Prisons Week and Prisons Sunday

Prisons Week is an opportunity to think about how we, as individuals, as a Church, and as a community, are serving our brothers and sisters affected by imprisonment. Prisoners, people with convictions, and their children and families can find themselves on the margins of our society. We should draw on the values of our faith; dignity, solidarity, and subsidiarity, and believe everyone can make a fresh start, whatever they may have done.

For nearly 50 years, Prisons Week has encouraged Christians everywhere to pray for prisoners and their families, victims of crime and their communities and those working or volunteering in the criminal justice system. Please pray each day during  Prisons Week but also ask yourself if there is one thing that you as an individual, or as a church, can do to help any of the people for whom you are praying.

The theme for Prisons Week is “Jesus looked at him and loved him. And he looks at you and loves you too.”

This year, Prisons Week is taking place from the 13 to the 19 October, with a special service being held at the Abbey on Sunday 13 October on Prisons Sunday, where The Venerable James Ridge, Chaplain General (Head of Faith Services) of HM Probation and Prison Service, will preach.