Catholic Charities twofold approach to jail and prison ministry gives families and inmates hope, said Dave Capella

Bella Young

Multimedia Correspondent

The jail and prison ministry at Catholic Charities is twofold, with volunteers going into the jails and ministering to inmates and with others leading a support group for families and friends of the incarcerated. Dave Capella, former jail ministry coordinator and current jail ministry volunteer at Catholic Charities, thinks the twofold approach is beneficial to both the families of the incarcerated, and the incarcerated themselves.

“Really both are, I think, equally important. I do like connecting with inmates because … they really are very appreciative of us coming in. Really the same goes for the people whose family members are incarcerated … The support group is important for them to be able to connect with people that are in similar situations,” said Mr. Capella.

Part of what makes Catholic Charities jail and prison ministry unique is the inclusion of the Catholic faith when speaking with the inmates.

“We do emphasis our faith … we are there to share our faith. There is usually a Scripture involved, a Scripture reading, some reflection on that Scripture. We have some discussion around that, and then usually there is some general discussion about how things are going. Sometimes the conversation talks about practical things, but we always start with faith and make sure we have that woven into the discussion,” said Mr. Capella.

The inclusion of faith woven into the conversation, Mr. Capella said, helps to give the inmates some kind of hope. “I think it does give them hope. I think it is important to let them know that while other people may have given up on them, while other people might judge them, God, Christ, is there for them. God’s mercy is unlimited. There’s always a second, or third, or fourth, however many chances you need, God’s there for you. I think it is important for them to hear that message because a lot of people have given up on them.”

While ministering to the incarcerated is an important part of jail ministry, and often what people first think of when they hear the term, Catholic Charities twofold approach also ministers to those affected by incarceration who aren’t behind bars. It is common, Mr. Capella said, for the family of those incarcerated to be shunned by their peers.

“A lot of times families or people whose relatives are incarcerated will lose their circle of friends because of that incarceration. So, the support group is important for them to be able to connect with people that are in similar situations and know that they are not alone. It’s a place for them to talk about their experiences without being judged,” said Mr. Capella.

Mr. Capella recalled a time where a guest of the support group said, “that the only other people they have ever talked to in their life who had a relative that was incarcerated were people in that group. That gave them an opportunity to talk about it and no one was going to judge them for it.”

If you are interested in joining jail ministry at Catholic Charities, Mr. Capella said not to be concerned if you do not feel like an expert in Scripture or Catholicism. Rather, you must have an open heart and mind.

“You just have to be able to go in and be willing to talk with them and if we read a passage from Scripture just talk about what it means for you. Really, we want the inmates to do most of the talking. You don’t have to be an expert in Scripture, you don’t have to be an expert in Catholicism, you just have to be willing to listen and talk to somebody who has been kind of pushed aside from society,” he said.

For some however, you may not feel a calling to jail ministry, if that is the case Mr. Capella says there is still a way to be involved. “Pray for those incarcerated, pray for them and pray for their families,” he said.

For information on Catholic Charities jail and prison ministry call Catholic Charities, (859) 581-8974