Luke 4: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed “

St Joseph’s currently provides 16 hours per week of contract service to HMP Long Lartin. This means that the Chaplain goes in on Wednesdays and Thursdays of every week – as well as providing a Sunday celebration of the Mass along with the provision of Mass on Holy Days.
There are over 80 + men listed as Catholic and all there religious needs are attended to both Pastoral and Sacramental. As well as dealing with the specific needs of the men a service is provided for all the Catholic staff who are employed by the prison as well.
We are required by the prison to work generically in the prison and this puts the Catholic chaplain into direct contact with ministers and prisoners of other faiths.
Currently we are running a Knowing God Better Programme which takes place every Thursday afternoon where people are given the opportunity to come to know their faith better and where others are afforded the opportunity to come and look at the Catholic Faith.
Currently we have a small panel of Catholics who come in and help us celebrate our Masses on the Sunday with the Prison Community. Also we are very fortunate in having the services of some of the members of our own wonderful contemporary music group who join us in worship for two Sundays of every month.
The chaplains work in the Prison is at one in the same time both very demanding and challenging – and which occasionally proves rewarding. This ministry is only made possible by the prayers and good will of so many people who support me in this task – so continue to remember to pray for us in this most important work of the Church.