Prison Oblates

From His Cell

To Theirs

benedictine oblates in prison

by Rebekah Firestine For the most part, as men and women, we end up in prison by serving ourselves, and perhaps, our addictions. Regardless of what they were, being only focused on ‘me’ cost us our freedom along with everything else in our lives. That’s the bad news. The good news is, God is giving us special opportunity—time to lead a prayer life that will completely alter your entire being.

- O blati O n M anual f O r P ris O ners

From the confines of the monastery, reaching out all across the country, one monk is doing what he can to bring the Good News of the Gospel to men and women living on America’s periphery: the federal penitentiary system.

Fr. Matthew Habiger has taken the reigns of the Abbey’s Prison Oblate program – an effort to spread the love of Christ to the incarcerated. “It is a challenge and I don’t have the benefit of meeting prisoners face-to-face. But it is heart-to-heart. You can imagine how correspondence goes. These men and women have to articulate what’s on their minds and hearts and handwrite it.”

Listening through reading their letters has become the center of Fr. Matthew’s apostolate. With nearly twenty-five percent of the world’s prisoners behind American bars, he has his work cut out for him.

The history of this Oblate program is rich—filled with love and life where it seemed to be absent. Fr. Louis Kirby, OSB, as a monk of Holy Cross Abbey in Cañon City, Colorado, developed a special program for the prisoners in his diocese of Pueblo. Within a 20 mile radius of Cañon City, there are 11 prisons where monks of Holy Cross were involved in prison ministry. By taking the precepts of Benedictine Monasticism and the call of Oblates to live in the world, Fr. Louis designed a program specifically for incarcerated men and women to reclaim their dignity and to experience God’s love in the midst of serving a prison sentence.

Holy Cross Abbey was closed in 2004, and Fr. Louis transferred his vow of stability to St. Benedict’s Abbey where he continued his ministry until his passing in 2013.

“After Fr. Louis died, the whole program fell into limbo. Two of the Oblates from Delta, Colorado, wrote me—I don’t know how they got my name,” Fr. Matthew said with a smirk, a look that conveyed total trust in God’s Providence. “They asked if there were any way to revive this program because it had done so much good in the past.” His response bore the true markings of a father, “How do you say no to that?”

Fr. Matthew took the idea to heart, desiring to help in any way he could. One thing led to another and today he receives nearly 50 handwritten letters each week, all from Oblates in prisons across the country.

“By its very nature, the priesthood is geared to bringing other people closer to God, but I never thought I’d be involved in this work.” He’d had his share of visiting jails, prisons and the Federal Penetentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas, but his experience and knowledge of a life behind bars was limited. “Before this work I was kind of a babe in the woods! It takes time to get to know a system, but people are people.

“Wherever the need is, wherever the interest is and the desire to discover their faith is, that’s where we have to respond.”

But the life of an Oblate in prison is vastly disparate from the life of a monk of St. Benedict’s Abbey. Or is it?

When tackling how the prisoner (or a monk for that matter) ought to spend his time in his cell, Fr. Matthew offered a simple, but provoking thought, “If a man can discern that he’s to use his time well, he can make a retreat out of his cell.” With the help of Fr. Matthew and the whole community of Oblates, led by the Holy

Spirit, these men and women can go through true rehabilitation or true conversion to grow into the virtues they hadn’t developed before and become the persons they were meant to be.

“It’s to unlock the grip of vices on their lives and to grow into the virtues using all the available means, also helping others discover what they have discovered,” Fr. Matthew said.

With 380 prisoners (and growing) in the Oblate program database from coast to coast, 60 have completed their one-year candidacy and 161 are currently in their candidacy year. 34 people are learning to listen to the voice of God and discern if becoming an Oblate is part of His plan for their lives. Fr. Matthew is happy with the growth, “I never publicize except by word of mouth and the newsletters getting passed around. The program really takes on a life of its own. These men are delighted to know that they are not isolated. They belong to something. They belong to a group of people who pray.”

Following the Rule of St. Benedict, the Oblate program is a natural fit for a man living in close quarters with other men in confinement. Fr. Matthew explains that St. Benedict wrote his Rule for a group of men who were dedicated to their search for God as a community. Benedict understood human nature, with its strengths and weaknesses. He found a way to apply the principles of the Gospel to a group of men living a communal life, while also serving the larger community. The Rule sets up regular times for prayer and work, spiritual reading, meals, and recreation. It stresses obedience to legitimate authority, humility, and growth in all virtue. It gives meaning and purpose to their lives and many express their pleasure in discovering a regular prayer life, using the Liturgy of the Hours.

“They can identify very much with a monastery. They have a tighter regimen than I do!” Fr. Matthew quipped.

Oblates faithfully pray Lauds (morning prayer) and Vespers (evening prayer). They read Scripture and the Catechism. They try to build community and see Christ in the needs of their fellow inmates. They assist the Catholic chaplain with his needs and they attend Mass when available. They understand the meaning of the Cross and attempt to carry their burdens as a follower of Christ.

An Oblation Manual for Prisoners has been created by Oblates themselves to act as a “road map” as someone experiences God’s love as an Oblate of St. Benedict. Fr. Matthew works diligently to provide free resources for the prisoners in the form of books and materials to help them grow in their daily prayer lives and relationship with God. Along with these resources, the Oblates receive a monthly newsletter that keeps the community strong and connected through reflections, story sharing and prayer.

“Everyone has problems, but you might say prisoners have an additional set. You adjust yourself to the needs of the people you’re dealing with: faith needs, human needs, family needs, all of them.”

The Oblates in prison are real people who come from a troubled past, but don’t we all? Each of us has likely experienced some type of trauma, whether it be very small or of life-altering proportions. The prisoners deeply appreciate the fact that a personal interest has been taken in them. God’s love has been shown to them in a world where the light is often difficult to see.

“So it’s simply a matter of responding to the set of people that you’re engaged with,” Fr. Matthew said. “The more you get to know a person the more you appreciate them and you find out that there’s more to discover.”

Fr. Matthew’s hope for those in parishes around the country is an accepting love of neighbor and shared responsibility for the The monks are firmly broader community. “I was dedicated to offering in prison and you came to the Sacraments and me,” Jesus says in Matthew providing pastoral care 25:36. Fr. Matthew notes for the imprisoned. that whether face-to-face Monks (like Fr. Roderic or heart-to-heart through a handwritten letter, the Giller, pictured above at personal connection made Lansing Penetentiary) with a brother or sister serve as chaplains at in prison is one way we local jails and prisons. can live out our Catholic The Abbey’s prison lives in Gospel truth. oblate program serves Authentic encounters with marginalized brothers 380 people across 21 and sisters are what our states. Holy Father Pope Francis continues to encourage his flock to share.

Fr. Matthew teaches us the first step to opening our hearts to prisoners behind bars, prisoners to addictions, and prisoners who call shelters and streets “home”: “Recognize them as persons.”

In the spirit of St. Benedict, Oblates in prison show us what it means to be close to the Father. Their steadfast commitment to prayer in the midst of opposition, hostility, and lack of support from other inmates is inspiring. Through this program, men and women in prisons from sea to sea are encountering the love of God through volunteers and pen pals.

The blessings of this program in this inmate’s words:

“Let me tell you what you can give. You can give hope to men who have none. How do you do that? You come within these walls, build a house of love through your presence, and invite the homeless, loveless to live there. You give Living

Water to men who are dying of thirst. You can help those who have never had any sense of meaning in their lives discover their purpose. You can help those who are lost and have never belonged to anything, to anyone, find a way to a place where they are loved and wanted. You can take men who are destitute and believe they have no value, and help them discover the greatest treasure this world has ever held.”

There is a growing need for the faithful to give of their time and care within this apostolate. Fr. Matthew and the Oblates in prison are always looking for pen pals. If you are interested, contact Fr. Matthew Habiger at mhabiger@kansasmonks.org. In addition, reintegration into society while on parole can be difficult for men and women transitioning out of the prison system. You can help support those who have been in prison by calling your nearest halfway house and giving your time, talent, or treasure in ways they most need.