By Shanti Pulickal

Berhampur, July 7, 2020: Prison ministry can be called a pilgrimage to the prison to meet Jesus, the condemned prisoner. I feel privileged to have been actively involved in this ministry since 2013. The journey had been difficult but it was a time of blessings, surprises, and great joy.

Prison Ministry India (PMI) was not very active in Odisha, an eastern Indian state. So, in 2013 its national team visited Berhampur diocese to revive it. A diocesan team was formed and I was appointed the secretary. The priest coordinator could not continue and hence I was asked to be the diocesan coordinator and later I was elected as the State secretary.

I had to face a lot of initial difficulties. I approached different Institutions for volunteers but received the same reply, ‘We would like to help but at present, we are too busy’. It was like being thrown into an ocean with nothing to look upon.

But it was also the time that I realized how dear this ministry is to the heart of Jesus. Some of the closed doors started opening! The rector motivated the major seminarians of Vianny Bhavan Philosophate and ever since two Brothers had been our volunteers. One sister too joined and we decided to go ahead.

At our first volunteers’ meet, I explained the vision and mission of PMI summed up as the three Rs (Release, Renew, and Rehabilitate). The prisoners live under heavy bondages such as alienation from home and society, anger, fear, revenge, insecurity, and depression.

They need a release from these and finally, freedom from the jail. Renewal implies the transformation of their lives and the determination not to repeat the same crime. Since we were a few, we decided to concentrate mainly on Release and Renewal through different activities.

The superintendent of Berhampur Central Jail allowed the Brothers to teach spoken English every Sunday to the young prisoners doing their bachelor’s degree. In the beginning, the prisoners and staff were cautious and suspicious. The Brothers too were afraid to be with prisoners and spent many sleepless nights.

But with constant prayer and our guidance, they persevered and now they are much appreciated. Besides spoken English, they do counseling also. The prisoners share freely their anxieties and inner struggles and the Brothers help them. Often they share their experiences at the volunteers’ meetings. We pray together and give the necessary guidance.

We, sisters started concentrating on the women prisoners. Most of them are depressed. We spend much time talking to them and give individual and group counseling. We show special concern for the sick and dejected ones. We teach them some handicrafts and occasionally make them play to relax them.

Every year, we conduct the ‘women’s day’ with different activities and give awareness programs on health and hygiene, empowerment of women and girl children. Each time we take leave, they say, ‘come back soon. On seeing you we get relieved of our tensions’.

Christmas is celebrated every year with great solemnity in a few jails. Local Bishop Sarath Chandra Nayak offers Mass for the Christians at the Berhampur Central Jail. He is much concerned about them. The schoolchildren present a short Christmas program and we offer cake and gifts for the 900 prisoners and staff.

Mass is also offered by Bishop on PMI day in August. Most of the Christian prisoners had been arrested for drug trafficking and are convicted for years. Our presence has a transforming effect on them. We provide them with Bible, prayer and hymn books, rosaries, and holy pictures. Some of them spent much time praying and reading the Bible. Confessions are arranged thrice a year.

Two jailors made this remark at different times, ‘We have different types of prisoners, but your people are different. They obey the jail rules, do not fight, and are regular for all jail programs. How is it?’ he asked us. Then he said, ‘that is the effect of your ministry here’. It was like an oasis amid the difficulties and hardships we face.

At the beginning of our ministry, in 2014 we conducted an Eye camp at the Central Jail. Our Bishop, the PMI National Director, and few others were with us at its inauguration. It was a mega event for the jail and the Superintend had it published in the local newspaper.

“Let the public know the selfless services done by the Christians,” he said. The eye camp was conducted again at the Berhampur Central jail in 2018 and at the Chatrapur district jail in 2019. Bishop and a few institutions around helped to meet all the expenses.

We visit and help some of the prisoners’ families, conduct prayer meetings, counsel them, help in resolving family feuds, find jobs for those who wish, and help in getting hostel admissions for those who need and give financial help in times of sickness.

Playing games is one of the best ways to be released from mental stress and emotional bondages. We conducted a volleyball match twice and gave prizes and trophy. A few played but all the 800 prisoners were present with thunderous clapping. What joy and excitement they felt! Often we provide them with different games materials like carom boards and volleyball with a net.

Some volunteers participated in the national and regional conferences in different parts of India. Being the state secretary and diocesan coordinator I conduct conferences at regular intervals and try to keep alive the spirit of the volunteers.

Prison ministry involves a lot of difficulties and challenges. But networking with the national team and volunteers from other States of India, prayer, fasting and reading the experiences shared in the magazine ‘Prison Voice’ help in finding encouragement and support to go ahead. Sometimes the National Director and team visit us and the jails around and encourage us.

In Berhampur Diocese there are seven jails. But prison ministry is active only in a few jails due to lack of volunteers. The same is true in all the dioceses of Odisha. Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, Sambalpur, Rourkela, Balasore, and Rayagada dioceses are slowly getting revived from this year.

The coordinators of PMI are assigned different commitments and hence find the ministry difficult. Won’t this problem be solved if the Bishops appoint sisters or laypersons as PMI coordinators?

I had attended a training program for PMI volunteers about the guidelines for this ministry. I have also received much encouragement and support from the Bishop, my Provincial, and others and have learned a lot through trial and error in conducting various programs in different jails and feel rather confident about the ministry.

But the recent experience of the Covid-19 pandemic has made me enter into the feelings and emotions of a prisoner; depression, isolation from society, uncertainty, helplessness, and hopelessness. Now I can tell every prisoner in all sincerity, ‘I understand your feelings because I too am living in a prison called ‘Lockdown’. Hopefully, humanity will be released soon but will the fate of prisoners be changed?

(Sister Shanti Pulickal is a member of the Sisters of the Cross of Chavanod and Odisha State secretary of Prison Ministry India.)