“I was in prison and you visited me (Matt. 25: 36).”

This is one of Jesus’ most haunting lines because it speaks so powerfully to the isolation that prisoners experience—cut off from family, work, friends, church community, and so much of society. And locked into environments that often punish but do not rehabilitate the prisoner—making a return to prison all the more likely.

Paulist Prison Ministries began in 1994 by Fr. Thomas Comber, CSP as a way to bring the resources of faith to prisoners. Developing newsletters in English and Spanish (Let’s Talk/Hablemos), distributing bibles, and creating other literature, Fr. Comber’s efforts eventually reached over 900 prisons.

Today, as one of the few Catholic organizations that serve prisons, we continue to reach chaplains in over 500 prisons. We regularly receive letters from both inmates and chaplains expressing gratitude for the material they receive and testimonies about the good this material does. Tens of thousands of newsletters, thousands of Bibles, thousands of pamphlets and booklets reach prisoners each year.

You can be part of Paulist Prison Ministries’ effective work by helping to support us through prayer and generous gifts. We can do this ministry only with the participation of people who want to improve the lives of the least of God’s children through the resources of our Catholic faith.

Learn more about what this ministry offers and view our free resources.

Help support this vital ministry.

Have a question? Contact Us about Prison Ministry here. Please choose “Prison Ministry” as your question topic on the second drop-down menu.

Please note, Prison Ministry resources are only available to Prison Chaplains and Volunteers who work in the prisons or jails – we are unfortunately unable to fulfill all other requests. Thank You.