Answering the Call: A mission of compassion and grace inside Texas prisons
September 10, 2024
The Archdiocese’s Correctional Ministries is committed to regularly visiting inmates to provide the Sacraments and pastoral care to nearly 17,000 Catholic inmates across federal, state and county facilities in the Archdiocese. (Herald File Photo)
HOUSTON — When Deacon Alvin Lovelady first heard the steel doors of the men’s prison unit slam shut behind him, a chill ran down his spine.
It was during an early formation assignment for the Permanent Diaconate program, serving with the Archdiocese’s Correctional Ministries. Within just two hours among the incarcerated men, he felt a profound calling by the Holy Spirit to dedicate his life to serving within the Texas prison system.
Fifteen years later, Deacon Lovelady now serves as the director of the Office of Correctional Ministries. With a team of clergy and volunteers, they are committed to regularly visiting inmates with a mission of compassion and grace. They provide the Sacraments and pastoral care to nearly 17,000 Catholic inmates across federal, state and county facilities in the Archdiocese. Additionally, their efforts extend to supporting victims of crime, as well as the families of inmates and law enforcement personnel.
Deacon Lovelady’s perspective has evolved from his earlier belief that “If you do the crime, you do the time” to a more merciful understanding.
“With each visit, I began to realize there are circumstances and reasons for everything,” Deacon Lovelady said. “It’s not my responsibility to judge but to help bring Christ to those in need, regardless of their situation. This is a responsibility for all of us, no matter where we are in life.”
Tony VanDerbur, executive director of Christian New Creation, a Catholic nonprofit transitional living program with facilities for men coming out of Texas Department of Criminal Justice that collaborates with the Correctional Ministries, has a personal experience that reflects the profound impact this mission of redemption and support can have on inmates’ lives. His path took a challenging turn after receiving a three-year prison sentence, which tested his faith in God and led him to question his beliefs.
During his time in prison, VanDerbur was encouraged by a Correctional Ministries volunteer to join Isaiah House, a program offering housing, job placement and spiritual guidance to inmates. Initially hesitant, he accepted the invitation and became deeply committed to the program, which significantly enhanced his spiritual life and paved the way for his current work with the ministry. He said his prison experience enables him to connect more deeply with those he serves.
“Because I had gone to prison, I was better able to reflect with the men on the challenges they face and fears we experience,” VanDerbur said. “When you don’t have family around or the things you’re used to, you can more easily give yourself over to God and work through it.”
VanDerbur said it is important for the inmates to realize that they are truly forgiven by God and encouraged to growon their spiritual journey by being patient and entrusting total control to Him.
“When you allow God to be in the pilot’s seat, everything will go right,” VanDerbur said. “If you try to take control, He’ll let you have the controls and see how far you get. One of the most important things we share with the men is that they can depend on God and expect that their problems, too, shall come to pass.”
VanDerbur is actively involved with Kolbe Ministries, which brings the love of Jesus into prisons and teaches the fullness of the Catholic Church’s truth. This mission includes a three-day retreat in prison, followed by ongoing Catholic formation. Local volunteers provide training materials, literature and videos to educate and support inmates interested in deepening their faith.
“Kolbe Retreats have a rebounding effect in that the men understand what they’re getting when they get out of prison: love, community and fellowship,” VanDerbur said. “Those are the most important things because many of the men, when they fall from grace, feel like they can never be forgiven.”
He also said celebrating Mass and the Sacraments helps the inmates understand the Catholic faith more deeply, especially the significance of the Eucharist.
“As the men grow in their faith and celebrate Mass, the Eucharist becomes part of them,” VanDerbur said. “They understand that the Body and the Blood of Christ are truly present. When the priest calls the Holy Spirit down ‘like the dewfall,’ they fully grasp that this becomes an important part of their lives.”
Deacon Lovelady is deeply grateful for volunteers like VanDerbur, who dedicate their time to serving inmates while also deepening their own faith. He emphasizes that, as a recipient of the Diocesan Services Fund (DSF) along with over 60 other ministries, the support from this fund and the work of volunteers are crucial for Correctional Ministries to extend its reach to 23 prisons, 10 county jails and four federal facilities.
He invites adults interested in serving in the ministry to consider reaching out to learn more about this opportunity.
VanDerbur said that when inmates experience the love and dedication of volunteers who spend time away from their families to be with them, it profoundly changes their perspective on serving others, prioritizing their needs, and restoring family connections.
“The changes that I see in the men are that they’re now becoming fathers, husbands and sons to their families,” VanDerbur said. “Anyone can fall and come out of grace, but when you volunteer, you’re giving a piece of yourself to someone you don’t even know. Then, the person you’re serving has to reflect on why someone would do something for me when I’ve done things that I shouldn’t have done.”
VanDerbur admited that sometimes he shudders when he hears the metal clanking of prison doors, which reminds him of his own time served.
This personal connection brings to mind the lessons of St. Maximilian Kolbe, who gave up his life so that someone else could be with their family and survive the Holocaust. VanDerbur said that volunteering is a powerful way to step up, help others and be the hands and feet of Christ.
“When I see the men walking in white through those halls, and I begin to share the faith with them, they’re so amazed that we would come in and take our time to be with them,” VanDerbur said. “This is so important because it reminds us of what Christ is all about. It shows that we need to be there for everyone and make life in here better for them.”
To learn more about the Correctional Ministries, go to www.archgh.org/correctionalministries. To donate to the Archdiocese’s DSF annual appeal, go to www.archgh.org/DSF.
The DSF supports 64 ministries, whether direct service or education, which require this critical funding to remain in operation. Out of each gift given to DSF, 100% of every dollar goes directly to supporting these ministries.