Pope Francis, from very early in his pontificate, identified an important witness in his travels: wherever he goes and whenever he can he visits a prison. He describes the importance of prison ministry as a fundamental aspect of Christian witness in today’s world.
He has criticized prison systems that work only to punish and humiliate prisoners, and has denounced life prison terms and isolation as forms of torture. He believes that the contribution we can continue to make as Christians is to advocate for justice reform and hold fast to a commitment to rehabilitation as a counter to simplistic notions of punishment and, even worse, societal revenge.
He clearly reiterates the best of Catholic Social Teaching by reminding us that those sentenced to prison are meant to lose their freedom not their dignity, whilst they make amends to their victims and the wider society for their crimes.
It is now Prisoner’s Week. As a community of priests and lay missionaries, the Xaverians work inside Scottish prisons, working collaboratively with Catholic prison chaplains, and in ecumenical collaboration with our brothers and sisters from the Reformed traditions. We deliver spirituality programmes and retreats for prisoners and pilot training for Catholic lay volunteers.
It is a profoundly humbling experience. Beyond the joy of working with the unsung sheroes and heroes who make up prison chaplaincy teams, we have encountered men and women prisoners desperately seeking to put their lives ‘back in order’.
The vast majority of prisoners - or perhaps we should refer to them as ‘recovering citizens’ whom we encounter in jail - have lived with mental health issues, addiction, and extreme poverty: more often than not all three. Naming their reality is not to condone their behaviour. In fact, in our experience these men and women are the first to admit their crimes and sins. Often the challenge is to help them to journey back to a relationship with God that allows them to be healed, and through God’s mercy to reach a place in which they can reclaim their dignity as a child of God.
I believe the Church could in many ways nurture prisoner, victim, and the common good. Many prisoners would like the opportunity to make amends to their victims, but the opportunities for this inside the current criminal justice system are minimal.
This is a complex process to facilitate, and where the victim agrees and can be kept safe, international evidence indicates it is a deeply powerful experience of healing for all involved. This process also contributes effectively to reducing levels of recidivism.
I also believe restorative justice is rooted in the best tradition of Gospel Non-Violence, offering a return to a more humane and just solution to the pains and scars caused by crime and sin for victims, perpetrators of crime and the wider community. It is a Gospel inspired process that as a Church we should support, advocate and create the space to serve in, as part of the wider healing ministry of the Church moving forward.
This Prisoners Week in 2018, please pray for victims, men and women in jail, and all those who minister and work in the criminal justice system, as we remember the words of the holy father Pope Francis “Christ comes to save us from the lie that no one can change”.
Hugh Foy is Director of Programmes and Partnerships for the UK Province of the Xaverian Missionaries he can be contacted at hugh@confortiinstitute.org and on twitter at @hughfoy