Seeking Christ as Dominicans in Norfolk State Prison
the story of the only group of professed Dominican Laity in an American prison here.
"Ruth Raichle, the Catholic chaplain at Norfolk, said the men are, in many ways, quite similar to cloistered religious. Through their prayers, they are saving souls, and through their witness they are encouraging others in the prison to seek Christ, she said."
“I always call them the real missionaries because they bring other men to the Church,” she said."
Inspired by the work of the Sisters of Bethanie founded in 1866 to give women released from a prison a chance to follow a religious vocation. In Bethany, former inmates and non-inmates live together in community and no one knows who is who. Rumer Godden wrote a lovely novel about the Sisters of Bethanie, Five for Sorrow, Ten for Joy, which has recently been reprinted.
posted by Sherry W @ 6:30 AM
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3 Comments:
What a great story, and what compassion on the part of Ms. Raichle! I was particularly taken by this quote from a 19th century French Dominican priest, "the greatest sinners can make the greatest saints.” Raichle said she has witnessed the truth of that statement through her work in prison ministry.
Again, we so often sell God short. As we say in the preface of the Eucharistic Prayer for martyrs, "You choose the weak and make them strong in bearing witness to Christ." The same can also be said of great sinners who encounter the love of God.
Fr. Mike:
It was in the book about the Sisters of Bethanie that I first came across this saying: "Not what you are nor what you have been but what you would be, perceiveth God with his merciful eyes."
I think it was from the priest who founded the order.
Hello,
I´m a sister of Bethanie. Yes, it was Pater Lataste who said this words.
I´m very happy that we have now brothers too. And I hope that other groups will be founded soon. It´s so an imporant part of the Evangelium...
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