In this issue of World Mission, we feature the prison ministry being carried out by Fr. Pierpaolo Monela, a Comboni missionary currently serving in the Philippines. At present, he offers weekly counseling sessions to PDLs (Persons Deprived of Liberty) at the New Bilibid Prison in Metro Manila. Before, while in Africa, he was also a volunteer visiting and counseling inmates in the prisons of Lusaka, the capital of Zambia.
In his ministry, Fr. Pierpaolo witnessed a profound human transformation in some prisoners. He recalls the story of a prisoner languishing in jail due to a miscarriage of justice who became a responsible leader among the prisoners. Fr. Pierpaolo’s prison ministry objective is to challenge prevailing biases against PDLs and promote a more compassionate attitude toward them.
On the last Sunday of October, the Catholic Church in the Philippines celebrates Prison Awareness Sunday to raise consciousness on the welfare of prisoners as well as help people understand the challenges faced by PDLs.
The Church has a longstanding tradition of prison ministry. This ministry is an essential part of the mission to care for the marginalized and those in need.
Catholic prison ministry provides inmates with spiritual guidance, sacraments, and religious education. Priests, deacons, and lay ministers visit prisons to celebrate Mass, hear confessions, and offer spiritual counseling.
Pope Francis has visited prisons. During these visits, he encouraged inmates and highlighted the struggles they face, particularly in prisons with high suicide rates. “At certain times, certain hypocrisy pushes us to see in prisons only people who have done wrong, for whom the only path is that of the prison,” the Pope said, forgetting that “we all have the possibility of making mistakes. All of us in one way or another have erred”.
In the Philippineas as elsewhere, the jails are congested, making them inhumane places to stay in. As of 2022, the New Bilibid Prison accommodated over 29,000 inmates, nearly five times its capacity of 6,345. Many inmates languish in jail awaiting trial; the sick have no access to medical care.
This season, let us be aware of what is happening inside prisons. Let us tell our leaders to do something to alleviate prisoners’ living conditions and uphold their basic human rights. For those who can, join the volunteers’ group of prison ministry and assist the human, social, and spiritual needs of our brothers and sisters in prison.
