Ministry to the Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated

Our mission iis to provide oppportunities for parishioners to extend Christian love to the imprisoned through prison visitation, advocating for justice reform  and supporting efforts for  reentry into society. 

Faith & Hope Art Show: Beyond Prison Walls

Art of the Incarcerated

St. Monica Grand Pavilion

Saturday, July 12

following the Saturday, 5:30 p.m. Mass

Sunday, July 13

7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Partnership for Re-Entry Program (PREP) returns to St. Monica with their Faith & Hope Art Show: Beyond Prison Walls, Art of the Incarcerated.  The art is created by men and women who are currently or formerly incarcerated and benefits the work of PREP. Come browse the gallery and if you wish, purchase a work of art.

Besides checking out the art feel free to ask questions of the PREP team, many of whom themselves were inmates at one time and were helped by PREP. Also joining the PREP team this year are Mike Kurtz with the New Hope Honey Makers and Carlos Vasquez, Life Coach with two new books.

PREP serves both inmates and parolees, providing self-help, self-development correspondence courses, letters of support to the Board of Parole Hearing (BPH), prison visits that include workshops, resources, and transitional services upon release. Here are some words from a former inmate who participated in one of the courses and how the experience benefited him.

Getting a Clearer Picture of my Sobriety Danny O’Hare SQ

I would like to take a moment to thank you for this course. When I started this, I didn't know what I would get out of it. I now have a much better understanding of my sober life. I'm not dumb; I always could see things. I never thought that all the Aha moments were the spiritual awakening or part of it. I used to think that by working the steps and embracing my higher power God more than that was my spiritual awakening. I see now that it’s so much more and I like it.

I felt bad for a minute for not seeing that but I'm over it because I got it. Thank you very much, I appreciate all that I have gotten out of this course. I am onto Anger Management next and can’t wait to start .

PREP is a Restorative Justice ministry of the Archdiocese of Los Angles having as its goals to transform the individual to become productive members of society and reduce recidivism. For more on PREP visit https://partnershipforreentryprogram.org/overview

Contact: Delis Alejandro, Pastoral Associate     (310) 566-1530