KC Prison Ministry

Archbishop Emeritus James P. Keleher of Kansas City, the Kansas City region chaplain, celebrated Mass and addressed a prison ministry audience on June 18 at Holy Trinity Parish in Lenexa, Kansas.

Archbishop Keleher, who has been visiting prisons for more than 20 years, discussed his experiences and made particular reference to Pope John Paul II’s work in prison ministry, especially visiting and forgiving his would-be assassin.

Jim Rundell, a former engineer, now engaged full-time as director of prison ministry for the Diocese of Wichita, shared his insights.  He recalled leading a few volunteers on one of his first prison visits and encountering a Protestant friend there waiting to enter with a significantly larger contingent.  His friend joked, “I didn’t think there were any Catholics in prison.” The point was that Catholics are admittedly late to the mission, at least in many regions.  In this region prisons do not allow for the employment of a Catholic chaplain.  Some people incarcerated are not allowed to receive the Eucharist.

Strategies to expand prison ministry include encouraging potential volunteers to attend Mass within prisons.  There is also a greater emphasis now on exposing seminarians to this ministry, particularly the human dignity of prisoners, consistent with some of the progress our culture has made in recognizing the dignity of women, the elderly, the unborn and the infirm.

Another speaker was a businessman convicted of fraud who helped start a “parish” within his prison with Archbishop Keleher’s help and direction.  He gave a compelling witness of the importance of the Church’s work in bringing the Mass and the sacrament of Reconciliation inside prisons.