When he pulls back from the table, it is wet from his tears. It isn’t like he is sobbing. The tears just fall silently. Salvo, the name of this 30-something man who signed up for confession at the prison where I serve as a chaplain, kept on speaking. I wasn’t sure whether he was talking Read more
Pope Francis sent 15,000 ice-creams to prisoners to help them cool down during what has been one of the hottest summers on record in Italy. Read more
Several inmates from one of Rome’s prisons met Pope Francis at his home on Monday. The group (pictured along with their accompanying escort), met Francis at Casa Santa Marta early in the morning before visiting the Vatican museums. With them, they brought a basket of bread they had baked earlier in the day to give Read more
Two of the 20 prisoners from a drug rehabilitation facility invited to lunch with Pope Francis took the opportunity to escape disappeared during the lunch break. Read more
Imprisonment without offering the prisoners hope in the future is the same as torturing them, says Pope Francis. While he agrees prisoners must pay the price for the crimes they have committed, the punishment can be effective “only when inmates are helped to look toward the future rather than only back at a past lived Read more
Prisoners partied with the Pope at a special Jubilee for Prisoners at the Vatican on Sunday. Their families joined them at St. Peter’s Basilica for Mass with Pope Francis, followed by a special reception. Read more
In this Year of Mercy Pope Francis has declared there is to be a Jubilee for Prisoners this weekend. To honour this Jubilee for Prisoners and to encourage ongoing prayer for those in prison, a revised Adopt a Cell Card is being produced to be distributed at the Masses on 6th November. The cards are Read more
Up to ten prisoners have been helping to build the Catholic Cathedral in Apia. The Church’s media spokesperson, Father Ioane Ono, confirmed this when contacted by the Samoa Observer. Ono said while he knew prisoners had assisted with the demolition of the old Cathedral, he was unaware they were being used to help with its Read more
The Roman Catholic and Anglican archbishops of New Zealand are inviting their churches to pray and discuss how the Christian gospel is foundational to the rights and needs of victims, offenders, and their families. The archbishops, John Dew, Justin Duckworth and Philip Richardson (above) say a justice system, levels of offending, and victims’ needs and Read more
China plans to abolish the transplanting of organs from executed prisoners within five years; instead, it will try to spur more citizens to donate, a top health official said.
After refusing to acknowledge the practice for a long time, Chinese authorities admitted it last Sunday, insisting however that only prisoners who volunteered their organs were involved, Xinhua reported today, citing Vice Health Minister Huang Jiefu.
The decision does not stem from any humanitarian considerations, but from the fact that the practice is very risky.
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