Sending message of hope to prisoners
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Pope Francis’ concern for the welfare of people in prison was a hallmark of his papacy and has gone far beyond washing prisoners’ feet on Holy Thursday, as Jenny Brinkworth reports.
With three prisons in the Diocese of Port Pirie, including the State’s largest regional prison at Port Augusta, providing support and ministry to inmates is an important part of the Diocese’s mission.
Prison chaplain coordinator Sr Delma Rani of the Sisters of St Anne – Madras visits Port Augusta prison four times a week, Fr Hau Le visits Cadell weekly and Port Lincoln has two Catholic prison chaplains, Fr Paul Bourke and Deacon Brenton Mortimer.
Behind the scenes there is a group of about 20 lay Catholics who write ‘letters of hope’ to prisoners and provide those leaving prison with a ‘blue bag’ comprising a $20 food card, a hand towel, pen and pad, tissues and toiletries. Since COVID, masks and hand cleansers are included.
Jenny Kondylas has been involved in the pen pal initiative since it was put forward by Fr Jim Monaghan in 2013 and has been the coordinator of the Blue Bag program since it started 10 years ago.
The Whyalla parishioner and mother of six said she has always been passionate about social justice. She has been involved with Vinnies since she lived in Coober Pedy from 1980 to 1985 and she also worked on the United Nations Millenium Development Goals with Fr Monaghan.
“I guess I like to champion the underdog,” Jenny told The Southern Cross.
She collects donations for the Blue Bags, buys additional items using money raised through the Diocese’s annual prison ministry appeal, and checks with the prisons about who is being released and might need them. Only prisoners without family support or those from low socio-economic backgrounds are given bags. Jenny said research has shown that the first 72 hours are the most crucial for former prisoners.
“When they leave prison they have nothing but a plastic bag with the clothes they wore to prison,” she said,
“Many have nowhere to go but back to the place that led them to crime.”
Donations come from community groups, local businesses, schools and Catholic organisations such as the Knights of the Southern Cross and the Catholic Women’s League. The Missionary Sisters of Service provided a grant of $2500 as part of their Highways and Byways scheme. Jenny said they put together about 100 bags a year.
“The Catholic high schools have got their students involved in fund raising, bag making and toiletry drives, to help,” she said. “And parishioners tell us when items are on sale to help reduce costs.”
The number of pen pals has grown over the years, particularly in Port Lincoln where there are now about 20 writers. With six pen pals from Whyalla in the original group, people from other parts of the diocese gradually joined.
“We had people writing from Port Augusta, Crystal Brook, Port Pirie and Wallaroo,” Jenny said.
“Fr Khalid met with the pen pal groups every quarter to encourage them and give advice. He reminded people of Bible passages such as ‘I was in prison and you visited me’.”
Jenny said it can take a while to develop a relationship with your pen pal and sometimes they might not write back because they had left or moved to another prison.
She had one pen pal for eight years and then found out later he had died. If someone can’t think of what to write, she tells them to send a postcard or an Easter or Christmas card.
For some prisoners, it is their only contact with the outside world. “One lady used to talk about dogs, she loved animals,” Jenny said.
“We tell our people not to talk too much about their personal life, just about activities in the parish or sport…we don’t bring up religion unless they do but some prisoners want to talk about it because they don’t always get much one-on-one time with the chaplain.”
Each year the diocese holds a ‘Day of Reflection’ for all those involved in prison ministry, with this year’s event being hosted by Port Lincoln on August 9.
Since Fr Khalid moved to Canberra to take up a post with the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Sr Delma has taken over the task of prison ministry coordinator which includes arranging liturgies at Easter and Christmas in the prisons.
“She is continuing the good work started by Fr Khalid,” Jenny said.
Following in the footsteps of Bishop Greg O’Kelly SJ, who appointed Fr Khalid as prison chaplain in 2010, Bishop Karol Kulczycki SDS has shown strong interest in prisoner welfare and attends the prison ministry leaders’ meetings. He also washes the feet of prisoners on Holy Thursday.
“Prison ministry is regarded as an important mission to the Catholic people in the Port Pirie Diocese,” Jenny said, quoting Hebrews 13:3 ‘continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison’.
Parishes or groups interested in finding out more about the Blue Bags and Letters of Hope programs can contact Jenny at kon48@hotmail.com
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