St. Ignatius Martyr Parish

About Us

St. Ignatius prison ministers are currently working on a very important project entitled Re-entry Outreach And Diocesan Services (ROADS), which assists releasees from correctional and probationary facilities to become productive members of the community. Families and releasees are welcome to call the Rectory for assistance with resume preparation, references for possible employment, transportation, housing, and other essentials. Volunteers are also needed.

Your participation is invited and encouraged. In order to maintain this program, support is needed. Donations to this program provide housing, transportation, clothing, and assistance finding employment for participants. Donations may be made to St. Ignatius Prison Ministry ROADS Program.

Ministry Liberates Prisoners Through Gospel Message

Parishioners of St. Ignatius now have a new way to put the Gospel message into practice. Through the newly established prison ministry, a group of compassionate individuals bring the hope of the Gospel to those who are isolated in correctional facilities.

Many people think of law offenders as merely a social problem and prisons as the solution. The ever-increasing prison population underscores the trend of incarceration as a means to deal with society's marginalized. Statistics from the Texas Department of Justice reveal that nearly 700,000 people are incarcerated in the state's prisons.

Jesus calls the faithful to treat criminals in manner that contradicts the conventional wisdom of isolating prisoners. In Matthew's gospel, Jesus instructs his disciples to feed the hungry, welcome strangers, and visit prisoners. He also make known that "whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me." Catholic social teaching encourages Christians to look beyond the criminal's actions and to work to restore the person's human dignity.

After years of being called to perform some type of prison ministry, Deborah Garza took the initial steps last year to make prison ministry a reality at St. Ignatius. "I have been called to do this for a long time," Mrs. Garza says of her motivation to begin the prison ministry program at St. Ignatius.

Since February, approximately 15 parishioners, who comprise the initial cohort of prison ministers, have been meeting weekly in order to prepare themselves for their ministry. Mrs. Garza has created a unique training program that consists of education through reading, research, and speakers. The group seeks to understand the social causes of incarceration, the legislation that affects prisoners, and the spiritual aspects of being in jail. Speakers include deacons from the diocesan prison ministry program, youth ministers, and counselors.

There is a practical component of the training as well, which targets the ministers' anxieties about visiting people who are in jail and serving in a prison setting. Much of the hands-on training involves touring prison facilities and learning from experienced chaplains andPrison Ministry counselors who are able to "relieve some of the fears that the group has about going in to a prison environment," Mrs. Garza says.

The St. Ignatius prison ministry serves adults and juveniles in four different facilities in the Austin area, according to Mrs. Garza. Ministering to the two different populations each requires a particular set of skills, Mrs. Garza notes. "The adults know what they want to talk about. We try to help them deepen their faith by being present with them and letting them know that Christ loves them," she says.

Juveniles, on the other hand, have their entire life before them. "With the youth, it is more often a question of redirecting their energies. They are usually off focus," Mrs. Garza says. Youth are under much closer supervision from their counselors than adults are. Because of the way the correctional system operates, it is unlikely that a minister will visit the same youth more than once.

Mrs. Garza believes the Holy Spirit guides each meeting and allows for a deep spirituality to develop within both the prisoner and the minister. "I have no idea who I am going to minister to," Mrs. Garza states. "I ask the Spirit to guide me. The prisoners often teach me things. It is truly amazing."

Mindful of Jesus' message and Catholic social teaching, Mrs. Garza recalls that the ultimate goal of the prison ministry is to bring the hope of the Gospel to the prisoners and to serve as a witness that all human beings are connected through Jesus. "The inmates are not separate from us. They are on the same spiritual journey that we are on," Mrs. Garza says.

Joining the prison ministry team requires a minimum time commitment of two hours per month. Mrs. Garza recognizes that fear may prevent some people from engaging in the ministry. She notes, however, that the apprehension quickly fades away when the ministers see how well they are received by the prisoners.

"What a lot of people do not anticipate is the eagerness with which they are received. The inmates receive the ministers with a humble, grateful, and respectful attitude," Mrs. Garza says. She adds, "If you love people, you can do this ministry."

Are You Called to Serve?

Mrs. Garza encourages parishioners to submit themselves to a period of discernment to discover if they are called to become a prison minister. She suggests the following questions as a guide:

• Am I willing to be consistent?
• Can I value a prisoner as a person?
• Am I responding to God’s call?
• Am I able to embody the Gospel values?
• Am I able to show compassion to those in a difficult situation without judging?
• Do I possess good communication skills?
• Do I truly believe in God’s unconditional love and that God’s grace is sufficient for everyone?
• Do I believe that God can change anyone?

If you do believe that you are called to serve as a member of the prison ministry team, you will begin the application process with an initial interview. It is then necessary to file the necessary documentation with the prisons and the Diocese of Austin and to complete the training program at St. Ignatius.

A Prayer for Prison Ministers

Jesus, united with the Father and the Holy Spirit, give us your compassion for those in prison. Mend in mercy the broken in mind and memory. Soften the hard of heart, the captive of anger. Free the innocent; parole the trustworthy. Awaken the repentance that restores hope. May prisioners’ families persevere in their love. Jesus, heal the victims of crime. They live with the scars. Lift to eternal peace those who die. Grant victims’ families the forgiveness that heals. Give wisdom to lawmakers and to those who judge. Instill prudence and patience in those who guard. Make those in prison ministry bearers of your light, for all of us are in need of your mercy. Amen

For more information about the Prison Ministry contact Deborah Garza at dkgarza@yahoo.com Please include your telephone number and the best time to reach you.