About the Author
My name is Father Harold P Paulsen. As CEO and president of Eternal Truth Network, Inc., I have been involved in prison ministry providing good Catholic prison literature, Holy Mass, the sacraments of Reconciliation, Baptism, Confirmation, and Anointing of the Sick in five prisons within 20 miles of Palestine, Texas for 20 years.
When I was pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Palestine, Texas, my work in the prisons began before my retirement. When I came to Palestine, Texas in July 1982, there were three prisons in my parish. I had no Assistant Pastor at that time. The parishioners told me not to be concerned about the prisons at all because there were two Catholic chaplains responsible for the three prisons.
Father Henry Stransky, who was the Catholic chaplain in Coffield Unit, one of the largest maximum-security prisons in Texas, asked me to celebrate Holy Mass in that prison a few times before he retired in 1992. Before he retired he expressed his concern about finding a priest to celebrate the sacraments with the inmates after his retirement. I told him that he need not worry because that prison was in my parish, and I would make certain that the inmates would be cared for. No Catholic priest would ever take the chaplain’s position in Coffield Unit; and that is why and how for the last 20 years I would be the Catholic priest administering the sacraments and providing pastoral care, Catholic literature (including books for criminals) and many different excellent Catholic correspondence courses for the inmates in that prison.
During 1993, one of my parishioners, Father John Culpepper, was the Catholic priest chaplain in the other two prisons, Beto I and Beto II (now called Powledge Unit). He became ill with cancer and died during 1993. Since he lived in my parish, for several months, I was visiting him every week in his home, and bringing the Sacraments of Reconciliation, the Eucharist, and Anointing of the Sick to him.
During that time, what I remember most about our meetings was Father John Culpepper ‘s concern about what would happen to those inmates he had served and loved as their Catholic chaplain. To put his mind at ease, I would tell him that if no other priest would care for those inmates, I would. A promise made to a dying man could never be forgotten. I continue to pray for Father John Culpepper and hope that he is resting more peacefully because of the priestly and pastoral care I, with God’s help and support, have been able to give to the prisoners he loved so much.
Two more prisons have been built (Michael Unit and the Joe Gurney Jail Transfer Unit) within 20 miles of Palestine since I began to serve the three prisons mentioned above. These prisons were in my parish and the Catholic prisoners there also had the same needs as the inmates in the other three prisons which I was already serving. That is how I got involved in prison ministry in five prisons. I am approaching 80 years of age, and I would be very happy to have some other priest or priests join me and continue the work I love and enjoy in the prisons.
A question which many may ask is why did I not become a prison chaplain. I have refused many offers to become a prison chaplain. My answer would be that if I would become a chaplain in any one prison, I could not continue to serve as a priest in five prisons. Also I can supply the pastoral and sacramental care that only a Catholic priest can supply and is so necessary and meaningful to Catholic men trying to live their Catholic faith in prison. Catholic Deacons can do good work as prison chaplains, and if they cooperate with and help Catholic priests to do what only Catholic priests can do, we would all be amazed at the wonderful work of rehabilitation of prisoners which would be, with the help of God, experienced in our prisons.
“Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven. What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountain and go in search of one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of your Father that one of these little ones should be lost.” (Matthew 18:10-14)
Without Catholic priests, Catholic prisoners cannot experience the life of grace in the sacramental life and the wonderful worship of the Catholic Church which all priests should desire to make available as much as possible to all people. These services truly help rehabilitate criminals and bring them closer to God.
“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” (Matthew 28:18-20)
What is there about this work in the prisons which would make Father Harold Paulsen want to continue to serve as much and as long as he will be able to do so?
Father Paulsen hates crime which is sin. He believes this is the root cause of the lack of peace and criminal activities everywhere. He further believes that no system or laws or numbers of police will ever be successful at preventing the increase of criminal activities.
The ones who suffer most from crime are the criminals. Father Harold Paulsen always tells prisoners that they hurt themselves more than anyone else by their criminal activities. He also tells them that the people they robbed or even killed are better off than they are.
“Now you, mortal, say to the house of Israel, thus you have said: ‘Our transgressions and our sins weigh upon us, and we waste away because of them; how then can we live?’ Say to them, As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?” ( Ezekiel 33:10-11)
The place where crime must be overcome is in the criminals heart and mind. This can only be done when the criminal wakes up to the reality that he can have a good life by faithfully going through life as a good friend and loyal follower of Jesus Christ at all times and in every situation.
The majority of prisoners may never have a change of heart. The majority of people who are members of any Christian church are only lukewarm. Jesus Christ and his Catholic Church have always been rejected and always will be rejected by many people. That certainly doesn’t mean that Jesus Christ and his Church is not successful.
Much good is accomplished in this world which would never be done or even thought of if the approach of Jesus Christ which is to help any individual to overcome his sinful, self-destructive, anti-social ways was not implemented. This is the way we should deal with prisoners. Every prisoner is different. We will never know those who can be helped without making known to them the good life they can experience, and the certain undefeatable Christian hope which will keep them working to attain the highest of Christian goals and the good life they fully believe is possible for them.
Prisons are colleges for crime. Any inmate in prison will be surrounded by other prisoners who have no understanding, hope or desire to live a good Christian life. They have given up. They will say to each other, “Who wants you? Who would hire a felon, a thief, a murderer, an alcoholic or drug addict? Who wants to associate with such a person?. You should learn to do your crime better so you won’t get caught again”. With that approach, and Father Harold Paulsen always tells them, they will leave prison more inclined to commit worse crimes than they committed before entering prison. They could easily live the rest of their lives in prison.
One inmate who was serving his third sentence in prison told a young inmate who was depressed and had just arrived in the prison with a long sentence “I am never coming back to prison again. I am determined to always follow Jesus Christ with my Catholic faith. Unless you start working to better your life in every way while you are in prison, it will be much easier for you to come back to prison a second time, and still easier for you to come back to prison a third time”.
Copyright 2011: Eternal Truth Network. Rehabilitate Criminals. All rights reserved.
