The Church run Prison Ministry with Sister Jane at the forefront has brought a touch of humanity to jails in Goa ever since its volunteers
began visiting inmates 16 years ago. Over the years the Prison Ministry has expanded its repertoire of work with the prisoners. It has facilitated inmates in completing their education under the National Open School and has encouraged others to pursue higher studies under the Yeshwantrao Chavan Open University, filling their forms and paying their fees. Qualified volunteers including retired principals and teachers render their services through the ministry. This year the Aguada Central Jail has also received an impetus with the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) offering several short term diploma and degree courses in tourism, computers,
food and nutrition. Counseling sessions by trained experts have also helped prisoners better deal with their problems. Since language
can be a major barrier, the ministry has even engaged Fr Antonio Fernandes who is fluent in Nepalese to counsel Nepali inmates.
Another significant role the ministry
plays in the lives of inmates is paying
the deposit for needy prisoners to go
on parole. Caritas, through the Prison
Ministry, over the last three years has
been paying the required Rs 1 lakh
deposit and standing as surety for
the prisoner’s parole period of 28
days. Caritas also provides accommodation
at their St Xavier’s Academy
for the differently abled in Old Goa.
Here the inmate helps with whatever
activity he is skilled in–tailoring, gardening,
carpentry, crafts etc. He is
also allowed to take a walk in the
evenings giving him the opportunity
to familiarize himself with the environment
that he has lost contact with.
Letting prisoners out on parole
helps in their adapting to society after
serving their sentence. “Many have
no family members who can pay the
Rs 1 lakh deposit and as a result there
were convicts who hadn’t been out
on parole for even 13 years. They
were depressed, dejected and had
lost all contact with the world outside.
Going out on parole gives them exposure
to freedom and an experience
of social life outside, something that
will help them when they are released,”
says Sr Jane.
Caritas through the Prison Ministry
also helps needy families of inmates,
coming to their aid when a family
member is sick. They also visit family
members of convicts and victims, helping
them grieve and come to terms
with their situation.
The ministry pays special attention
to children of convicts who are caught
in difficult circumstances. Children
spend the first three years with their
mother in prison as they are still
being fed. Later, with their parents’
permission they are enrolled in various
boarding schools around the State.
The ministry finds sponsors to help
needy children complete their education.
Many have gone on to complete
their higher education and have done
well for themselves.
The ministry has brought about
change in the lives of convicts. Many
express their feelings through poetry
and painting. Volunteers train inmates
in painting and in music too. Some
play the tabla, guitar, flute or the harmonium.
Several have discovered talents
they never knew they possessed.
When groups visit the prison, they
prepare skits for the inmates with
mes sages
they can relate
to. The
inmates in
turn prepare
a special
programme
for
their visitors.
S i s t e r
Jane dismisses
the
term hardened
criminals. “They are all mild,
friendly, open and cooperative. They
have learnt to grow socially and have
become more humane and understanding
and gift a painting, candle
or any works they have created to
visitors at the jail. They never let
guests go back empty handed.”
She recalls one prisoner telling a
group of youth who visited them,
“We have made mistakes. Be careful
not to make the same mistakes we
made and land up here. Look at us.
We smile but inside our heart is
weeping all the time.”
Sister Jane is also touched by their
concern. Back in 2000 when she met
with a serious accident, doctors gave
her only three hours to live. Suffering
a head injury, she eventually pulled
through miraculously after 21 days
in hospital. The inmates then were
restless and began feigning illnesses
from toothaches to backachces just
so that they could land up at GMC to
visit her. Those who were in the hospital
for genuine treatment would
plead with the sisters to let them at
least see her. Such was and is their
concern.
When she came through, she still
needed three months of rest but the
IG prisons sent a car for her just so
she could visit the inmates and put
them at ease.
This is the reason why despite her
osteoarthritis today, Sister Jane still
makes it a point to visit the jails at
Aguada, Sada and the judicial look
up at Mapusa. She does all this using
public transport and says she doesn’t
feel her aches and pains when she’s
doing something for others. Every
saint, she says, has a sinful past and
every sinner a hopeful future.
