Sandhurst Prison Chaplains recently gathered with multi-faith Chaplains, and staff and prisoners of His Majesty’s Prison Dhurringile, to bless and dedicate a new multi-faith chapel. All present prayed, in their own way, to bring grace, hope and love to the prisoners they serve, united in their joy for the promise ahead.
Representatives of each faith group were given the opportunity to pray a prayer or a read a text from their Sacred Books. Monsignor Peter Jeffrey, shared this:
“We gather today to bless this chapel, to set it apart, so that it will be a place where we can bring the stories of our lives – the dirt, the pain and the promise – and know that here they can be held and changed, by grace, hope and love.”
Joining Monsignor Jeffrey and Chaplains from other faiths were Sandhurst prison chaplains, Fr John Paul Pasala (Parish Priest at Tatura); Denice Bourke, Multi-Faith Regional Liaison Chaplain for Hume, (Sacred Heart, Tatura); and volunteer chaplains, Debbie Turvey (Sacred Heart,Tatura) and Agnes Murphy RSM (St Brendan’s, Shepparton). Senior Prison Chaplain, Mary O’Shannassy CGS OAM was also present.
Since 2007, when the first dedicated prayer and worship space was blessed, Chaplains from different faiths have worked side by side, to provide opportunities for women and men resident in both public and private prisons in Victoria, to come together to practise their faith.
Eight Faith Denominations – Catholic, Anglican, Greek Orthodox, Salvation Army, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist and Uniting Church of Australia – have agreements with Corrections Victoria to ensure that no resident, who so requests, is ever refused access to a Chaplain of their faith.
Most of the prisoners at Dhurringile, a minimum-security prison 10 km south of Tatura, are in the final stage of their sentences. There are currently ten to twelve Catholic men who seek the services of prison ministry which includes gathering in worship every Friday. Fr John Paul Pasala visits the prison to celebrate Mass every second Friday and on alternate weeks, Prison Chaplains host a Liturgy with Holy Communion.
For these men, access to chaplains and opportunities to connect with their faith community are integral to successfully transitioning into life outside of prison. To feel forgiven, to feel belonging and acceptance from a community and to feel loved by God, transcends rehabilitation. This is best expressed in the words of Monsignor Peter Jeffrey when he read this Statement of Purpose:
In this chapel are the elements of earth, fire and water.
These have been symbols, since time began, of the most fundamental realities of our world; that life is, at once, fragile and resilient.
They remind us of the things that are most fundamental about each of our lives.
We are human –
Fragile and flawed,
Needing a place to belong to and a people to be part of,
Reliant on forgiveness and mercy,
Dependent on the promise that life can begin again.
Because while earth, fire and water are the building blocks of the world,
They are only brought to life,
By a breath of grace and hope and love.
So, we gather today to bless this chapel,
To set it apart,
So that it will be a place where we can bring the stories of our lives –
The dirt, the pain and the promise –
And know that here they can be held and changed
By grace, hope and love.
What is this place?
A place to weep … A place to rest … A place to be still … A place to laugh … A place to feel … A place to listen … A place to be … A SACRED PLACE
There was much joy experienced in the gathering united by much more than that which divides.
A few weeks after the opening, Bishop Shane visited the Dhurringile Prison Chapel. “It was a beautiful celebration,” said Denice Bourke. We’ll hear more about that visit and Prison Ministry in a future edition of Sandpiper.
