From Punitive to Restorative Justice: Finding a Way Forward

“I was in prison and you visited me.” Matthew 25: 36. The Gospel calls us to show compassion and forgiveness for even what society would call the worst among us. These are God’s children too and the opportunity for conversion and redemption always exists.

Please join Pax Christi Union County & St. Helens Prison Ministry on Wednesday, April 7 at Mt. St. Mary's High School in Watchung, for a program and discussion on moving toward a system which favors restorative justice over the current punishment only system.

Our Guest Speaker will be Jean Ross, a retired public defender and co-chair of the prison committee at the Newark-based People's Organization for Progress.

Please join us as we look at the problems of racism, violence and oppression, which we encounter in the streets of our cities, as they extend to the institutions which now imprison over 2 million people, mostly people of color. The problems of isolation, violence, lack of health care, lack of rehabilitation, profiteering from the poor and pervasive injustice affect the safety, health and well being of the people who live and work in the prisons, but also our families and our communities.

Efforts towards fundamental prison change are necessary if we want to heal our communities. We must adopt a feasible strategy, and priorities for addressing these problems and to create effective coalitions with other groups.

For more information or to RSVP contact Milly Kostyack (732)-943-2482

To all things broken,
I am a brother.

To the fallen, crumpled autumn leaf,
I am a brother.

To the splintered mirror,
I am a brother.

To the shattered heart,
I am a brother.

To countries bound and oppressed,
I am a brother.

To all human history,
I am your imprisoned brother.

And I am your God.