Prison in Brazil

An experience

Whatsoever you do to the least of my brother that you do unto me. This is my first impression whenever I did prison ministry. After being a small help at Wandsworth prison, I had. An opportunity to explore prison apostolate in Brazil. I was rather reluctant despite my positive disposition of prison ministry because of the formalities that the prison system follows here in Brazil. But with slight luck and encourage d by my Jesuit brothers I ventured into one of the Brazilian prisons. 

This prison is one among seven other prisons in the area of Belo Horizonte. I could go to prison for mass only two times in seven months. This means only two masses in seven months. This is the tragedy of Catholic faith in a Catholic country. The first time I went, it was rather penetrating into a war zone area because I had to go through 4 times security check which quite contrary to London where I used enjoy going in singing hallelujah without any security checks. It was almost a strip check. But this time slightly better, I was pleased to see a huge cabin in which we go to stand and a scanner films you this then projected on a computer screen before a grim-faced officer. This is a new technology which has reduced 4 person job into one. After all this, I was not allowed to carry anything except an alb and a stole which is fair enough. My only concern was the rays from the scanner would affect me anyway there we are. 

Inside now, we could entertain only about 20 prisoners for mass but we were asked to celebrate mass in a large quadrangle facing the cells. There were about 14 cells on two floors and each cell contained about 8 to 10 prisoners. This looked it was overcrowded. The cells are meant for about 4 and the rest have sleep on the floor with a thin mat. This shows the contrast between dear Wandsworth prison and Brazil. 

I had a great blessing of saying mass for them. My voice was not able to overshadow the noise that was rocketing from the cells because we were out of microphones. I was able to shout with the top of my voice so that people in the cells could hear me. But I would assure that this mass was one of my best masses because I felt a strong and hovering presence of God in that quadrangle. The prisoners were attentive and overly religious with their heads bowed down and hands folded in a great reverence to the Eucharist. This showed me that God loves everyone irrespective of who we are. The Eucharist was really a chance to pour their hearts out to the Lord. They were so joyful to sing the songs they knew and the rest clapping to the beats of the song. The communion was distributed with utter reverence. The prisoners in the cells weren't able to come therefore we had to pass the communion through the rails of the cell. This again showed me their respect and homage to the holy communion. It was a moving experience for me. This experience has made me think that God is present particularly in the lowly and rejected and condemned by the society. 

Most of them have a rough background thus they are forced into wrongdoing which has ended them to the prison. Some of them had some horror stories to share but had to interrupt since I had time constraints. I could spend the whole day listening to only two people. They need someone to listen that they are forced into drugs and their family has no one to care for. This might sound routine story for us who have been working and listening to the prisoners but it is not routine for them at all. It is a profound and deep experience for them when they open up their hearts. Most of them feel that they are erred and want to rectify and none of them would like to go back to the same old trade. This is important for as they feel sorry for their wrongs and none would like to go back. 

Most of them have families and kids, some of them even many women and many children to care for. Some of them are far away from them and cannot afford to visit them in the prison. Poverty has to lead their families to withdraw from every social activity in the society. This is a huge problem and challenge for us who are right in the society. How can we love and treat these shattered families and restore faith once more? This is a big question for me as well. I am trying to understand why do we lock up a prisoner and take them around like an animal in chains?