Prison Ministry
KOLBE RETREATS
Prison Ministry
Kolbe Retreats – For Men Only
The mission of the retreats inside the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and Federal Bureau of Prison system is to share the love of Jesus Christ with those in prison and to teach the fullness of the truth of the Catholic Church to the incarcerated.
With the help of the Kolbe Prison Ministries in the Hill Country, the ArchGH Kolbe Prison Ministries Retreat Team was formed. Influenced by various retreat designs including ACTS, the team developed a three-day retreat format that allows volunteers to share their lives and faith while demonstrating the spirit of love, redemption, and forgiveness that only Christ can give. This ministry requires weekly meetings for 13 weeks before the retreat. Each retreat will be Thursday-Saturday in a prison in the Archdiocese. Meeting nights and times will be determined by each director.
Bridges to Life for Men and Women – Includes Victims of Crimes
BTL’S mission is to connect communities to prisons to bring peace into offenders’ lives when they are incarcerated and reduce the recidivism rate when they are released, thereby effecting a reduction in crime and enhanced public safety.
The spiritual mission is to minister to offenders and victims of crime to show them the transforming power of God’s love and forgiveness.
BTL is a faith-based, restorative justice, victim impact program designed to provide a healing process to crime victims and prison offenders. Participation requires a 14-week commitment to go into a Brazoria County prison one night a week with a team of 8-12 volunteers for two hours in the same prison each week. Depending on the prisons, meetings are on Mondays, Tuesdays, or Wednesdays.