St. Thomas

Prison Ministry - Episcopal Diocese of Rochester

Supporting Central New York’s Prisoners & Families Inside and Out

Saint Thomas’ Rochester N.Y

Prison Re-entry and Aftercare Ministry (PRAM)

PRAM seeks to develop and encourage programs within participating parishes to support incarcerated men and women, their families, and to foster their successful transition back into the community through attitude adjustment and other assistance.

PRAM’s objective is to build a theological foundation with the congregations to help PRAM be sustainable over the long haul. PRAM is trying to move beyond the one or two person ministry based on one person’s inspiration to larger, more sustainable, ministries.

Currently teams are visiting and holding focus groups inside the Monroe Correctional Facility (MCCF) in Brighton, NY. The program is being facilitated though a process affiliated with Adult Children of Addiction.

PRAM is an open-ended program (no set duration) for both men and women inmates who wish to participate. They discuss love and intimacy issues, as well as their life histories, feelings, and emotions. This program is primarily cognitive behavioral rather than religious in nature.

Additionally, long term, relationships are being formed with the programs at the University of Rochester as well as cooperative efforts with local non-profits doing prison and re-entry work in the Rochester Area through the coalition of agencies known as Safer Monroe Area Re-entry Team (SMART).

Saint Thomas’ congregation includes the names of individuals and their families who are a part of the focus groups, in the weekly prayers of the people. In additon to these prayers, the fiber ministry at St. Thomas’ knit prayer shawls for individuals being released so that there is a constant reminder of prayer and support in recovery.

Youth Intervention and Aftercare ministry (YIAM) at Saint Thomas’ Rochester, N.Y.

There are plans to include tutoring at the Monroe Detention Center, possibilities for tutoring at the Industry Limited Secure Center in Rush, NY.

Girl Scouts Beyond bars (GSBB) setting up a chapter of Girls Scouts Beyond Bars here in Rochester.

The first troop will start the first of March 2008 and will be hosted at St. Thomas’ in cooperation with Saint Luke’s and Saint Simon Cyrene. Volunteers are needed for both troop activities and mentoring.

Also see: Girls Scouts Beyond Bars

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