Media Release

Bengaluru, Nov 23: Prison Ministry India (PMI), a voluntary organization under the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) working for the integral human development of prisoners celebrated its silver jubilee on November 19 in Bengaluru.

Over 420 volunteers of the PMI gathered at St Joseph’s College Auditorium to praise and thank ‘the God of the lost, least and the last’ in the presence of bishops, priests, nuns and scores of lay people.

The jubilee celebrations began with a concelebrated Holy Eucharist presided over by Dr Allwyn D’Silva, the PMI Chairman. Fr Varghese Karippery, the PMI co-founder in his homily highlighted that the unconditional and forgiving love is the golden key for the reformation and rehabilitation of prisoners. The concelebrants included Dr Peter Remigius, the former PMI chairman, Dr Jose Pulickal, the auxiliary bishop of Kanjirappally, Dr Francis Kodiyan, the PMI national coordinator and PMI cofounder, Fr Varghese Karippery, Msgr Jayanathan and Msgr C Francis, the vicars general of Bangalore Archdiocese besides about 60 priests from all over the country.

Archbishop Peter Machado of Bengaluru in his address, prior to the benediction, highlighted the significance of documentation and research studies of prison visits and rehabilitation centers. Students from homes meant for prisoners’ children such as Premodaya and Kolbe Home presented a variety of cultural items which included dances and mimes.

Earlier, the Jubilee celebrations began with the Eucharistic Adoration in the morning in which all the volunteers and participants offered to God all praises and glory for all the blessings that were bestowed upon them in the past 25 years.

Dr Francis Kodiyan, the national coordinator, PMI, in his welcome address stated that PMI has 7000 volunteers, 5000 rehabilitated and reformed released prisoners, 850 units, 10 rehabilitation centers and 10 homes for prisoners’ children. He said that the organization began in Kerala in 1986 and extended its ministry to all Indian states in 1994. With the silver jubilee, it will extend its ministry to Asian countries, Dr Kodiyan added.

Dr Allwyn D’Silva, the PMI Chairman and the president of the Jubilee committee emphasized the significance of visiting prisons and conveying the forgiving love of God to prisoners. He appreciated in the name of all Indian bishops what PMI does for the release, reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners. Dr Peter Remigius, Dr Jose Pulickal, Fr Varghese Karippery offered felicitations on the occasion.

Dr Allwyn D’Silva released the documentary film on Prison Ministry India produced and directed by Lavy Pinto during the PMI Silver Jubilee Public Meeting.

Two books written by Dr Francis Kodiyan, The Lost – An Eightfold Path for Prisoners’ Transformation; Rainbow – The Theological Foundations of Prison Ministry India; Reformative Explorations – A Psycho- Spiritual and Crimino-Social Quarterly on Reformation and Rehabilitation, and the Silver Jubilee Souvenir were released on the occasion.

The founder fathers, pioneers, national coordinators, all those who completed 25 years of service in this ministry, all the national office staff in the past 25 years were remembered and honored at the function with mementoes and certificates. All those who completed 14 years in the ministry were also honored and presented with certificates.
Sr Lini Sheeja MSC, the PMI National Secretary, proposed a vote of thanks and the jubilee celebrations came to a close with the PMI Anthem sung by Sr Marina.

An Overview of PMI Nov 19-20, 2019 and Other Information

Prison Ministry India (PMI) founded in 1986 at St Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Kottayam, Kerala by Fr Francis Kodiyan and Fr Vargehse Karippery is a nongovernmental agency committed to release, reform, and rehabilitate prisoners, their children and victims. This spiritual movement, under the justice, peace and development commission of the Catholic Bishops conference of India has more than 7000 volunteers and 850 units all over India. Dr Allwyn D’Silva, the auxiliary bishop of Bombay, is its Chairman and Dr Francis Kodiyan MCBS is its national coordinator.

Outreach

PMI volunteers regularly visit 1412 prisons in India and do whatever is possible for their release and rehabilitation. Nearby almost every prison in India PMI has a group to look after the needs of prisoners.

Ministries inside the Prison

Moral Instructions, cultural and entertainment programmes, counseling and spiritual directions, consoling the broken-hearted through letters, setting-up of libraries, job-oriented training programmes, literary, arts and sports competitions, preparing prisoners to write school and University exams, conducting medical camps, providing free legal aid, releasing prisoners, assisting foreign nationals with the help of embassies and assisting Indian citizens in foreign prisons

Ministries outside the Prison

Rehabilitation centres for released male & female prisoners, homes for prisoners’ children – boys and girls, educational assistance for prisoners’ children, research and documentation centre, volunteers training programmes, legal cells to assist prisoners, counseling and moral instructions in rehabilitation centers, reconciliation and forgiveness with victims, counselling prisoners’ families, marriage settlement, vocational training and job settlement and house construction and settlement in family

Release

Assisting premature release of prisoners with Good Behaviour, releasing innocent prisoners with legal assistance, releasing petty-case prisoners and first offenders with financial assistance and assisting prisoners to obtain bail with legal and family involvement

Rehabilitation Centers for Male Released prisoners

Snehashramam, Thrissur, Kerala; Director – Fr Sunil, Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (SCJ), Estd October 1, 1991.
Santhinivas, Kochi - Kerala; Director – Fr Binoy, Claretian Congregation (CMF); Estd August 6, 1995.
Snehatheeram, Alappuzha – Kerala; Director - Fr Thobias, Estd 2001.
Kolbe Home, Tirutanni, Tamilnadu, Director - Fr Thomas, Society of St Eugene De Mazenod (SDM), Estd 2017.

Rehabilitation Centers for Released Female Prisoners

Snehashramam, Thiruvananthapuram - Kerala; Sisters of the Poor of St Catherine of Sienna (SDP), Estd. October 11, 1992.
Ashadeepam, Thrissur, Kerala; John the Baptist Sisters (SJB), Estd February 16,1993.
Jeevodaya, Bangalore, Karnataka, Holy Cross Congregation, Estd. January 22, 1995.
Karunasadan, Kannur, Kerala; Ursulines Mary Immaculate (UMI), Estd 2004.
Vishwa Jyothi, Guntur Andhra Pradesh, Sisters of St Anne’s of Guntur (CSSA), Estd 2004.

Homes for Prisoners’ Children

Snehadeepam, Kanjirappilly, Kerala. Director – Sr Beena, Holy Spirit Congregation, Estd July 3, 1994.
Asha Sadan, Noida, UP, Director –Sr Shanti, Franciscan Clarist Congregation, Estd May 3, 1977.
Karunyashram, Kochi, Kerala, Director – Sr Anne Maria, Sisters of the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament (SABS); Estd 8 January 8, 1999.
Premodaya, Bangalore, Karnataka; Director – Sr Raji, Sisters of St Anne’s, Estd. 2008.
Ashakiran, Khunti, Jharkhand, Director – Sr Juliet, Ursuline Sisters of Tildonk, Estd 2009.
Jeevan Jyothy, Anavilasam, Kerala, Director – Sr Savio, Augustinian Congregation, Estd. 2010.
Bonal Bhavan, Kasargod, Kerala, Director – Sr Tresa Chacko, Sisters of Charity of St Anne, Estd 2013.
Kolbe Home, Bangalore, Karnataka. Director – Sr Gertrude, Satya Seva Catechist Sisters (SCS), Estd 2015.
Marie Pushpan’s Home, Ranchi, Jharkand, Director – Sr Jini, Order of Dominicans (OP), Estd 2017.

Research Centre

On 20 November 2019 Most Rev Dr Allwyn D’Silva will bless the newly constructed reformative research centre at Carmelaram, Bangalore and launch a research magazine called Reformative Explorations narrating the reformative stories, theories and methods of prisoners’ reformation. PMI national office is at 52 Thomas Layout, Sarjapur Road, Carmelaram, Bengaluru – 560 035. Tel. 944 77 10488.