"Jesus, who was himself a prisoner, calls us to visit the imprisoned and to take care of the sick (including the victims of crime), the homeless and the hungary (Matthew 25). His mission began with proclaiming the god news to the poor and release to captives (Luke 4). In our day, we are called to find Christ in young children at risk, troubled youth, prisoners in our jails and on death row, and crime victims experiencing pain and loss."
(Responsibility, Rehabilitation and Restoration, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, December 2000, p 18.)
Support for the Imprisoned
CRJM volunteers currently provide direct services including visitation, pastoral counseling, bible study and catechesis, general education and mentoring in pro-social life skills, Catholic liturgy and other services to persons in detention facilities, jails and prisons in our six-county diocese. Available services vary depending on the specific institution.
CRJM also supports the Chaplains appointed to serve Pelican Bay State Prison (as well as three state hospitals: Napa State Hospital, Sonoma Developmental Center and the California Veterans Home at Yountville).
For additional information about services to the imprisoned, please see our Resource Page for the Imprisoned or . . .
Support for Families of the Imprisoned
CRJM provides pastoral counseling and resource referrals for families whose members are imprisoned or in re-entry.
Additionally, CRJM acts as a liaison and provides volunteers to Get on the Bus, a wonderful program in support of families challenged by the long-term separation caused by incarceration in state prison. Once each year, children are transported to visit their parent in their place of imprisonment and provided with support before, during and after the visit. (More)
For more information, visit our Family Resource Page or . . .
Our Ministries
Support for Crime Victims and Families
CRJM offers limited pastoral counseling to the victims of crime and their families and acts as a centralized resource broker, helping people find appropriate community resources tailored to their particular situation and location. For additional information about services for crime victims and their families see our Victim Resource Page or. . .
Catholic Restorative Justice Ministries (CRJM) seeks to heal the harm caused by crime in three primary ways: support to the victims of crime and their survivors; support for families harmed by crime -- the families of victims, the families of offenders, and the families of professionals who come into contact with crime daily; and support for those who are or have been incarcerated, whether in juvenile detention, in jails or in prisons.
Though we are a Catholic agency, our services are available to everyone.
