Bishop Felipe Estevez’s Prison Ministry

Mary Moritz – Northeast Florida Chapter

Bishop Emeritus Felipe Estevez, of the Diocese of St. Augustine, FL, spoke to our chapter by Zoom in March, about his prison ministry. He touched my heart when he reminded us that a prisoner redeemed us, and during his ministry, Jesus said “I was in prison, and you visited me.”

Bishop Estevez began reaching out to prisoners while he was the presiding Bishop. After his retirement, he made it his primary work of mercy. Accompanied by lay volunteers, he visits four prisons in the area, alternating between hearing confessions and saying Mass. He lamented the culture of vengeance and punishment found in North Florida, even in our parishes. He desires a culture of restorative justice and rehabilitation, noting the need for renewal in our prisons, especially for prisoners who are sick and dying, for whom care is really lacking.

He applauded one local prison which has a Peer-to-Peer dormitory, an area of renewal that prisoners can request to be in. Prisoners in this dormitory can take courses.

Bishop Estevez pointed out that our Catechism had said that the death penalty shouldn’t happen but allowed it for rare exceptions, but Pope Francis changed this to “never.” He said that 25 states, including Florida, execute prisoners. He was pleased that for about 50 years the Bishops of Florida have consistently prayed for the abolition of the death penalty. He also agreed with Pope Francis, who has stated publicly that prison sentences are too long. Bishop Estevez noted that there are prisoners for life who have repented.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) does not have a committee that focuses on prison ministry, and information about which Dioceses are active in prison ministry is limited. Bishop Estevez applauded Bishop Wack of the Pensacola-Tallahassee Diocese for trying to change this. The Diocese of St. Augustine has a Director of Prison Ministry, and priests and seminarians are encouraged to get involved in it. If this ministry appeals to you, please check with your own diocese.