by Kary Ellen Berger

In the challenging and sometimes forgotten corners of our society, Catholic prison ministry offers a beacon of hope and healing. As we reflect on the words from Proverbs 3:5a, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart,” we are reminded that faith can transform even the darkest places. This verse is the theme of this year’s Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA), which supports the Archdiocese of Cincinnati’s prison ministry.

“Prison ministry is a part of the CMA because of the archbishop’s personal commitment, and because … Our Lord included ‘visiting the imprisoned’ among the corporal works of mercy in Matthew’s gospel,” said Carl Brown, Director of Development Operations for CMA’s Stewardship Department. “Archbishop Schnurr, as a priest, then bishop and now archbishop, has routinely made prison ministry a personal and institutional priority, spending some of his Christmases and Easters with the incarcerated.”

Volunteers are crucial for the prison ministry, meeting weekly in group settings with those in prison to focus on their spiritual needs. This includes teaching and praying the Rosary, collecting and sharing prayer intentions, supporting Bible studies and catechizing those who plan to transition into a Catholic faith community upon successful re-entry to the world outside prison.

“The works of mercy call us to minister to those in prison,” said ministry volunteer Ken Lacey. “I can see parts of myself in these men, and had it not been for the grace of God in our lives, we might be in their position.”

Alison Estes also found this ministry rewarding after her parish ministry program advisor at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology challenged her to immerse herself in an unfamiliar ministry. One moment particularly stands out.

“August 14, 2024, 12 LeCI (Lebanon Correctional Institution) men were welcomed into the Church and Body of Christ,” said Estes. “I look back on that 15-month journey with them and the myriad of obstacles that, with the help of the Holy Spirit, the Eucharistic Revival and the power of prayer, they faced and overcame—it is all by God’s grace. By His Providence, after an uncontrollable three-month delay, the rescheduled date became the vigil of the solemnity of Holy Mary’s Glorious Assumption and the feast day of St. Maximilian Kolbe, patron saint of prisoners. God’s goodness, this date will be a forever memory.”

Jesse Potts, another ministry volunteer, said he desires “to lead the worst sinners to Jesus Christ and to offer myself up in reparation and atonement for the worst sins and crimes.”

“While working in the prison ministry, I was pleased to find that the men I’ve encountered seem to be genuinely seeking God and seeking repentance,” said Potts. “Some … have done horrible things… . Yet, at times, these men are more open to the Gospel than many of the men and women I encounter on our side of the fence. This reminds me of the God-given dignity these men still possess. It gives me hope in Christ’s ability to lead these men onto a better path.”

Lacey agreed, adding, “The opportunity to teach the fullness of the truth of the Catholic faith to those who don’t have the freedoms and privileges that we have is very fulfilling.”

You can learn more about the prison ministry and CMA’s support of this and other causes by visiting: catholicaoc.org/cma.

This article appeared in the March 2025 edition of The Catholic Telegraph Magazine. For your complimentary subscription, click here.