April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
Behind bars, Renew offers release
Inmates at Washington Correctional Facility and Great Meadow Correctional Facility, both in Comstock, are involved in the spiritual renewal program. Chaplains hope that Renew 2000 will help the prisoners to reform their ways and become stronger in faith.
There are four small groups, each with about 14 members, at Great Meadow, a maximum-security prison. At Washington Correctional Facility, nearly 40 inmates participate.
Chaplain 'thrilled'
The Great Meadow prisoners seem happy to come together each Monday night to share in this religious reawakening, said Rev. James Hayes, chaplain."The inmates are opening up. I'm absolutely thrilled at their leadership," he said.
A core committee of prisoners prepared for Renew 2000 throughout last summer; after a kick-off Sunday in late September, the small group meetings started.
Lively talk
Although Father Hayes was somewhat concerned that Renew 2000 meetings would be longer than normal -- the inmates meet for two-and-a-half hours each Monday, compared to the typical 90-minute meeting -- the discussion has been lively, and inmates appreciate having so much time to share stories of faith.Inmates also wanted to make sure that they could continue participating in Renew 2000 if they were transferred to another prison.
Father Hayes, who floats among the four small groups, one of which is for Spanish-speaking inmates, hopes that the men undergo changes for the better through Renew 2000. He also pointed out that such spiritual renewal complements other religious activities at Great Meadow, including Residents Encounter Christ, a retreat program for inmates.
"Hopefully, everything together will make better men out of them and help them to change their ways so that they can be productive members of society and not a burden on the state," he said.
Excitement
Rev. Jaime Pino, chaplain at Washington Correctional Facility, said that inmates at first "were very anxious to find out what this was all about. Once they found out, they were very excited."Inmates were curious whether they could continue with Renew 2000 if they were released from prison before the six-week session ended, since many don't live in the Albany Diocese. Father Pino assured them that they could proceed beyond their imprisonment.
Small groups meet weekly, and meetings are available for both Spanish- and English-speaking inmates.
Conversion
Renew 2000 is effective in a prison population because it helps to inspire inmates to rehabilitate themselves and change their behavior, Father Pino noted.Through such spiritual renewal, they are encouraged to turn their lives around and break the cycle of criminal actions that landed them in prison.
"We want to put a lot of emphasis on conversion so maybe in 2000, they don't decide to come back to jail," he said.
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