Dear Volunteers and Friends,
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I pray you had a healthy, peaceful and Christ-filled Christmas with those you love. We just welcomed the Christ child into our hearts, families, and homes as we celebrated Christmas. Let us now continue to journey in this spirit of hospitality and welcome all those who are making their journeys from near and far to worship the Lord.
Christmas Drive
The Prison and Jail Ministry’s annual Christmas drive was extremely successful once again. We are grateful for the unwavering generosity each year from our parishes and volunteers who help collect and donate items for our incarcerated brothers and sisters. This year, we collected hundreds of travel size toiletries, reading glasses, women's shoes, and women's undergarments for our incarcerated friends and individuals returning from incarceration. In addition to those items, we received numerous monetary donations which helped purchase religious books, candy canes, Rice Krispies Treats, rosaries, bookmarks, and pencils to be placed in gift bags.
During the second and third weeks of Advent, we assembled and delivered 125 gift bags to three juvenile detention centers and 176 gift bags to those attending our Catholic services in five prisons. We are grateful for the many individuals and the following parishes who participated in this drive:
- Basilica of St. Adalbert, Grand Rapids
- Blessed Sacrament, Grand Rapids
- Holy Family, Caledonia
- Holy Redeemer, Jenison
- Holy Spirit, Grand Rapids
- Knights of Peter Claver Ladies Auxiliary Court 354
- Our Lady of Assumption, Rothbury
- Our Lady of Consolation, Rockford
- Our Lady of the Lake, Holland
- St. Anthony of Padua, Grand Rapids
- St. Isidore, Grand Rapids
- St. John Vianney, Wyoming
- St. Jude, Grand Rapids
- St. Mary, Grand Rapids
- St. Mary, Spring Lake
- St. Mary Magdalen, Kentwood
- St. Patrick - St. Anthony, Grand Haven
- St. Patrick, Parnell
- St. Paul the Apostle, Grand Rapids
- Sts. Peter & Paul, Grand Rapids
- St. Pius X, Grandville
- St. Sebastian, Byron Center
- St. Stephen, Grand Rapids
- St. Thomas, Grand Rapids
- St. Thomas, Muskegon
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DJ Florian, director of Pastoral Services helps Officer Kaitlin Bernardo, Grand Rapids Police Department,
load boxes of shoes and undergarments for women returning from prison in Grand Rapids.
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Chaplain Craig Curtis, Muskegon Correctional Facility, and Chaplain Anita McCants, E. C. Brooks
Correctional Facility, enjoyed lunch with Tricia Worrell, Prison & Jail Ministry director, and Sally Cranson,
administrative assistant, as they received Christmas packages for our incarcerated friends.
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New Volunteers
On Monday, Dec. 4, Chaplain Anna Otterbein-Garcia at Bellamy Creek held an onsite orientation for new volunteers, Kevin Schumaker and Mark Tierney. Father Michael Goodwin who currently serves at Richard A. Handlon prison, and former Kent County Jail volunteer Fred Hayward also attended the orientation. They will now begin shadowing me or another veteran volunteer until they feel comfortable leading the service alone. Join me in welcoming these new volunteers to our Ionia team!
Michigan Restorative Justice Council
On Friday, Dec. 8, the Michigan Restorative Justice Council held its last meeting of the year. During that meeting preparations began to offer a circle training at Richard A. Handlon Prison (MTU). The council is currently creating a proposal to submit to the warden requesting that the men who are part of the leadership team for the Restorative Justice Club attend a restorative circle training. This training will be offered at the prison for Restorative Justice Club leaders, members of the RJ council, and correction officers at MTU. In addition to this work, the council has been developing a court rule regarding restorative practices for the Michigan Supreme Court. Our next meeting will be held at MTU with the Restorative Justice Club in early Spring.
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Appreciation Dinner
Volunteers and friends of the ministry, join us and guest speaker Nate Roels director of Behind Our Walls for an evening of food, fellowship, and prayer on: Monday, Feb. 5, from 6 - 8:30 p.m. at Cathedral Square Center. The evening will include a private showing of “Behind Our Walls” which shares the stories of transformation that have taken place in the lives of Calvin Prison Initiative students. Many of these students also attend our Catholic services in prison. You will also hear recorded messages from our incarcerated friends regarding how attending Catholic services has impacted them. Although there is no cost to attend, registration is required. Registration will close on Monday, Jan. 22. Register here!
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Ministry Event Planning Survey
When you have a moment, please complete this brief survey regarding ministry events. Your feedback and suggestions are valuable and important to us!
Don't Forget!
This newsletter contains all ministry information, updates, schedules and resources. Program volunteers, please be sure to read it in its entirety. You may also locate all volunteer information and resources on our page on the diocesan website at anytime.
May the peace, joy, and love of Christ live in your heart today and always!
Tricia Worrell
Director, Prison and Jail Ministry
tworrell@grdiocese.org
616-475-1255
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January
February
*the Communion service format used in our service sheets is liturgically accurate
for a lay volunteer leading a Communion service in places other than a church
*Communion Service sheets in Spanish are available upon request
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Noteworthy Articles & Resources
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Need help with reflection time resources?
Check out the websites below.
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Your copy should address 3 key questions: Who am I writing for? (Audience) Why should they care? (Benefit) What do I want them to do here? (Call-to-Action)
Create a great offer by adding words like "free" "personalized" "complimentary" or "customized." A sense of urgency often helps readers take an action, so think about inserting phrases like "for a limited time only" or "only 7 remaining!"
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