Sunday Morning Radio inside

Prisoners have had to spend much more time in their calls through the Covid lockdown.

Source: Pact

Pact, the major Catholic prison charity is hosting the Sunday morning service being broadcast on National Prison Radio this week.

Necessary Covid restrictions have placed stringent limits on the opportunities for prisoners to visit the chapel. Many have reported that this has been very hard. When Cardinal Nichols visited Wormwood Scrubs prison recently, one man told him that the pandemic has led to the longest period of time that he had missed Mass in his life. National Prison Radio has responded by offering a Sunday morning religious programme, hosted in turns by a range of ecumenical groups.

Today men and women in their cells can hear Pact CEO Andy Keen-Downs greeting them and introducing the readings of the day. Monique Joseph will be the reader. Monique manages Pact services for prisoners and families at Belmarsh prison and at the prison for young men next door which is called HMP/YOI Isis.

Cardiff's Archbishop George Stack, who has considerable experience of prison ministry, set aside the time to record a reflection for the programme a few days in advance. Archbishop Stack drew on Holman Hunt's famous painting, The Light of the World, in which Jesus is knocking at a door that has no handle and must therefore be opened from the inside. Archbishop Stack gently reminds listeners that Jesus is waiting to be invited into our lives and that bars and locked doors are no barriers for Him.

Andy Keen-Downs and Pact colleagues put much thought into the music which enriches today's broadcast. Among other pieces, prisoners will hear Emeli Sande lifting spirits with 'Brighter Days', CJM (Boyce & Stanley) singing the Prayer of St Teresa, Let Nothing Trouble You, and at the end The Staple Singers, Brand New Day.

At Pact, we recognise that people in prison may have done bad things, but we sit with the challenge we hear in Sunday's Gospel: 'Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge, and you will not be judged yourselves; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned yourselves; grant pardon, and you will be pardoned.'

Simple ways your parish can help: Support for Parishes and Groups | Prison Advice and Care Trust

In Southwark diocese? JustPeople In-Person Workshop | Prison Advice and Care Trust

Make a donation Donate - Donate | Prison Advice and Care Trust

More about National Prison Radio | Prison Radio Association