By David Kilby | Correspondent

Many volunteers are responding to Pope Francis’ call to spread the Gospel to the fringes of society, as they pave the way in a young Jail and Prison Ministry initiative sponsored by the diocesan Department of Pastoral Care. Training for a new class of volunteers began with an orientation Sept. 20 in the Chancery in Lawrenceville.

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Father Martin McGeough, diocesan coordinator of jail and prison ministry, has been involved in the ministry for the past three years, visiting federal, state and county prisons and sharing God’s Word with the prisoners.

While mentioning that this is only the second year the Diocese has offered this prison ministry program, Father McGeough told the approximately 30 volunteers present that the hope of the program is to “strengthen our presence within the state (prison) system.”

Dominican Sister Elizabeth Gnam has worked in prison ministry for 26 years, visiting the New Jersey State Prison in Trenton on a regular basis. Along with Mercy Sister Karina Haywood, who has 23 years of prison ministry experience, she offered her expertise and knowledge of the ministry to the volunteers.

At the orientation, three lay volunteers also shared their experiences in visiting prisons through the diocesan program.

Usha Rosidivito of Incarnation-St. James Parish, Ewing said after visiting the Yardville Correction Facility, she noticed, “It was much less frightening than I thought it would be. The setting is very secured.”

“Just do it, because everybody needs God,” she shared.

Peter Okajima of St. David the King Parish, Princeton Junction, shared why he got involved in prison ministry in Jones Farm, West Trenton. He said the Gospel passage in Matthew 25, “I was in prison and you visited me....” kept touching a nerve with him. “I realized this is something I need to do.”

 When he saw a posting in the parish bulletin for this program, he knew he had to get involved.

One of the most important things he learned is that he was being ministered to by the inmates. “The prisoners are very warm and welcoming,” he said. “They want to spend time with you.”

Susan Hamilton of St. Augustine Parish, Kendall Park, visits the East Jersey State Prison in Rahway twice a week. Sharing her experience, she said it’s not always 100 percent about religion. “We want to get to know the prisoner .... so if they do have a deep question they know they can come to us and ask,” she commented.

Ross Spath of St. Ann Parish, Browns Mills, was a police officer in Camden for 23 years. He is now involved in prison ministry at Midstate Prison in Fort Dix.

“I walked the beat in Camden. For about four to eight years I got to know the people pretty well,” he said. “I used to shoot hoops with them on the basketball court.”

He said there are about five or six volunteers involved in prison ministry from his parish. “We started the ministry in St. Ann because we enjoy doing it,” noting that he takes about 20 copies of The Monitor when he visits the prisoners.  “The guys read it from cover to cover.”

Sister Karina encouraged the volunteers to get to know one another.

Once the volunteers go through the program, they will be given a “universal badge” that would be honored in all New Jersey state prisons. They will be placed into teams and guided by the diocesan program every step along the way.

The Department of Pastoral Care emphasized the importance for volunteers to attend the next training session Sept. 27 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Chancery, since that is when many technical details and guidelines will be shared.

New volunteers can still sign up. The other upcoming training sessions are 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 18 and Nov. 22 in the Chancery, 701 Lawrenceville Rd., and a day of spirituality 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 8  in St. Ann Parish, 1253 Lawrenceville Rd.,  Lawrenceville.