SFA Parish Prison Ministry: Journeying Together in God’s Love and Mercy

Very few people are aware of the enormous prison population in our nation. Since they are imprisoned, the majority of us never engage with them. They are in jail because they committed crimes, and that seems to be the end of it. Therefore, there seem to be not much of a need for us to care about them. Should we just forget about our brothers and sisters who are deprived of liberty while they are out of our sight, should we just forget about them? Should they just be left alone?

As stewards of God and as a community of believers, we are entrusted to help and care for our brothers and sisters who are in prison or those who are labeled as “Persons Deprived of Liberty” (PDL).

Quoted from the book “A Source Book on Prison Ministry and Justice that Heals”, Most Rev. Leopoldo S. Tumulak, D.D., the former chairman of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission on Pastoral Care (CBCP-ECPPC) said that “The Church is committed to the total human development of the members of the prison society. It strives to be a community of disciples that will promote and provide programs and opportunities to meet the unique needs of the members of the prison community, especially the prisoners. Additionally, the CBCP-ECPPC upholds the rights of all citizens, the dignity of every individual, and the potential for human development. It acknowledges that each individual is the center of all creation, created in God’s image and likeness, and redeemed by Christ.”

In line with this, the St. Francis of Assisi Parish Ma-a, headed by Msgr. Paul A. Cuison, JCD, established the SFA Parish Prison Ministry, which aims to render various services to the inmates of Ma-a City Jail as part of its Pastoral care and formation. The ministry will offer programs and services including Spiritual nourishment, Moral and Spiritual Formation, Sacraments administration, Administation of the Medical and Health Assistance, Skills development, Gift giving, etc. These services and programs are ways of concretizing the words of Jesus in the Sacred Scriptures to visit and minister to those who are in prison. (cf. Mt. 25:36}

In addition, the SFAP Prison Ministry conducted an orientation and workshop last October 23, 2022, Sunday attended by the officials of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) represented by JCINSP Erwin Esden – Asst. Warden (Main Dormitory), SJO4 Edwin Naidas – Welfare officer (Annex Dormitory), SJO4 Janet Singson – Chief Inmates Welfare and Development (Female Dormitory), and JO1 Jethro Sodusta – Unit Community Relation Service/Unit Welfare Development (Main Dormitory). Furthermore, during the orientation and workshop, the symbolic signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the SFAP and BJMP was done which was witnessed by the volunteers coming from different ministries of the church such as the Catechists, Gift Bearers, Lectors, Divine Mercy devotees, CWL, PSL, FLA, Charismatic groups, Mary’s Little Children Community, Dominican Laity (Davao Chapter), and the Youth Ministry (YASFAP). The sending forth of the service providers of the SFAP Prison Ministry is on October 30th, 2022, on the occasion of the Prison Awareness Sunday.

We all have a call to impart something for the wellness of the people and society. Thus, we are sent by God to share His love and mercy with our brothers and sisters who are in the peripheries of society. The SFA Parish Prison Ministry is not social work. It is an apostolate. We are to bring Christ into the lives of those who are in prison. Through this, they may feel that they are heard, loved, and cared for. As one family, we are together on this journey of faith, hope, and love. (Narels Jay Tradio | Photos by Marian Carmela Raquel)