Pastoral Care for Inmates

Priest and prisonerThe Office of Corrections Ministry coordinates sacramental pastoral care for Catholics who are incarcerated in the prisons and jails within the boundaries of the Archdiocese. The numbers are significant - it's a safe estimate that at any given time between 10,000-12,000 people are in prison/jail in the Archdiocese.

Below is a listing of the prison facilities we serve, Catholic points of contact, general information about programs, and federal and IN Department of Corrections map to provide general location of the facilities. While every attempt is made to keep the program information current, changes occur on a regular basis. To find additional details about the facilities, go to http://www.in.gov/idoc/2328.htm

Volunteers: are always welcomed! Please work with the Catholic point of contact, and be aware that there is an application/security process that takes approximately 30 days.

There is also a significant need for volunteers in the nearly 50 local county jails.
 

Map

Branchville (#7 on map)

Address:
21390 Old State Road 37, Branchville, IN 47514

Phone Number:(812) 843-5921

Warden: Kathy Alvey

Medium Security Average population: 1,460

Brian Janiga is the Volunteer Coordinator for the Facility. (bjaniga@idoc.IN.gov)

Point of Contact: Br. Zachary Wilberding, OSB – zwilberding@saintmeinrad.edu

Office 812-357-6803

Programs:

Sunday Mass at 4:00pm

Monday afternoons: Rosary Making and Praying

Monday evening: Little Rock Bible Study

Wednesday afternoons – “Fully Man” a program run by seminarians on the Virtues of Manhood

Friday evenings – Catholic Faith Information and Formation- (RCIA)

Edinburgh Correctional Facility (#2 on map)

Address: PO box 470, 23rd and Schoolhouse Road, Edinburgh 46124

Warden: Fran Osburn Minimum Security

Point of Contact: Deacon Russ Woodard rbwoodard@ameritech.net

Indiana Women’s Prison (#17 on map)

Address: 2596 Girls School Road, Indianapolis 46214

Maximum security facility. Average population = 600

Point of Contact: Deacon Dan Collier daco1954@aol.com

About ten regular volunteers

Programs: They meet Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m., as well as Sunday evening liturgy at 6:30 p.m. We also host an ice cream social for the entire prison once a year. Hosted a Saturday retreat attended by 50 inmates in August, 2017.

Madison

Address: 800 Bus Stop Drive, Madison 47250

Women’s Facility. Minimum Security. Average daily population = 550

Warden: Jan Davis

Point of Contact: Connie Rhoten crhoten59@gmail.com

About five other active volunteers

About two ministries offered at the DOC in Madison. Communion services are offered to the adult offenders each Tuesday evening from 6:30-7:00 p.m.

Another group of volunteers offers services to the youth offenders.

New Castle (#9 on map)

Address: 1000 Van Nuys Road, PO Box E, New Castle 47362

Average population = 3,150

Point of Contact: Deacon Wayne Davis wdavis@stmichaelsgrfld.org

We have approximately 10 lay volunteers

Programs:

Catholic Services:

Every Tuesday evening

- 6-7pm is adult education-formation

- 7-8:30pm are prayers and Communion Service based on the previous Sunday.

First Tuesday of the month Fr John Hall hears confessions and celebrates Mass.

Holy Communion is taken to those in the mental unit and those in maximum security periodically, on a monthly basis. This requires going cell to cell with a guard so it is more labor intense for the facility.

 

Plainfield Correctional Institution & Heritage Trails (#6 & 10 on map)

Address: 727 Moon Road, Plainfield, IN 46168

Medium Security Average population: 1,650

Superintendent:Stan Knight

About 10 regular Volunteers:(see below)

Programs: see below

Point of contact: Karen Burkhardt -karen.burkhardt.in@gmail.com

Heritage Trails (#6 on map)

Address: 501 West Main Street, Plainfield, Indiana 46168

WardenDonald Emerson (This facility is managed and operated by the GEO Group)

Point of Contact: Karen Burkhardt

Programs - Plainfield Correctional and Heritage Trails:

Regular communion service. Also conduct Bible study, meditations, audio reflections, adoration, retreats, Way of the Cross, rosary, feast day celebrations, Ash Wednesday service, Baptisms… We try to provide various options for the men including some bilingual services. We go to Heritage Trails each Thursday and the Plainfield Correctional Institution every Saturday. We bring food on occasion for celebrations.

Putnamville Correctional Facility (#11 on map)


Address: 1946 West U.S. Hwy 40 , Greencastle, IN 46135
Medium Security Average population: 2,000
Warden: Brian Smith

Point of Contact: Teresa Batto Email: tbatto@cinergymetro.net
Phone: 765-653-7411

Programs:
Wednesdays:Liturgy of the Word & Communion service (most Wednesdays from 12:50-2:50)
Mass and Reconciliation (once a month with Fr. John Hollowell)
Centering Prayer (Wednesdays from 4:30 - 5:30)
Saturdays: Latino service (first & third Saturday from 12:50-2:50)
Bible features (other Saturdays from 12:50-2:50) Goal for 2017.
Liturgical Bible study (every Saturday from 4:00-5:30)
Catholic Information (RCIA) Saturdays from 6:30-8:30

Other programs:

a) Monthly Memorial service for those who have lost loved ones: a team of 4 ecumenical volunteers
b) Christmas play – open to all inmates. 3 to 4 performances in December--practice begins in Oct.

About ten regular Volunteers

 

Rockville Women's Correctional Prison (#12 on map)

Address: 811 50 North, Rockville, IN 47872

Medium Security Average population = 1,200

Warden: Julie Stout

Point of Contact: Sister Dorothy Rasche drasche@spsmw.org

About ten regular volunteers

Programs: Two volunteers meet every week on Friday

Service is from 7:00 - 8:30

Mass once a month

Centering Prayer once a month

Bible Study Twice a month

Twice a year Retreat week-end Starting on Friday and ending at 3:30 on Saturday in the Chapel (no sleep-over)

US Penitentiary at Terre Haute

Terre Haute is a high-security prison complex consisting of a maximum-security penitentiary, a medium-security federal correctional institute (FCI Terre Haute), and a low-security Camp. The Camp houses about 300 and there are approximately 900 inmates at the FCI. The US Penitentiary is a maximum-security facility which a population of 1,377 inmates, including federal death row inmates.

Address: 4200 Bureau Road North (FCI) and 4700 Bureau Road South (Penitentiary)

Point of Contact: Deacon Steve Gretencord: deaconsteve08@gmail.com

 

Map

Map courtesy of Indiana Department of Corrections

 

 

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