Sister Susan Jabro told the International Commission of Catholic Prison Pastoral
Care: “Globally, the prison industrial complex is used as the solution to social
problems at enormous human and financial cost. No matter the name of the
country, behind prison walls live the walking wounded; the mentally and
physically ill; the illiterate and undereducated; the undocumented, addicted,
homeless and poor. The suffering found in prisons is a reflection of the
suffering in a society.” I meet Sr. Susan many years ago when I was active in the ministry. And I quote her because this is the reality of the Prison industrial Complex today. When I retired from this ministry about five years ago. I had a lot of problems with my health, the worst was when I lost almost all my sight. Thanks God at the beginning of 2012 I was getting better my second operation was good and I star seen again. About the middle of the year I got involved in the Obama reelection campaign, I feel so good working with young people and learning the new culture of my grandchildren’s, texting instead of talking. The election was over and again I was with no purpose in life. but waiting , because I was alive for some reason. One day my wife told me that the person who distribute bags of groceries to the homeless was going on vacation if I want to help for two weeks. I said yes of course. When I was able to hand out to each person a bag of groceries and look in their eyes. I realize that is a PERSON to happens to be homeless because we as society has fail to solve their need mostly on mental health. So I decide something that was in my heart , going back to prison, to drugs, to violence, to the street. The solution of the “social Problems ” it is not the prison industrial complex . The solution of the suffering in society will reduce the prison population. The problems are addiction, violence, mental health, ignorance, not the drugs, the guns, the cost o medicine of the teachers unions. So this is an open invitation you may help in many different way.
Why I am going back to Detention Ministry
06 Wednesday Feb 2013
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