What if every person releasing from prison had a local community waiting to embrace them?
EXPERIENCE MUTUAL TRANSFORMATION
We seek to equip parishes—faith communities small or large, traditional or rag-tag—in every American town to build supportive pre-release relationships with just one person returning to their community from prison.
They build release plans together, “roll away the stones” of reentry barriers together, and discover that we belong to one another. We believe this could empty the prison system over time. And transform each community.
Tell us about your church, parish, or community group. Let’s take the next steps together.
“We need a new Underground Railroad today. . .
A moral and spiritual revolution is required of us now.”
— Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow
HOW IT WORKS
Embark on a two year journey of mutual transformation.
One Parish One Prisoner pairs your congregation with someone releasing to your area and guides your 7-person team (including the pastor) through a two-year journey of relationship-building, release planning and holistic reentry support together.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
How to open new relationships of mutual healing
How to build a holistic reentry plan together
How to navigate the prison system & local reentry barriers
How to integrate more of our community
“I love One Parish One Prisoner. It’s genius. Exquisite mutuality. We don’t just reach out to the marginalized; we let the marginalized reach us—and transform us.”
— Father Greg Boyle, author of Tattoos On the Heart, founder of Homeboy Industries
START A TEAM
First, we want to learn more about you—and for you to learn more about One Parish One Prisoner. At this stage, there is no commitment.
One Parish One Prisoner pairs your congregation with someone releasing to your area and guides your 7-person team (including the pastor) through a two-year journey of relationship-building, release planning and holistic reentry support together.
STEP ONE
Tell us a little about your church or community group in this brief interest form . There’s zero commitment. Simply get on our radar and we’ll get in touch with you.
STEP TWO
While you await our reply, explore the next steps page. Review the details, and pass them along to your pastor or leadership team to help start the conversation.
ALREADY KNOW SOMEONE IN PRISON?
Take a look at the application we send to our incarcerated friends—see what they’re signing up for. Have someone in mind? Mail it to them.
IN THE NEWS
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![Encounters with Dignity: A Restorative Justice Podcast by the Catholic Mobilizing Network USA, “Welcoming Lazarus Home: Chris Hoke + One Parish One Prisoner,”]()
Encounters with Dignity: A Restorative Justice Podcast by the Catholic Mobilizing Network USA, “Welcoming Lazarus Home: Chris Hoke + One Parish One Prisoner,”
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![One Parish One Prisoner: Underground Ministries is pioneering a program to match former inmates with local churches for ongoing support and friendship.]()
One Parish One Prisoner: Underground Ministries is pioneering a program to match former inmates with local churches for ongoing support and friendship.
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![Resurrection is a movement: A call to recover the original Easter vision in an age of mass incarceration]()
Resurrection is a movement: A call to recover the original Easter vision in an age of mass incarceration
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![One parish one prisoner: Every church a local resurrection community]()
One parish one prisoner: Every church a local resurrection community
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![Kinship in Lockdown: America Learning with the Incarcerated through Relationships]()
Kinship in Lockdown: America Learning with the Incarcerated through Relationships
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![One Parish One Prisoner draws inspiration from Lazarus]()
One Parish One Prisoner draws inspiration from Lazarus
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![What happens when a parish rallies around an ex-offender?]()
What happens when a parish rallies around an ex-offender?
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![Exchanging letters with people in hell]()
Exchanging letters with people in hell
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!["The Mysteries Are Not in the Temple": A Conversation With Jail Chaplain Chris Hoke]()
"The Mysteries Are Not in the Temple": A Conversation With Jail Chaplain Chris Hoke
“There’s power in proximity. How can we advance justice while being distant and disconnected from those crushed by injustices?”
— Bryan Stevenson, author of Just Mercy, founder of Equal Justice Initiative