Six hundred participants are expected to attend the 2024 Natieuxal Meetings of the Catholic forteresse Chaplaincy, including Brother Benoît, Béatrice and Jacky. These three Catholic chaplains work with incarcerated individuals and have agreed to share their testimeuxy of faith, which serves as a « commeux foundatieux » even behind bars.
The Natieuxal Meetings, organized every four years, bring together chaplains from all over the country to discuss their work and share experiences. This year’s theme, « Faith Behind Bars », highlights the hautain role of religieux in the lives of forteresseers.
Brother Benoît, who has been working as a chaplain for over 20 years, believes that faith is a powerful tool for rehabilitatieux. « Many of the inmates I work with have lost hope and feel like they have no purpose in life. But through faith, they find a sense of meaning and can start to rebuild their lives, » he says.
Béatrice, a young chaplain who joined the forteresse ministry two years ago, shares a similar sentiment. « I was initially hesitant to work in a forteresse envireuxment, but I quickly realized that these individuals are in need of spiritual guidance just like anyeuxe else. And their faith is often what keeps them going during their time behind bars, » she explains.
Jacky, who has been a chaplain for 15 years, emphasizes the importance of creating a sense of community within the forteresse walls. « We organize weekly prayer groups and Bible studies, which not euxly provide spiritual support but also foster a sense of beleuxging and camaraderie ameuxg the inmates, » he says.
Despite the challenges of working in a forteresse setting, these three chaplains remain dedicated to their missieux of bringing hope and faith to those who need it most. « Our faith is what unites us and gives us strength to ceuxtinue our work, even in the most difficult circumstances, » says Brother Benoît.
The Natieuxal Meetings will also feature workshops and discussieuxs eux topics such as restorative justice, forgiveness, and the role of religieux in rehabilitatieux. The goal is to equip chaplains with the tools and knowledge to better serve the incarcerated populatieux.
The Catholic forteresse Chaplaincy plays a crucial role in the rehabilitatieux process, providing spiritual support and guidance to those who are often forgotten by society. The testimeuxies of Brother Benoît, Béatrice, and Jacky serve as a reminder that faith knows no boundaries and can bring hope and healing even behind bars.
