Pact Carol Services shine a light in a dark place

Roger McGough reads at Our Lady of Victories

"I'm the mother of a son in prison and that's not an easy thing to say out loud." Dawn, a member of Pact's Listen to Families team, spoke at the charity's Carol Service in London last week. She went on, "Thank you to Pact for shining a light in a dark place, coming together with families and serving people affected by imprisonment in truth and compassion. We are being heard at last."

Hundreds of people stood in solidarity alongside women and men in prison, and their children and families, at Pact's two Advent Carol Services - at Our Lady of Victories in Kensington and at Our Lady & St Brigid's in Birmingham.

In London, well-loved poet Roger McGough read Everything Touches, a poem he first wrote as the words of a hymn. Bishop Richard Moth referred to the poem in his reflection saying, 'God, in the person of his Son, touches our world. Pact is about the very same thing. Those moments of care in the Visitor Centre, inside, as people leave, with families, each is a moment when people can experience the love of God himself.'

In Birmingham, Fr Cecil Rogerson described the journey the parish is taking, learning and reflecting on how imprisonment affects children and families in our communities and how the parish can support them.

A record 100,000 children will spend Christmas without their mum or dad this year because they are in prison. Children and young people were present at the Carol Services particularly in the school choirs. In London, the choir of Sacred Heart High School Hammersmith sang beautifully-arranged carols, with soloist voices and violin. In Birmingham, Our Lady & St Brigid's Primary School children brought wonderful energy and joy to their performance. The presence of the children and young people reminded us of the precious potential and talents they carry and of how much they can achieve with the nurture and support of their families and teachers.

At both events, Andy Keen-Downs, Pact CEO, thanked Pact staff and volunteers, and partners such as HMPPS staff, prison chaplains and other organisations whom we work alongside, "for your dedication and resilience - and your determination to treat others with dignity, respect, and compassion.... thank you for your commitment to making the criminal justice system better for everyone, now and in the future."

Over refreshments, many important conversations took place. "I came because I have a family member in prison." "I've been thinking about volunteering with Pact." A Catholic Women's League member commented that 'In our Section, we just love making stitched Crosses, thinking about how someone in prison will receive that and hoping it will help them.'

Pact would like to thank all those who support people in prison and their children and families, and the work of Pact - including all who were not able to join us at the Carol Services but nevertheless know that "everything touches."

Can you ensure that prisoners and their families are remembered in a Bidding Prayer at Christmas Services in your parish community?

From all of us at Pact, we wish you a Happy and Holy Christmas.

Attend a Justpeople workshop to reflect on Catholic Social Teaching through the lens of imprisonment.

Donate to help support people in prison and their children and families

Contact Pact's Faith in Action team parish.action@prisonadvice.org.uk

Pact is a pioneering national, Catholic charity that supports prisoners, people with convictions, and their children and families. We provide caring and life changing services at every stage of the criminal justice process: in court, in prison, on release, and in the community.

Pact's vision is of a society in which justice is understood as a process of restoration and healing, in which prisons are used sparingly and as places of learning and rehabilitation, and in which the innate dignity and worth of every human being is valued. We work for the common good of society, taking a public health-based approach. We work at the intersection of criminal justice, child and family welfare, mental health, wellbeing provision and health & social care.

Our volunteers and staff can be found in courts, prisons, probation services, and in communities across England & Wales. Building on our Catholic roots, we are a diverse, inclusive, modern, and collaborative charity. We build effective partnerships and sustainable solutions based on our well-established understanding of the systems in which we work, and on our historic values and ethos developed through our 120+ years of service delivery.

What we do:

Build stronger families and safer communities.
Reduce risk of harm to prisoners and their children.
Remove barriers and increase awareness in public services.
Influence commissioning, policy and legislation.

LINKS

Website: www.prisonadvice.org.uk

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PactFaithAction

Twitter: @PactFaithAction

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/prison-advice-&-care-trust

Instagram: @prisonadvice

YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/PrisonAdviceandCareTrustPact