PURPOSE OF THE PRISON MINISTRY
The purpose is simple…VISIT and CARE … just as Jesus calls us to do in Matthew chapter 25. There are common misconceptions about prison ministry. For example, many assume that volunteers must possess specialty qualifications such as being a bible scholar, theologist, therapist, or teacher; however, Jesus did not place such restrictions. LOVE for others, without passing judgment, is all you need … just be a true Christian! Visits are about caring for one another in the most important way, that is, spiritually. Prison ministry volunteers create an environment that fosters spiritual growth and a deepening of each individual’s (inmates and volunteers) personal relationship with God and Christ Jesus.
Prison Ministry Opportunities
Forgotten Souls - Visitors Needed
Hundreds of women at the federal prison at Carswell and men at the federal prison in south Ft. Worth seldom, if ever, have visitors. Reasons range from long travel distances, to poverty, to complete rejection by unforgiving family/friends. Consequently, these people are exceptionally lonely.
It is undeniably clear…visiting lonely souls in prison is indeed what Jesus wants us to do. “For I was … inprison and youvisitedme…” (Matthew 25: 35,36).
Members of the Good Shepherd Catholic Community’s Prison Ministry strongly endorse a very simple program that easily and safely helps us do God’s will of visiting “the least ones among us.”
Prisoner Visitations & Support
This is the only prison visitor outreach program sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons (BOP). PVS, based in Philadelphia, PA has over 400 volunteer visitors nationwide and growing. To be a volunteer visitor only requires the ability to care, listen, and not judge…and pass a background check.Prisoner Visitation & Support
Visitors typically visit the same inmate each month, for approximately 45 minutes - at a time of the volunteer visitor’s choosing, during normal visitors’ hours, in the same visitation room where family and friends, including infants and children are visiting their loved ones.
A volunteer visitor can choose to have 1 or multiple inmates to visit each month, depending on their desires and of course availability. There are no gender limitations, so women can visit at the men’s prison and women can visit at the women’s prison. Often a husband & wife, or friends go together and visit their respective inmates at the same time, sitting next to one another.
PVS visits are not “religious” visits. In fact, religion is not to be brought up unless the inmate brings it up. There is no need to think you must evangelize … just model good Christian behavior … the effects can be dramatic … with the inmates and the volunteer visitors. It’s as Luke 6: 38 says, “Give and gifts will be given to you…”
Jesus is clear in Matthew 25:42,43; he does not want you and me sitting idle, on the sideline… “For I was … inprison,and you did notcarefor me…”
To learn more about PVS, visit its website www.prisonervisitation.org or contact Jim at .
Interested in joining Prison Ministry? Click here to get started.
Do you have a question about this ministry? Click on a name below to contact us.
Ministry Lead: Jeff W
Staff Contact: Donna Campbell, 817-421-1387
