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St. Paul of the Shipwreck parishioners serving in a newly formed ministry supporting the families and friends of incarcerated persons gathered at the conference. Kathy O’Brien, Desiree Pascual, Deacon Larry Chatmon, Loretta Chatmon. (Photo by Debra Greenblat/Office of Human Life & Dignity, Archdiocese of San Francisco)
September 27, 2018
More than 350 people attended the Archdiocese of San Francisco’s Reentry Conference Sept. 7 at St. Mary’s Cathedral Event Center. Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone offered remarks and led the day’s opening prayer. The day focuses on offering resources for those returning from prison and jail.
“There is so much waste of human potential in those behind bars,” the archbishop said, commending those who help prisoners and former prisoners, noting that is what Jesus calls us to do. “You are helping them to realize their potential and recover it and helping people to heal and helping people to reintegrate.” The formerly incarcerated are, he said, “part of the population that is easily ignored and is ignored.” They are “the very ones we are called to reach out to and show his love to and that is what you are doing. God bless you.”
Pictured at the Archdiocese of San Francisco’s Reentry Conference Sept. 7 at St. Mary’s Cathedral Event Center are, from left, Brian McAuley, Julio Escobar (restorative justice coordinator for the archdiocese), Micah Sullivan, Kirk Sarkine, Fernando Medina, Jordan Jeske, Ricky Cadriel. (Photo by Debra Greenblat/Office of Human Life & Dignity, Archdiocese of San Francisco)
Julio Escobar, archdiocesan restorative justice coordinator, originated the free gathering. “We offer resources to people that otherwise may not reach these services while we build community with agencies that are partners of the archdiocese,” Escobar, who continues to organize the event with help from dozens of volunteers, said.
San Francisco County Sheriff Vicki Hennessey, San Francisco Chief Adult Probation Officer Karen Fletcher and Tinisch Hollins, Bay Area chapter coordinator for Californians for Safety and Justice spoke as part of a panel moderated by Escobar.
Breakout sessions addressed topics including the challenges of life after release and protection from gun violence. Resources highlighted included assistance with criminal record expungement and free legal assistance.
Parishes including San Francisco’s St. Dominic, St. Paul of the Shipwreck and Star of the Sea had representatives at the sessions as did Catholic Charities; San Mateo St. Vincent de Paul Society, and Eternal Word Television Network. More than 50 government and nonprofit organizations including Jails to Jobs, Five Keys Charter Schools, City College of San Francisco, San Francisco Housing Development Corporation and Bay Area Legal Aid were available at the talks.
The event is funded by the Archdiocese of San Francisco and the U.S. bishops’ Catholic Campaign for Human Development.
For more information about the archdiocesan restorative justice ministries visit sfarch.org/rjministry.