Jail ministry in the Catholic Church plays a vital role in providing spiritual support and guidance to incarcerated individuals. Through their ministry, they seek to bring the message of God's love, forgiveness, and redemption to those who may feel isolated or marginalized.
Since 1998, Saint Patrick Parish has provided a Christian Catholic faith presence at St. Croix County Jail. “Jail ministry” is substantially different from “prison ministry” in the sense jail residents are incarcerated for 12 months or less (norm is two to six months). Our Spirituality/Scripture approach to ministry has been enthusiastically received.
A typical jail resident was first arrested as a teenager; started drugs, smoking and alcohol as a teen; come from a broken family where one or both parents are addicted; more than half are high school dropouts and have little or no employable skills. Maybe the hardest part of their incarceration is limited outside visitors; feelings of abandonment and isolation. For many, we are the first “Faces of Christ” for them. Over the years we have discovered the greatest way to connect is not by flooding them with knowledge, but rather building a trusting relationship. “No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care” ~President Theodore Roosevelt.
Volunteers are always being sought for participation in the Jail Ministry. Men's and women's classes are scheduled in separate rooms. Classes are the FIRST MONDAY AND THIRD WEDNESDAY of each month. Classes are from 6:30 PM until 7:30 PM. Full orientation and instructions are provided by the jail ministry lead and the St. Croix County Jail. Please contact Deacon Gregg Miller at 612-270-0388 for more information and/or to get involved.