It’s that time again!  Time for the PPCA’s annual conference!

Conference brochure can be found here.

Conference registration form can be found here.

Changes this year:

1.  Credit cards WILL NOT be accepted at the conference.  You can pay online when you register.  See registration form.

2.  We MUST receive your registration paperwork prior to the August 23, 2012, deadline.  Please ensure that your institutions process your paperwork prior to the deadline.

I hope you are enjoying this season of Spring, and the new life that is beginning to bud.  To every one of the Christian faith, I trust that you had a wonderful celebration of the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  To our Jewish friends, I pray that the Passover celebration, with your family and friends, is an enjoyable and treasured time.

This will be my last letter From the President’s Desk.

I wanted to say “thank you,” for allowing me to serve in the capacity of both vice president and president of the PPCA Executive Committee over the last three years.

At the end of June, I will be leaving the Department of Corrections (DOC).

The Lord has impressed on me not to renew my contract.  I knew when I took the job that I wouldn’t be a DOC contract vendor forever.  So, I’m stepping out in faith, and obeying what God has spoken to me.

When I turn in my keys for the last time I know it won’t be easy.  Prison has been good to me and good for me.  If you had told me 10 years ago that those words would ever come out of my mouth, I would have said you were crazy!

But prison has opened my eyes to a world I didn’t know anything about, and to many wonderful people of different faiths.  If God had not allowed me this journey, I would still have tunnel vision in many areas.

It has been a pleasure and an honor to serve alongside the members of the PPCA committee.  You are a wonderful group of people, and my husband, Donnie, and I will miss each of you.  Keep up the good work!

To each of you chaplains who serve on the front lines every day, I salute you and hold you in high regard for the job you do.  You will remain in my heart and in my prayers.

Again, thank you for allowing me to be a part of something Great!

Peace and Blessings,
Chaplain Brenda Libreatori

Professional prison chaplains see America’s state penitentiaries as places bustling with religious activity, ranging from efforts by inmates to proselytize or convert other inmates to religious switching by prisoners.

Read the rest here …

Copyright 2012, S. E. Jihad Levine, All Rights Reserved

By the time Moses returned to the scene, his people had hit an all-time low. They worshipped idols, spoke slanderously of each other, and had wandered very far from the path of their forefathers. Perhaps he should have told them off, saying, “Repent, sinners, lest you perish altogether!” But he didn’t. Instead, he told them how G-d cared for them and felt their suffering, how He would bring about miracles, freedom and a wondrous future out of His love for them.

As for the rebuke, Moses saved that for G-d … read the rest here!

Islamic Seminary Foundation (ISF)

in cooperation with

The Association of Muslim Chaplains (AMC)

Invites you to a

National Shura 1433 and In-service training for Chaplains and Imams

Date: Sat March 10, 2012 Time: 8am-6pm

Venue: Yale University

Linsly-Chittenden Hall (LC) 

63 High Street, New Haven, CT 06511-8963

Fees – $99 (Student w/ID-$50)/Early Bird -$60 (Student w/ID-$30) (Includes continental breakfast, lunch and breaks)

Fiduciary agent: Masjid Al-Islam Inc., New Haven CT

Sign up at Eventbrite: shura1433.eventbrite.com or send by mail after notifying us by email 

Make checks or money orders payable to Masjid Al-Islam –Special – ISF 624 George Street, New Haven CT 06511 USA (203) 376-7189 or  203-809-1692  admin@masjidalislam.net

 FACEBOOK PAGE - http://www.facebook.com/events/274937269235982/?context=create

Topics include:

·         Clinical Assessment and Referral

·         Compassion Fatigue  and Self-Care in Interfaith Settings

·         Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Signs &

·         Developing Chaplaincy  and Imam Best Practices Through Research

·         Domestic Violence: Signs & Strategies

·         Effective Interfaith Written and Oral Presentations

·         The Imam in the Modern American Context

·         The Future of Muslim Chaplaincy in the US

Confirmed speakers include :  Dr Wahiba Abu-Ras, Dr. Ihsan Bagby, Dr Hamada Hamid MD, Dr. Ingrid Mattson, Chaplain Lt. Col. Abdul Rasheed Muhammad

In addition, there will be a meeting of the new Association of Muslim Chaplains (AMC); Chaplaincy Group Meetings for the areas of Education, Community (including Imams), Corrections, Health Care, and Military and; progress reports from the Islamic Seminary Foundation (ISF) and the Muslim Endorsement Council of CT (MECC)

Based on a process developed in consultation with: Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), Graduate School of Islamic and Social Sciences (GSISS), International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT), International League of Muslim Women – New England Chapter, Islamic Council of New England (ICNE), Islamic Center of New London (ICNL), Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), Islamic Relief-USA, Islamic Social Services Association-USA (ISSA-USA), Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), Manhattanville College Department of World Religions, Masjid Al-Islam (MAI), Muslim American Society (MAS)-Freedom, Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA), Muslim Endorsement Council of CT (MECC), New England Council of Masajid, New England Muslim Sisters Association (NEMSA)

It is a course that examines the book of Genesis, often called the Book of Creation, with a Jewish lens.  Each participant (Christian, Jewish, and me, the Muslim!) is to bring a Bible or Torah of his/her choice to the class.  Additionally, we were given a list of rabbincal commentaries and asked to select one.

I chose “Covenant & Conversation, Genesis: The Book of Beginnings,” written by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks (Maggid Books & The Orthodox Union, 2009).

In one essay called “Three Stages of Creation,” Rabbi Sacks maintains that the stages of creation are (1) And God said, let there be … (2) And there was …, and (3) And God saw that it was good.”

It is what Rabbi Sacks wrote about the third stage, “And God saw that it was good,” that absolutely astounded me and made me cry.  I think that all chaplains who work in corrections can relate to Rabbi Sacks’ observation and wanted to share it with you:

“In the course of my work, I have visited prisons and centres for young offenders.  Many of the people I met there were potentially good.  They, like you and me, had dreams, hopes, ambitions, aspirations.  They did not want to become criminals.  Their tragedy was that often they came from dysfunctional families in difficult conditions.  No one took the time to care for them, support them, teach them how to negotiate the world, how to achieve what they wanted through hard work and persuasion rather than violence and lawbreaking.  They lacked a basic self-respect, a sense of their own worth.  No one ever told them that they were good. 

To see that someone is good and to say so is a creative act – one of the great creative acts.  There may be some few individuals who are inescapably evil, but they ae few.  Within almost all of us is something positive and unique, but which is all too easily injured, and which only grows when exposed to the sunlight of someone else’s recognition and praise.  To see the good in others and let them see themselves in the mirror of our regard is to help someone grow to become the best they can be.  “Greater,” says the Talmud, “is one who causes others to do good than one who does good himself.” (Bava Batra, 9a)  To help others become what they can be is to give birth to creativity in someone else’s soul.  This is done not by criticism or negativity but by searching out the good in others, and helping them see it, recognize it, own it, and live it. 

‘And God saw that it was good’ – this too is part of the work of creation, the subtlest and most beautiful of all.  When we recognise the goodness in someone, we do more than create it, we help it to become creative.  This is what God does for us, and what He calls us to do for others.”

Prison chaplains need to constantly examine what it is that we are creating in our facilities.

Do we take pride in causing inmates to do good, or do we pride ourselves in the “good” we think we ourselves do?  Preparing inspiring sermons and khutbahs is important.  So is leading classes and other religious activities.  But finding and nurturing the good in inmates is an important part of helping them  to create self-respect and self-worth.

It’s not always easy.  People who lack self-respect and self-worth sometimes sabotage their growth.  They sometimes push us away.  They dare us to love them.

That’s where we chaplains have to get creative.  It’s worth it.

And they’re worth it.

"Dreidel, Dreidel, I Made it Out of Clay"

(Image Credit: S. E. Jihad Levine, Copyright 2011-2012, All Rights Reserved)

Wherever you are today, whatever you are doing … as you celebrate, please remember to pray for those who are observing their traditions in “locked” places.

“Merry Christmas, Shani!”’ Paul flashed a wide smile at me and bobbed his head up and down, making his dirty blonde dreadlocks bounce enthusiastically.

“I don’t celebrate that holiday,” I said tightly, nervously fingering the top button of my buttoned-up oxford shirt .

There were two things wrong with this little scenario, far as I was concerned. One, he mentioned that holiday that was part of a foreign religion. Two, he was a guy, I was a girl and we shouldn’t have been talking. About anything. Period.  READ MORE …

Here we are approaching another Christmas for those of you who celebrate the birth of Christ.  And we’re almost at the end of the year 2011.

The Jewish community is celebrating Chanukah on December 20 through 28 (for comprehensive information about Chanukah, visit Aleph Institute’s web site).

Can you believe it?  I can’t, but, whether we believe it or not, it’s here!

I would like to take a moment, in all the hustle and bustle of the season and life in general, to encourage you in the area of peace.

The definition of peace is “a state of quiet or tranquility.”  I like the Hebrew word for peace, “shalom,” which expresses the idea of wholeness.  In Arabic, the word for peace is “salam.”

As we chaplains know, it can be very chaotic in prison at times.  As people of faith, I believe if anyone should have and operate in peace, it should be us.

Can we be at peace in the midst of chaos?  I believe we can.

Psalm 34:14 says:

“Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”

Our peace is evidently not something that just happens, and it is definitely not based on our circumstances.  If we are going to have peace and keep our peace we must do what is right.

What is right?  Wrong is not always what we are doing, but what we are saying. Sometimes we need to “hold our peace” and not say anything that adds to the chaos.

Don’t allow the outward circumstances to steal your peace.

We can’t give something we don’t have.  The people we are ministering to everyday are looking to us for guidance and direction.  Let’s be people of our faith and not just talk about peace, but actually live it, so we can give it.

My prayer for each of you chaplains in the new year is peace, blessings, and protection.  That you would continue in the work, that you have been called to do, with joy and peace in your hearts.  Amen.

Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah!

Chaplain Brenda Libreatori
PPCA President

But in the process of registering everyone, I was contacted by a wonderful woman named Debbie Walsh.

Debbie is the Director of Prison Ministry for Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF), an organization that has been reaching out to children and people who love them since 1937.

CEF has a program for inmates and their children called What Went Wrong?

What Went Wrong is a booklet that offers inmates an opportunity to learn about Christ and enroll themselves and their children in an effective Bible correspondence program called the Truth Chasers Club (formerly the CEF Mailbox Club™).

The Truth Chasers Club offers age appropriate lessons for all, children
through adults.  There is no charge for the lessons or books.

Each adult who enrolls will receive a series of Bible lessons.  When he
completes a series he will receive a certificate and a reward.

CEF will send booklets and informational DVDs free to chaplains to review and distribute to their inmate population.

BUT!  Debbie is planning on attending our conference!  We are arranging a time for her to give a presentation of her program, and she will be available for you to speak with personally to obtain more information!

If you cannot attend the conference and are interested in learning more, browse CEF’s website or contact Debbie at Debbie.Walsh@cefonline.com.

See you at the conference!

John E. Wetzel, Secretary, PA Department of Corrections

John E. Wetzel, Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Corrections will speak to prison chaplains at the 2011 PPCA Annual Conference, to be held September 13-15, 2011, at the Laurelville Mennonite Church Center in Mt. Pleasant, PA.

John E. Wetzel was appointed by Gov. Tom Corbett as secretary of the Department of Corrections in December 2010.

Secretary Wetzel has served as a correctional officer (Lebanon County Correctional Facility), a treatment counselor, supervisor of treatment services, and training academy director (Berks County Prison).

In 2002, Wetzel was named warden of the Franklin County Jail.  He was also appointed as the corrections expert to the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons in June 2007, a position he continues to hold.

Since 2006, Wetzel has been a corrections consultant in the areas of operational and staffing analysis and vulnerability assessments.

Secretary Wetzel is currently the immediate past president of the PA County Corrections Association (formerly PA County Prison Wardens Association).

The PPCA appreciates Secretary Wetzel’s support of Pennsylvania prison chaplaincy.  He is scheduled to speak at the conference on Wednesday evening, after dinner.