Visiting the Imprisoned

In the Last Judgment story in Matthew 25, Jesus uses the analogy of a shepherd separating the sheep from the goats. The righteous sheep say, “Lord, when did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?” The king replies, “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.”

In this parable, Jesus gives a clear command to those who would be his followers: visit those in prison. The author of the Letter to the Hebrews admonishes us to “Be mindful of prisoners as if sharing their imprisonment.” (Hebrews 13:3)

How can we respond to Jesus’ call to visit those in prison?

Those who visit the imprisoned tend to be either family or friends, and chaplains. Most visitors need special permission, so one cannot simply get up in the morning and say: “Today I’m going to visit prisoners.” Consequently, prison visitation remains a fairly rare occurrence for most people.

While our legal system deals with the criminal aspect, the Church takes an active role in a more important element, that of conversion. Prison ministry can have profound effects in the lives of prisoners as well as others affected by crime. It is, first of all, an opportunity to help the prisoner understand his or her actions, since often there is denial of wrongdoing. Comprehensive prison ministry recognizes that families of prisoners as well as the victims and their families must be ministered to; their pain cannot be dismissed. But the main goal of ministry to the incarcerated is salvation. Prisoners can experience a deeper, more expansive freedom, even while incarcerated, if they welcome the gospel of Jesus Christ into their lives. Volunteers in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe provide religious education, caring visits, or pastoral counseling.

When it comes to the families of prisoners, the most affected population is the children. These families have special challenges and issues that can be addressed so both parents and children can continue their relationships.

While many of us are not called to prison ministry, we can support those who are. Our Love Your Neighbor drive for November is collecting new toys for the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center’s Annual Christmas Party for families. The celebration is organized for children whose parents are incarcerated at BCMC. Since the parents cannot leave to shop for their children, the toys and games we donate become the “store” for them. Just as buying and donating peanut butter is “feeding the hungry,” our donation of toys makes us part of “visiting the imprisoned.”