Service and Justice
Prison Ministries
Caption (photo: credit)
Justice meets reconciliation.
The Ministry to the Incarcerated of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland is a collaborative response to the Gospel: “When I was in prison you visited me” (Matthew 25:36). Called by the Holy Spirit, we extend the hope of reconciling love in our relationships with the offender, the victim, and their families.
Visiting the Incarcerated
The Saint Noel Jail Ministry was begun in the spring of 2001 as a program supported by the Social Justice Ministry. Once every three weeks, four members of the ministry visit the Lake County Jail and conduct four Communion services for those who wish to attend. The Sunday evening ministry is shared with members of St. Anthony Church in Fairport and St. Mary’s Church in Painesville who conduct services on other Sundays of the month. Our parishioners also participate in the Tuesday evening men’s Bible Study.
LEAF Ministry
LEAF Ministry (Listening, Encouraging and Assisting Families of the incarcerated) was started from listening to inmates as they worried about their families on the outside. LEAF ministers to inmates' families dealing with loneliness, shame and confusion in learning the corrections system. The LEAF Ministry team knows first hand the pain of having a loved one in prison, so there is no reason to walk alone. Meetings are a safe place where people gather to share their joys, their trials and their daily little victories with others on the same journey. LEAF offers an attentive ear, genuine concern, and thoughtful suggestions for dealing with an incarcerated family member. Meetings at Saint Noel take place on the third Monday of each month at 7:00 pm. For more information, call the parish office or visit leafministry.org.
