April 2026

A moment of reflection, gratitude and growth

Last Supper mural at Folsom Prison photographed by Eric Owen copyright CDCR as featured in this article.

Dear friend,

In last month’s eBulletin, as in last fall’s Centering Inside, we began sharing pieces of the early history of Centering Prayer inside prison walls, tracing the first twenty years. It was a great blessing to be in California as we were putting that eBulletin together, connecting in person with several of the key players – and then getting to join the current Folsom Contemplative Fellowship for a Monday evening session, right there in Greystone Chapel.  

Here I was, sitting in the very room I see on the screen each time I revisit the Holding Still documentary. With my own eyes, I was gazing at the famous mural (shown above), and feeling, in my own heart, a profound welling up of grief that this beautiful and irreplaceable painting suffers the same neglect and inattention as so many who live inside those (and other) walls and fences.

It was over a decade ago that Ray Leonardini first invited me to Folsom, and ever since I’ve dreamed of making the walk I’ve heard described, through all the gates, different buildings and sally ports, right through the yard, to the chapel. On my drive back to Mercy Center Auburn where I spent that night, I phoned Phil (aka Frenchy), who eagerly described for me—knowing I could now hear it differently—various spots I had passed by on the compound.

Only 48 hours earlier, I had enjoyed dinner with Phil and Mike Kelley at a Vietnamese restaurant in Sacramento, listening to their shared reminiscing of events that took place in this very hall 30 years ago. You can read part of that exchange on our blog for a more personal glimpse into the early years at Folsom.

East Gate, Folsom State Prison, at the end of Prison Road. Image source: Wikipedia

Just a few hours before I entered the gate, I’d been enjoying a leisurely lunch with Ray at a coffee shop in Folsom. How impossible it would have been for the younger me to envision the changes that would come about before I finally made it inside those walls. I’d dreamed of watching Ray in action at Folsom; now, here I was hearing how much he’s enjoying full retirement... while I’m gladly shouldering the blessed burden of carrying on PCF's important work.

During the twenty minutes of silence I shared that Monday evening with Grace, Alan, and the men currently carrying the torch at Folsom, I was several times overcome with waves of gratitude for all the residents and volunteers who have gathered in that hall to consent to God’s presence and action over these many years – as well as who gather in less famous and less visually appealing prison chapels, classrooms, dorms, and closets throughout the country and world. There really is something so powerful about our unity in the prayer, not to mention about the transformation that is its fruit.

Chandra with Grace Sternard outside Folsom prison from her visit on Monday, March 2nd.

Chuck, Terry and Alan outside Folsom prison from Chandra's visit at the same time last year.

As we continue sharing the story of our roots, we also find ourselves in a moment of invitation as an organization.

This April, we’ve been given a meaningful opportunity: an anonymous donor has offered to match all contributions throughout the month, effectively doubling each gift. We’ll also be bringing back $5 Fridays as a simple, collective way to participate.

These contributions will help us continue sending Ray’s books, the Centering Inside newsletter and other materials to those experiencing incarceration. 

This work has always grown through individual acts of generosity, through people choosing to support something they believe in, and through a shared recognition that this kind of presence and connection matters.

If you feel called to support the work this month, any contribution—whether through $5 Fridays or a one-time gift—will be matched and deeply appreciated.

And if someone comes to mind who might resonate with this work, we invite you to share this eBulletin with them.

Thank you for reading, for your presence, and for being part of this growing community.

Labyrinth at Mercy Center Burlingame

In the hot-off-the-press issue of Centering Inside (Vol. 3, No. 1) that should be making its way to those inside as this eBulletin lands in your inbox, our stories anticipate and turn toward Ray Leonardini’s years at Folsom—years that gave birth to and then nurtured Prison Contemplative Fellowship through speedy growth and significant contributions.

What stands out, again and again, is how unassuming the beginnings were. There was a willingness to go inside, accompanied by some uncertainty and assumptions that didn’t hold for very long. What emerged in their place was a steady commitment to keep showing up, week after week, creating space for silence, for honesty, and for something deeper to take root.

Over time, trust began to form – not because it was expected or required, but because people were willing to risk being real with one another.

One phrase that surfaced in those circles—courage is contagious—has stayed with many who were there, and continues to resonate as we look back on this period of growth.

My trip to California included more visits than we can cover in one eBulletin, so stay tuned. Each one pointed to the same truth: this work unfolds through quiet faithfulness—not through a master plan, but through people saying yes, showing up consistently, and allowing something to grow over time. Something no single person could have orchestrated.

Hearing Phil and Mike’s stories, I was struck by how these threads continue to weave together—from small circles of silence into lives, relationships, and communities, seen and unseen. It made me reflect on how often that same invitation meets each of us—in the quiet, steady call to remain present, to continue, and to participate in something we may not fully understand.

In the video below, Mike Kelley speaks to participants on United in Prayer Day about his experiences with Centering Prayer in Folsom Prison.

(6 minutes) 
This was shared as part of the Outside the Walls group's hour for United in Prayer Day, March 2026

We hope the conversations we’re sharing in this eBulletin offer a deeper glimpse into the lived experience behind this chapter of the story—how it was shaped, how it continues, and how it is carried forward through real people and real relationships.

For now, I’ll leave you with a question that has stayed with me since this trip to California:

To what are you being invited in this season? And to what might you willingly consent, trusting where it may lead? Tell us here. We'd love to know.

With gratitude,

Chandra (Executive Director)

on behalf of the Prison Contemplative Fellowship (dba Praestolari) team

With gratitude for Sharon

We want to take a moment to acknowledge Sharon Fialco, who is stepping down from her role as Board President.


As a founding board member of Praestolari since 2019, Sharon has offered her time, contemplative wisdom, and steady presence in ways that have deeply shaped this work. She brings warmth, clarity, and a grounded sense of care that has made a lasting impact on both the organization and the people within it.


[Click here to watch our Secretary, Rev. Canon Eric McIntosh, wish Sharon well at her final board meeting last week.]


We are deeply grateful for all she has contributed and for the many ways her gifts and spirit will continue to ripple through our community.


As Eric so beautifully put, "go in peace dear friend and may your contemplative heart continue to be a light wherever you are called next."

Phil aka Frenchy (former resident), Mike Kelley (former volunteer) and Chandra; this picture was taken on February 28th, at a restaurant in Sacramento

A Conversation with Mike Kelley and Phil

*names have been changed except where we have permission*

Mike Kelley:

I recently visited with Phil, and we were talking about the good old times, including the very first meeting of the Contemplative Fellowship (at Folsom Prison). And he told me that John, who was very instrumental at the time (a very charismatic guy), went over to him and said, “I've got a program we’re just starting, and you're going to it.”

And Phil says if it weren't for that, he never would've showed up. In fact, that’s true for a lot of people in Folsom Prison – they stay away from the chapel. They don't get near the chapel. So, when he was told, “You are going to the chapel,” he said he would have never gone if it weren't for John literally ordering him to go into this meeting.

Phil:

Yeah, short and simple and sweet, I was not going to go in that chapel. It raises too many questions. Plus, I didn't think God wanted anything to do with me.

Mike Kelley:

There was a time where it was magical. For years, it was magical. We would go in, and there was time for socializing. There was time for Tai Chi, if you do Tai Chi. There was a little rosary group, they would be sitting down with a rosary. Hound Dog was doing a kind of chiropractic adjustments, and there was a Buddhist group.

So we all did whatever we wanted. And if you didn't want to do anything, you could just sit and socialize, one on one. 

And then we would start the sit.  And then we would all come together, often 50 or more. Sometimes there was a teaching, and then we would do the meditation, and we would pass the talking stick, and people would just share their personal experiences – it's different for everybody, that's the beauty. So, everybody could hear what everybody else's experiences were.

It was really a magical time.

[reminiscing about various people and events]

One of the really special occasions for me was when Father Keating got people together that were in leadership roles outside of prison – and he wanted me there.  He said, “We need Mike Kelley there to represent the incarcerated!”

Because of him, I got a scholarship to go and be a part of it. 

Phil: 

Yeah, that was before we changed.

Chandra:

But you were there for that too? 

Phil:

Yep, I was. I spent most of that time in the hole. I was what they called a torpedo, back at the beginning.

Chandra:

What they called a what?

Phil:

A torpedo. … “There's your target, hang him out.”

Then Centering Prayer came along. It took a long time for people to accept the changes in me, you know? There’s a lot of people who didn't want to talk to me. (I didn't talk much those days anyway.)

Our Mission


Prison Contemplative Fellowship/Praestolari builds contemplative community that transcends walls. Journeying together as people affected by incarceration, we share Centering Prayer meditation and foster connections to support healing and transformation, both personal and communal.

We support contemplative practice inside and beyond prison walls by:

• Making Centering Prayer resources widely accessible
• Strengthening communication and connection across the walls
• Accompanying practitioners as they return home from incarceration
• Co-sponsoring annual retreats with COPOST

Support our Mission

We place great value on all actions and intentions that align with our mission and help grow/support the community.

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Resources & Materials



Our goal is to share contemplative resources as broadly as possible. We send a variety of materials inside locked facilities—responding to direct requests from incarcerated individuals, supporting volunteers and chaplains who accompany Centering Prayer groups, and sharing resources through our partnership with the Human Kindness Foundation. See some of our most requested materials below.

If you would like to receive books or DVDs, please contact us at hello@uspcf.org. Let us know if you are currently sharing Centering Prayer inside—or if you’re interested in learning how to get started.

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Your participation helps this work travel farther and reach those who may need it. When something resonates, engaging—by liking, commenting, or sharing—is one of the most meaningful ways to support this work.