Forging Community with Our Spiritual Mentors

Earlier this month, we welcomed our Spiritual Mentors for a night of community building, reflection, and preparation as we gear up to visit our brothers and sisters behind the walls for our retreats. Spiritual Mentors play an incredibly important role in our ministry, accompanying the men and women we meet in prison, praying with them, and offering quality, reflective resources for an examined life. Our team will not only be returning behind the walls, but will also be joining us as we visit over 200 parishes throughout the Archdiocese of New York and Diocese of Brooklyn as we share word of our work and invite parishioners and partners to get involved. Among the exciting things to come include retreats beyond the walls for families impacted by incarceration. Our mentors worked tirelessly alongside Pablo, our Coordinator of Spiritual Care, to ensure a beautiful and contemplative day of prayer for our brothers and sisters behind the walls and their loved ones eagerly awaiting their return home. 

Once a month, Spiritual Mentors gather to celebrate Mass with Fr. Zach, and continue with their formation in Ignatian Spirituality to better serve our sisters and brothers behind prison walls. In September, the Spiritual Mentors started the program Desires of the Heart, an introduction to Ignatian prayer based on the Spiritual Exercises and life of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Originally designed for Jesuit university undergraduates, the ten sessions touch on themes relevant to those beginning their spiritual journey. But the journey of faith begins at different times and stages of life, so Desires of the Heart is perfect for anyone wanting to deepen their spirituality. As we work closely together as a community, we will bring these resources behind the walls for our brothers and sisters. 

If you are interested in becoming a Spiritual Mentor, reach out to Pablo at pjimenez@thriveforlife.org! Come and join us as we work to transform lives behind and beyond the prison walls!