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 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 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 persons 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 cells contained about 8 to 10 prisoners. This looked it
was over crowded. 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 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 to 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 horrific stories to share but
had to interrupt since I had time constraints. I could spend 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 to 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 led 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?
