The participants started counted their blessings as the whole retreat brought blessings in abundance. Counting all the blessings during this final hour of the retreat all the retreatants thanked and praised the Holy God together with the angels and saints in heaven for the hundred fold blessings we experienced personally and the PMI family as a whole.
Prison Ministry India together with Anugraha Counselling Institute Conducts Counselling Course for PMI Volunteers
Counsellor Training Program (CTP) Prison Ministry India and Anugraha Counselling Institute (Dindigul)
Fr Ferdinand Franco SAC
Prison Ministry India national office together with Anugraha Counselling Institute organized two weeks Counsellor Training Program from 11-24 October 2020 for PMI volunteers and 60 of them participated in it. On 11 October 2020 at the inaugural session, after being welcomed by Dr Francis Kodiyan MCBS, PMI national coordinator Most Rev Dr Allwyn D’ Silva addressed the participants and wished them best wishes for the forthcoming program. It was two weeks program with 25 sessions by different specialised professors and it made a great impact on PMI volunteers. The Counsellor Training Program conducted opened in us a new understanding of whole process of Counselling.
The Explanation of the Nano Skill Model of counselling, classes on Neuro Linguistic Programming, New Behavior Generator, Healing Inner Child, Visual Kinesthetic Disassociation Therapy, Managing Fear and Anger, Genogram, different kinds of personality disorders, mood disorders, conflict management, strokes, ego states etc. indeed have brought new way looking at one’s own personality and the people we meet especially those are confined within the four walls of prison. Vague ideas of counseling existed in some of us which were cleared by systematic and logical presentation of the concepts of Counselor Training Program (CTP). The course did instill in us a kind of self-awareness and a confidence that there is possibility in us to open to change what we can and created a tranquility to accept what we can’t and taught us also how to be empathetic and where to place boundaries in our relationships.
No two people understand the same language and acts in the same way. But then it was happy to hear that a warm smile and good gestures, eye contacts, words that are used to greet like ‘glad to meet’, introducing each other etc. indeed play great roles in creating a bond between the client and the counselor. One of the important aspects of successful counseling that we learnt from this course is that the client should have a deep confidence in the counselor to pour out his/her anxieties and struggles. It is indeed a new insight for all of us as we engage ourselves in this noble ministry, a ministry for the lost. We meet different types of people hail from different culture and background. These thoughts will be light in our path to understand and listen to them. The pre-conceived definition of counseling that existed already in us is replaced with the new definition of counselling. It beckons us to go beyond a causal conversation with the client. It invites us to create a conducive space for the client for an intimate sharing. By inviting all of us to develop empathetic attitude towards the client, it warns us to be conscious of the clients with whom we deal and the purpose of the meeting, to avoid further complications.
Brief and systematic narration of Personality, Anxiety and Mood disorders threw light upon us to see expression of such disorders in others in a scientific and objective way. An awareness is created in us not to judge such people on the basis of external appearances. It also created in us to have an empathetic attitude towards them than a sympathetic approach. In empathy we relate with an intimacy with a boundary, where as in sympathy we approach them with pity feeling. In sympathy we participate in their pain and suffering but by showing sympathy we become advisers. I vehemently believe, we as the volunteers of Prison Ministry India, we need to imbibe this true spirit of empathy for the success of the mission in the prisons. Process and techniques of counseling offered by Prison Ministry India and Anugraha brought new insights about the human relations.
Human relation in Prison Ministry denotes to our relation with prisoners. Here the clients are always prisoners. We are invited to become an instrument to help the client to discover the problem and solutions. Through this, the counselor develops an interpersonal relationship that creates a confidence in the client to share everything to the counselor. All that we have learned will be indeed a great help for us to have a sound analysis of the people we meet in the prisons, which is important for them to recognize his/her own emotional and behavioral problems. Recognition of the problems brings changes in the prisoners and success of the counseling or the help that we render is based on this changes. It was indeed a fruitful time to travel inward to our own self, to discover dimensions and traits of our own personality.
There is a realization that these teachings not only handy in helping others to lead a better life but they also help each of us to recognize our own struggles and concerns and correct them. The participants are indeed delighted and grateful for having received this opportunity which invited us to be the people down to the earth with the eyes of mercy and heart of compassion as we the PMI volunteers reach out to the broken beings behind the bars. Heartfelt gratitude to all the professors who were guiding us throughout the training program, enlightened us with their own respective subjects. Special thanks to Dr Francis Kodiyan MCBS, PMI National Coordinator for foreseeing the need of the time and organizing this course for the PMI volunteers and to Sr Lini Sheeja MSC, Online Counselling Program Coordinator for timely updating with information and her quick response of every query of each participant.
Fr Ferdinand Franco SAC
Prison Ministry India national office together with Anugraha Counselling Institute organized two weeks Counsellor Training Program from 11-24 October 2020 for PMI volunteers and 60 of them participated in it. On 11 October 2020 at the inaugural session, after being welcomed by Dr Francis Kodiyan MCBS, PMI national coordinator Most Rev Dr Allwyn D’ Silva addressed the participants and wished them best wishes for the forthcoming program. It was two weeks program with 25 sessions by different specialised professors and it made a great impact on PMI volunteers. The Counsellor Training Program conducted opened in us a new understanding of whole process of Counselling.
The Explanation of the Nano Skill Model of counselling, classes on Neuro Linguistic Programming, New Behavior Generator, Healing Inner Child, Visual Kinesthetic Disassociation Therapy, Managing Fear and Anger, Genogram, different kinds of personality disorders, mood disorders, conflict management, strokes, ego states etc. indeed have brought new way looking at one’s own personality and the people we meet especially those are confined within the four walls of prison. Vague ideas of counseling existed in some of us which were cleared by systematic and logical presentation of the concepts of Counselor Training Program (CTP). The course did instill in us a kind of self-awareness and a confidence that there is possibility in us to open to change what we can and created a tranquility to accept what we can’t and taught us also how to be empathetic and where to place boundaries in our relationships.
No two people understand the same language and acts in the same way. But then it was happy to hear that a warm smile and good gestures, eye contacts, words that are used to greet like ‘glad to meet’, introducing each other etc. indeed play great roles in creating a bond between the client and the counselor. One of the important aspects of successful counseling that we learnt from this course is that the client should have a deep confidence in the counselor to pour out his/her anxieties and struggles. It is indeed a new insight for all of us as we engage ourselves in this noble ministry, a ministry for the lost. We meet different types of people hail from different culture and background. These thoughts will be light in our path to understand and listen to them. The pre-conceived definition of counseling that existed already in us is replaced with the new definition of counselling. It beckons us to go beyond a causal conversation with the client. It invites us to create a conducive space for the client for an intimate sharing. By inviting all of us to develop empathetic attitude towards the client, it warns us to be conscious of the clients with whom we deal and the purpose of the meeting, to avoid further complications.
Brief and systematic narration of Personality, Anxiety and Mood disorders threw light upon us to see expression of such disorders in others in a scientific and objective way. An awareness is created in us not to judge such people on the basis of external appearances. It also created in us to have an empathetic attitude towards them than a sympathetic approach. In empathy we relate with an intimacy with a boundary, where as in sympathy we approach them with pity feeling. In sympathy we participate in their pain and suffering but by showing sympathy we become advisers. I vehemently believe, we as the volunteers of Prison Ministry India, we need to imbibe this true spirit of empathy for the success of the mission in the prisons. Process and techniques of counseling offered by Prison Ministry India and Anugraha brought new insights about the human relations.
Human relation in Prison Ministry denotes to our relation with prisoners. Here the clients are always prisoners. We are invited to become an instrument to help the client to discover the problem and solutions. Through this, the counselor develops an interpersonal relationship that creates a confidence in the client to share everything to the counselor. All that we have learned will be indeed a great help for us to have a sound analysis of the people we meet in the prisons, which is important for them to recognize his/her own emotional and behavioral problems. Recognition of the problems brings changes in the prisoners and success of the counseling or the help that we render is based on this changes. It was indeed a fruitful time to travel inward to our own self, to discover dimensions and traits of our own personality.
There is a realization that these teachings not only handy in helping others to lead a better life but they also help each of us to recognize our own struggles and concerns and correct them. The participants are indeed delighted and grateful for having received this opportunity which invited us to be the people down to the earth with the eyes of mercy and heart of compassion as we the PMI volunteers reach out to the broken beings behind the bars. Heartfelt gratitude to all the professors who were guiding us throughout the training program, enlightened us with their own respective subjects. Special thanks to Dr Francis Kodiyan MCBS, PMI National Coordinator for foreseeing the need of the time and organizing this course for the PMI volunteers and to Sr Lini Sheeja MSC, Online Counselling Program Coordinator for timely updating with information and her quick response of every query of each participant.
PMI SPECIAL TASK FORCES ONLINE MEET
28 November 2020
Fr Michael Francis
Special Task Forces meeting was conducted on Saturday, 28th Nov, 2020. The meeting began by the celebration of Holy Mass by Fr Dion Isaac from the Archdiocese of Hyderabad. Holy mass was offered for various intentions of Prison Ministry. The sisters and staff of St Mary’s Centenary Junior College, Secundrabad, had organized beautiful liturgy under the guidance of Fr Dion. Mrs Charmine Edwin in the opening prayer invoked God’s blessings upon the organizers and the participants to have a meaningful presentation and discussion to make good decisions. Fr Michael Francis welcomed the organizers and the participants with his graceful words.
Antihuman Trafficking Brigadiers
Mrs Rowena Luis and Mr Ashok Kumar in their presentation described human trafficking as the modern day slave trade where the solicitation, transportation and exploitation of human takes place by means of deception, coercion and violence. Human trafficking is a worldwide problem and one of the largest growing illegal trades in the world, more prominent in Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa. Millions of children, men and women are easy victims of human trafficking due to poverty, lack of economic opportunities, growth of global commercial sex industry and global demand for slave labor, child labor and child soldiers. As per National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report a total 3,47,524 people in India have been reported as “missing” in 2018, of which 2,23,621 are women.
Personalities like Mr. Kailash Satyarthi founder of Bachpan Bacho Andolan and Ms. Seema Dhaka a police constable from Delhi have their contribution in saving many children. In 2018, Anti Trafficking Bill was passed in the parliament to curb the evil of human trafficking. In the Bible there are incidences (Lev 25:39-42, Lev 25:43, Col 4:1, Eph 6:8-9) where God shows his care and concern for the slaves and speaks against their abusers. Even kidnapping and slavery is condemned in the Bible (Ex 21:16, Deut 24:7, Rom 13:8-10). There is an evil force behind this great evil, thus in this spiritual warfare against the evil forces the antihuman trafficking brigadiers need to empower themselves with full armor of God (Eph 6:10-18). Pope Francis declared St Josephine Bakhita has the patron saint of human trafficking victims. Thus, along with St Josephine and the prayer methodology of St Therese of Lisieux, the antihuman trafficking brigadiers are praying at the foot of the cross for the victims, traffickers and the rescuers. Apart from praying, there is also a great need to create awareness about human trafficking and working with likeminded organizations involved in rescue operations of the victims.
Innocent Prisoners Redeemers
Sr Lini Sheeja MSC, defined innocent prisoner as a person convicted and punished for a crime not committed. Few causes like misidentification by eye witnesses, false confession and admission of crime by persons and government misconduct leads to innocents persons being labeled as prisoners. USA has more wrongful convictions than any other country in the world, i.e. from 1989 to 2017, 2001 persons were convicted for the crime which they never committed and later on were released for lack of evidence. These innocent prisoners look for answers to their many questions that trouble them. It takes years for many to prove their innocence. Fr. Stan Swami is the latest example. Innocent Prisoners Redeemers follow condemned innocent God. Jesus himself suffered poverty, rejection, loneliness, abandonment and finally suffered death on the cross. He died so that the guilty might go free. Finally raised by the heavenly Father, Jesus redeemed the least and the lost. Jesus always trusted his heavenly Father and never doubted. He stood firm in faith always. Thus, Jesus is the hero of the innocent prisoners.
Like Jesus many innocent prisoners suffer along with their own family and dear ones. Some are even abandoned by their own family. Surrounded by miseries and rejection they feel lonely. Knowing the fact that they are innocent, some suffer silently and some contemplate on taking revenge to prove their innocence. The stigma of being accused leads to shame and guilt and many end up with no hope left. Thus, many think of ending their life journey by committing suicide. Innocent Prisoners Redeemers consoling message to all the innocent prisoners is that, ‘you are not alone…we are with you! Prayer is the best way to reach out to all the innocent prisoners because God alone knows their heart. With 40 new members enrolled to follow 40 days program, we believe and pray and God redeems.
Rev Dr Francis Kodiyan, the moderator of the meeting shared his wisdom with the participants. Throwing light on Antihuman Trafficking father said that the United Nations document Antihuman Trafficking Manual speaks of human trafficking and Indian government too has Antihuman Trafficking Cell, so we should also seek the possibilities to collaborate with this cell. Vatican too has an important dicastery - Integral Human Development, an office for antihuman trafficking and same dicastery is handling prisoners. In Feb, 2019 Pope Francis published a document on antihuman trafficking i.e. Pastoral Orientation on Human Trafficking and same was published by PMI in its journal Reformative Exploration, January 2020 issue. Adding to Innocent Prisoners Redeemers presentation father said that in America alone there are 1,20,000 innocent prisoners. The number is alarming and thus there is an urgent need to have more volunteers to pray and do concrete service. In honor of PMI Ruby Jubilee, father introduced 40 Special Task Forces and invited all to join. Sr Shony Varghese SAP thanked each and everyone in a special way and appreciated the effort taken by all. The meeting concluded with angelus by Sr Fulmani LDFX
Innocent Prisoners Redeemers Inaugural Program
IPR
Sr Heather Aranha FC
Innocent Prisoners Redeemers inaugural program was conducted on 22 November 2020 and 40 prayer warriors took part in it. The meeting began at 4pm and Sr Lini Sheeja MSC, the coordinator of IPR began with a hymn to the Holy Spirit and Mrs Fatima, Bangalore read the Scripture passage on “Arrest of Jesus” (Lk 22:47-53) followed by the opening prayer by Sr Heather Aranha FC, Mumbai who made an opening prayer based on the Gospel and invoked God’s presence and blessings on this inaugural session.
Sr Lini Sheeja MSC thanked all 40 prayer warriors of IPR for being part of this group to dedicate their time and prayer in participating in 40 days Spiritual Warfare. She did thank Dr Francis Kodiyan MCBS the Love Bomb of Prison Ministry India for all guidance and prayerful support for it. Rev Fr Francis Kodiyan, PMI cofounder and national coordinator threw the light on the participants about the birth and mission of PMI. Together with him we walked down memory lane, as we journeyed together with him to the beginnings and foundation of Prison Ministry India.
Sr Lini MSC in her presentation said that we follow the condemned innocent God who was convicted for a crime He did not commit and was crucified. Jesus is the hero of the Innocent Prisoners. The Innocent Prisoners are mentally and emotionally tortured. They are behind bars for a crime they have not committed, but labeled as criminals. It takes years to prove one’s innocence. In the meantime they face loneliness and rejection from family members and society. The powerful message that we can give the Innocent Prisoners is, ‘You are not alone, we are with you’ and support them with our prayer. So, from tomorrow for 40 days we join hands in prayer and pray for them, before the Blessed Sacrament and with Mother Mary.
The participants then introduced themselves. It gave us great joy to know that we are not alone, but we are a group of 40 prayer warriors who join hands for a cause, a noble cause of praying for the innocents who are condemned same like our innocent God who was convicted, tortured and crucified. We were thrilled to know our 40 days program and special prayer for the innocent prisoners was formulated by Sr Lini Sheeja to be prayed for 40 days. We do pray Psalm 17 everyday, a prayer of an innocent person to feel one with our innocent brethren behind the bars. Mrs Rosali Thomas, Mumbai then thanked Fr Francis Kodiyan, Sr Lini and the participants. The participants too spontaneously thanked Sr Lini for the great effort put in to coordinate this group and meeting. We left the meeting feeling enriched and committed to this task entrusted to us.
PMI SPECIAL TASK FORCES MEET
29 December 2020
Fr Michael Francis
As we bid goodbye to 2020 and with 2021 at the threshold the Special Task Forces once again met on Wednesday, 30th Dec, 2020. The meeting began with the Eucharistic celebration by Fr. Michael Francis from the diocese of Aurangabad. The Holy Mass was offered to thank the Lord for his choicest blessings showered upon PMI throughout the year and prayers were offered for a fruitful year ahead. Lt. Col. Jennifer James invoked God’s blessings upon the meeting and the success of PMI endeavors. All the organizing members and the participants were cheerfully welcomed by Fr Michael Francis.
Hired-Killers Liberating Squadron
A great personality Rev. Fr. Alexander Kureekattil CMF is doing a wonderful service of liberating and changing hard core hired killers life by making them human again. In his presentation he explained that there is a section of people in the society who earn money by taking quotations to kill innocent people and they are popularly known as hired-killers or contract-killers. Most of these hired-killers come from broken and disturbed families. Many of them have seen their family members suffer unjustly or face severe poverty. They become easy targets in the hands of the mafia lords who push them to commit such dirty business of killing. Many of them are hand in gloves with high profile personalities of the society. As part of training, they experiment and master their killing skills on innocent animals like dog. Dealing with such persons involves great risk. Rev. Fr. Alexander Kureekattil CMF has been risking his life by going after hired-killers to save them and change their lives. He has changed many lives. Before leaving his residence Father writes a letter about his days plan and the person he is going to meet and leaves at his table for his community members. God has been so good and protective towards Fr. Alexander that he is still with his community and at peace. PMI salutes him for being such a great Special Task Force Worrier and a great inspiration to all the PMI family.
Juvenile Delinquents Squadron
Rev Sr Lini Sheeja MSC leads a couple of task forces as the Commander in Chief, of which Juvenile Delinquents Squadron is another feather in her hat. Sr Lini in her presentation defines and explains the great service carried about by her team. She explains that Juvenile Delinquents is a minor, between the age group of 10 and 18 who has committed some act that violates the law. It refers to the anti-social or criminal activities of the child below 18 years which violates the law. The General Assembly on 29th Nov, 1985 adopted the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of the Juvenile Justice and for the first time the word Juvenile was coined. This change in terminology was than reflected in the Domestic Law with the passing of the J J Act 1986 and came to be known as the Juvenile Justice Care and Protection Act 2000. The act was further amended in 2015 and is now called as Juvenile Justice Care and Protection of Children Act 2015. In this act there are two categories of children i.e. children in need of care and protection and secondly children in conflict with the law. Petty offences, serious offences and heinous offences are the offences covered under JJCPC Act 2015. Different government departments and PMI play a vital role in the implementation of the JJCPC Act 2015. There are many factors and situations like poverty, childhood bad experience, substance abuse, peer pressure etc, which cause juvenile delinquencies.
Children are a beautiful gift of God. Family and the community have the primary goal of shaping the personality of the children. Observation home for children below 18 years play a key role in changing their attitudes and forming their personality. There are 815 juvenile homes in India as per the 7th Nov, 2016 report. Most of the juvenile homes are overcrowded. What is alarming is that there is an increase in the crime committed by the juvenile as per the National Crime Report Bureau. PMI renders individual counseling, different skill classes, behavior management programs etc. Many children come out with renewed life. God does wonders through our prayers and support. PMI aims at starting more Kolbe Homes to facilitate such children. ‘Juvenile – a journey’ an article in the October 2020 issue of Prison Voice highlights the dignity of children as a gift from God. Sr Lini and her team leave no stone unturned to serve juvenile and bring them love of God.
Insight from the Moderator
Rev Dr Francis Kodiyan MCBS shared his juvenile home experience which he had during his doctrinal study in Rome. Father was inspired by a movement called ‘Covenant House’ run by Franciscan Convention Fathers in New York. They collected all the runaway boys from interior parts of America. There are different sections of the covenant house; the first is ‘Take In’ i.e. boys from the streets will be taken in. Likewise there are different departments in Covenant House and Kolbe Home is an inspiration from this house. So PMI is looking forward to start more Kolbe Home all over India.
Mr Walter Kamble (Nasik Diocese) summarized the whole meeting in few words and beautifully thanked each and everyone with his graceful words. The meeting concluded with prayer for prisoners and angelus by Rev Sr Marcelline CCV. Finally Christmas song was played and every one wished each other A Merry Christmas and A Prosperous New year – 2021.
Prisoners’ Children Educators (PCE)
Asha Sebastian
The first online meet of Prisoners’ Children Educators, which is one of the PMI Special task Forces under Prison Ministry India (PMI) was held on 09 January 2021 through Google Meet. Sr Amala DC, PMI national secretary helped us in invoking the blessings of God. Dr Francis Kodiyan MCBS, PMI National Coordinator welcomed the members of PCE and thanked each one individually for their willingness and generosity to be part of this group for a noble cause. He also mentioned that if we do not take care of these children, you will see them behind the bars tomorrow. The members introduced themselves as they are from different states joining hands from today for the sake of vulnerable children. Sr Lini Sheeja MSC, former PMI national secretary gave an introductory presentation on PMI and she took them through four basic principles, which Prison Ministry India holds closer to it’s mission. As she ended her presentation with the 4th principle; ‘begging our lifestyle’ she said, we beg to make them kings and queen. Let us care and carry the burdens of our brethren behind the bars and their children. If you and I don’t care who else will do? They are our brothers, sisters and children. The members elected Mr Sanjay Antony as the President and Ms Asha Sebastian as the Secretary for PCE task force.
An open discussion on the activities of task force was followed. Each member gave their suggestions for PCE. Fr Francis invited the members to bring in more volunteers to reach the goal as this Special Task Force is launched in commemoration of PMI Ruby Jubilee to educate 400 children of prisoners. The current strength of the task force is just 40; more members would be beneficial to reach more children. The members can schedule a weekly/monthly visits to children’s homes. We may segregate the kids by age and help them in a structured manner. It was also suggested to organize various talks, cultural activities, music classes, sports activities etc. for the well-being of children in our centers. It was suggested to add caretakers of children’ home to the group so that we may get a better picture about the needs of the kids.
Sr Lini MSC in her concluding remarks said, that each member can adopt a child and take care of their financial, educational, emotional, psychological and spiritual needs. They can call the child once a month and speak to them; all those who are nearby can make a visit and spend quality time with the child which will make the child to feel that one is wanted and cared. Members were happy with it and we will proceed with the same by assigning each child a caretaker. Also, we can meet frequently and evaluate the activities hereafter. Fr Rajendra Kumar, PMI interim secretary concluded the meeting with a prayer at 5 PM.
Redeemed Prisoner Book Release by Most Rev Dr Allwyn D'Silva, PMI Chairman
and Rev Dr Francis Kodiyan MCBS, PMI Cofounder
30 January 2021
Author Sr Lini Sheeja MSC, PMI Former National Secretary
Redeemed Prisoner - Book Release 30 January 2021
Daisy Mathew
"Redeemed Prisoner" - is a name that may not easily synchronize with the intellect of the average man, because for him the "Redeemed" is one who has been set free, whereas a "Prisoner" is one who is locked up. It is interesting to note that the book authored by Sr Lini Sheeja MSC, who served as National Secretary of Prison Ministry India for the past few years, titled her latest book, "Redeemed Prisoner." The book which is the result of her first-hand experience in the Prison Ministry narrates the real life tales of prisoners who have been redeemed from prison not just physically but also emotionally as well as spiritually. The book makes an unconscious peep into the transformation secrets of the death row prisoners, murderers, serial killers, pick-pockets and commercial sex workers. It enthralls us that these men and women have surrendered their lives to the Maker. Some of them are now even preaching Jesus, after experiencing His forgiving love, and mercy, through the Prison Ministry volunteers.
"Redeemed Prisoner" is the third book written by Sr Lini after "Sound of Silence'' which was published last year. Sound of Silence is a heart-rending yet uplifting portrayal of the dolorous and passionate Way of the Cross of Jesus. Her latest "Redeemed Prisoner" was formally released on the 30th of January 2021 during the meeting of the PMI Special Task Force, by Most Rev Dr Allwyn D'Silva PMI Chairman, Rev Dr Francis Kodiyan MCBS, Rev Dr Joe Mannath, Rev Dr PD Mathew, Rev Fr Jeromias, Rev Fr Edward, Rev Fr Sebastian Thottipatt, Rev Sr Inigo, Rev Sr Adele, PMI volunteers, family members, friends, benefactors and well-wishers joined and graced the occasion.
Dr Francis Kodiyan MCBS, PMI cofounder welcomed Bishops, priests, religious, the participants and welcoming Sr Lini he said, she is super dynamic personality who continues her good work from the convent in Bellary where she is now. He reminisced about the privileged two years that he got to work alongside Sr Lini in the Prison Ministry, and heartily congratulated her on the publishing of her new book. Sr Lini MSC, the author briefed the book after which a short introductory video on "Redeemed Prisoner" was played online, with the Hymn "Come and Worship..." aptly played in the background.
The catchy headings of the stories in the book flashed by as the video played....
"Jesus dismissed the Dismas case"
"I killed a Saint!"
"Who is to be blamed?"
"The pickpocket who was finally picked"
"Guilty Judas to faithful Peter"
"Flesh-eater turned Care-giver"
"O Father I slipped again!"
"1 sheep greater than 99"
are some of the inviting titles.
The book which is dedicated to death row prisoners across the world over has a blessing message by Bp Peter Remigius and by Bp Peter Machado. The foreword is penned by His Grace Bp Allwyn D'silva, the Preface is written by Dr Fancis Kodiyan MCBS. There is a special message by Rev Dr Jervis D'souza too.
Most Rev Dr Allwyn D'Silva, before releasing the book, while congratulating the author Sr Lini MSC he said that the book was not just an academic study, but the fruit of her experience as a PM volunteer. "And that will make it all the more appealing to the readers", he added. Her literary skills, which he had incidentally noticed when she had worked as Editor of Prison Voice, will make the book even more interesting and enlightening is what he opined. The Bishop also had a few laudable words to share about the person of Sr Lini. Bishop congratulated her for being the wonderful human that she was, bringing happiness to all around her. Reminding us that Lent was round the corner the Bishop referred to the whole Paschal Mystery as an event of hope, and redemption as the essence of salvation history. "The saving power of Jesus was seen when the Israelites sinned, when we sin too. The Church exists not only in the parishes, but in the prisons too. Hence we need to be witnesses of hope and love, inside the prisons. Read the book to know about the redeemed prisoners and to get a glimpse of the author too," he said.
There was a round of applause as Fr Francis Kodiyan un-wrapped the colorful wrap of the book and raised it up for all to see. Sr Lini thanked Fr Francis and Bp Allwyn for all the support that he had given her in publishing the book. The Bishop then gave the final blessing to the author and to all present, expressing hope that the readers of the book would be filled with the Spirit of Redemption, Love and Hope. Sr Lini extended a special word of thanks to Fr Alexander Kureekattil, Sr Adele Korah and Mr Walter Kamble for their contribution in the book. Fr PD Mathew in a lighter vein remarked that Sr Lini could be known as Sr Lini 'Redeemer', because she had brought the Redeemer Jesus to the readers through this book. He made a suggestion that the laws governing the rights of the prisoners also be brought to light.
The floor was then opened to the participants for felicitating Sr Lini. Most of the participants of the meeting had a word or two of appreciation for Sr Lini. Sr Inigo particularly appreciated the cover page of the book, mentioning that it was an apt reflection of the theme of the Prison Ministry. Fr Joe Mannath SDB appreciated that more and more religious were getting involved in Prison Ministry, a ministry that is different from the usual - Education and Hospitals - a ministry that reaches out to the unjustly imprisoned. Himself a writer of many books, he congratulated the religious for getting involved in reading and writing. The Vote of Thanks was proposed by Sr Shony and the meeting was rounded off with the Angelus prayer and the Prayer for Prisoners by Sr Amala DC, PMI national secretary.
Daisy Mathew
"Redeemed Prisoner" - is a name that may not easily synchronize with the intellect of the average man, because for him the "Redeemed" is one who has been set free, whereas a "Prisoner" is one who is locked up. It is interesting to note that the book authored by Sr Lini Sheeja MSC, who served as National Secretary of Prison Ministry India for the past few years, titled her latest book, "Redeemed Prisoner." The book which is the result of her first-hand experience in the Prison Ministry narrates the real life tales of prisoners who have been redeemed from prison not just physically but also emotionally as well as spiritually. The book makes an unconscious peep into the transformation secrets of the death row prisoners, murderers, serial killers, pick-pockets and commercial sex workers. It enthralls us that these men and women have surrendered their lives to the Maker. Some of them are now even preaching Jesus, after experiencing His forgiving love, and mercy, through the Prison Ministry volunteers.
"Redeemed Prisoner" is the third book written by Sr Lini after "Sound of Silence'' which was published last year. Sound of Silence is a heart-rending yet uplifting portrayal of the dolorous and passionate Way of the Cross of Jesus. Her latest "Redeemed Prisoner" was formally released on the 30th of January 2021 during the meeting of the PMI Special Task Force, by Most Rev Dr Allwyn D'Silva PMI Chairman, Rev Dr Francis Kodiyan MCBS, Rev Dr Joe Mannath, Rev Dr PD Mathew, Rev Fr Jeromias, Rev Fr Edward, Rev Fr Sebastian Thottipatt, Rev Sr Inigo, Rev Sr Adele, PMI volunteers, family members, friends, benefactors and well-wishers joined and graced the occasion.
Dr Francis Kodiyan MCBS, PMI cofounder welcomed Bishops, priests, religious, the participants and welcoming Sr Lini he said, she is super dynamic personality who continues her good work from the convent in Bellary where she is now. He reminisced about the privileged two years that he got to work alongside Sr Lini in the Prison Ministry, and heartily congratulated her on the publishing of her new book. Sr Lini MSC, the author briefed the book after which a short introductory video on "Redeemed Prisoner" was played online, with the Hymn "Come and Worship..." aptly played in the background.
The catchy headings of the stories in the book flashed by as the video played....
"Jesus dismissed the Dismas case"
"I killed a Saint!"
"Who is to be blamed?"
"The pickpocket who was finally picked"
"Guilty Judas to faithful Peter"
"Flesh-eater turned Care-giver"
"O Father I slipped again!"
"1 sheep greater than 99"
are some of the inviting titles.
The book which is dedicated to death row prisoners across the world over has a blessing message by Bp Peter Remigius and by Bp Peter Machado. The foreword is penned by His Grace Bp Allwyn D'silva, the Preface is written by Dr Fancis Kodiyan MCBS. There is a special message by Rev Dr Jervis D'souza too.
Most Rev Dr Allwyn D'Silva, before releasing the book, while congratulating the author Sr Lini MSC he said that the book was not just an academic study, but the fruit of her experience as a PM volunteer. "And that will make it all the more appealing to the readers", he added. Her literary skills, which he had incidentally noticed when she had worked as Editor of Prison Voice, will make the book even more interesting and enlightening is what he opined. The Bishop also had a few laudable words to share about the person of Sr Lini. Bishop congratulated her for being the wonderful human that she was, bringing happiness to all around her. Reminding us that Lent was round the corner the Bishop referred to the whole Paschal Mystery as an event of hope, and redemption as the essence of salvation history. "The saving power of Jesus was seen when the Israelites sinned, when we sin too. The Church exists not only in the parishes, but in the prisons too. Hence we need to be witnesses of hope and love, inside the prisons. Read the book to know about the redeemed prisoners and to get a glimpse of the author too," he said.
There was a round of applause as Fr Francis Kodiyan un-wrapped the colorful wrap of the book and raised it up for all to see. Sr Lini thanked Fr Francis and Bp Allwyn for all the support that he had given her in publishing the book. The Bishop then gave the final blessing to the author and to all present, expressing hope that the readers of the book would be filled with the Spirit of Redemption, Love and Hope. Sr Lini extended a special word of thanks to Fr Alexander Kureekattil, Sr Adele Korah and Mr Walter Kamble for their contribution in the book. Fr PD Mathew in a lighter vein remarked that Sr Lini could be known as Sr Lini 'Redeemer', because she had brought the Redeemer Jesus to the readers through this book. He made a suggestion that the laws governing the rights of the prisoners also be brought to light.
The floor was then opened to the participants for felicitating Sr Lini. Most of the participants of the meeting had a word or two of appreciation for Sr Lini. Sr Inigo particularly appreciated the cover page of the book, mentioning that it was an apt reflection of the theme of the Prison Ministry. Fr Joe Mannath SDB appreciated that more and more religious were getting involved in Prison Ministry, a ministry that is different from the usual - Education and Hospitals - a ministry that reaches out to the unjustly imprisoned. Himself a writer of many books, he congratulated the religious for getting involved in reading and writing. The Vote of Thanks was proposed by Sr Shony and the meeting was rounded off with the Angelus prayer and the Prayer for Prisoners by Sr Amala DC, PMI national secretary.
Members of Incessant Intercessory Invocation for the Incarcerated