Those who come into contact with the criminal legal system know that it dehumanizes, disenfranchises, and demoralizes. People who experience poverty and mental illness, victims of abuse, and people of color are overrepresented on death row and throughout our carceral system. This creates a critical need for prison, jail, reentry, and detention ministers — those willing to bear witness to the suffering wrought by this system, and prepared to accompany people through it.

The Peace I’ve Experienced Hearing Confessions in Prison “The two of us, he in his orange jumpsuit and me in my black clerical shirt and trousers, sat next to each other at one of the

“Deacon Ronnie Lastovica has been visiting women on death row in Mountain View Prison in Gatesville, TX, for over 8 years. Six of the women on death row have become Oblates of the Sisters of Mary Morning Star. He discovered that these women have been including CPMC’s Mary, Mother of Captives prayer card in their correspondence. I was very honored to know my art work was being used in that way.”

Many Dioceses and organizations are gathering their ministers and supporters together in one place to attend the conference and to have an in-person opportunity to support and encourage each other. This is wonderful! Some of those groups have asked for suggestions of how to do this and still fully participate in the virtual conference. Below are a few suggestions.

Getting Real An excerpt from Jake’s personal essay: “Whenever I hear stories from the people incarcerated [at California State Prison-Sacramento], my heart grows, and I am challenged to inhabit myself more authentically. People have shared