Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., celebrated Mass Nov. 6 in the Fort Dix Federal Prison for inmates of the 14 correctional facilities located throughout the Diocese of Trenton, as part of the Jubilee for Prisoners designated by Pope Francis. Pope Francis hosted more than 1,000 prisoners from 12 countries on the same day, one of the Holy Father’s last public events for the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy.
“It was a deeply moving experience for all of us to be together on such a beautiful afternoon,” Bishop O’Connell said. “The presence of family members at Mass with the inmates meant a great deal to the residents.”
Referring to the Mass for prisoners that Pope Francis celebrated, Bishop O’Connell assured the inmates that although they were in Fort Dix, they were in the “heart and intentions” of the Holy Father.
“As your Bishop, I come to visit you today, joined to our Holy Father, to bring his love and encouragement to you, his message of mercy along with my own and that of the entire Diocese of Trenton as the Lord Jesus asks us to do.”
Read about Bishop David O’Connell’s visit to Fort Dix in this story from The Monitor.