The grateful prisoner

One of my side jobs here in Japan has been for years visiting Irish people in prison. I can count them all on both fingers of my hands, and all were arrested and sentenced to over eight years in prison for attempting to smuggle in vast amounts of illegal drugs.

As I am not a recognized Prison Chaplin or family member, I would not be normally allowed to visit, but thanks to the intervention of the Irish Embassy in Tokyo, I was given a special monthly to visit them for about 20 to 30 minutes at a time. All were young men caught red-handed. They got long sentences. It took me over four hours to visit them, and I wondered at times if it was worthwhile or not. I could only meet them, one by one, at a time. Between me and the prisoner was a pin-holed window (no handshakes or hugs allowed) and on the other side was the prisoner. A guard sat behind him, and to one side was an interpreter jotting down every conversation we had. (I doubt if any interpreter could pick up the gist of what two Irish men were saying to each other!).

During my visits home to Ireland, I always made sure to visit their families, and I was always welcomed. The prisoners, too, one by one, finished their terms and were released home. For a short while, they would contact me by card, but after a while, I would escape from their thoughts as they struggled to live a new life. Then, out of the blue, a few months ago, I got this letter from one of them who returned home about ten years ago, and it brought joy to my heart. I would like to share it with you all.

Dear Fr Joe

Forgive me for not writing sooner or staying in touch with you. I have not forgotten the interesting conversations and time shared when I was really in a horrible quagmire of a situation in my life. You truly were sharing the spirit of the message of Jesus to love everyone and serve everyone and bring the spirit of friendship and forgiveness especially to those who need it most. When I was in prison in Japan, it was similar to living in some kind of an extremely strict monastery. I suppose it could almost be compared to what the desert Fathers in Egypt during the early years of Christianity went through. Except they at least had the love and company of other brothers in their group. Whereas we as foreigners were in almost complete isolation. My only happy moments were when I was able to read a new book and newspaper in English and also when I was asleep and dreaming I completely forgot where I was and the difficulty of the place I was in. When I was released after 8 years I was really just skin and bones. It is a miracle I survived in there. Since I last saw you in Ireland some years ago, I have travelled quite extensively to some of the places I had been dreaming about in prison.

Since I did not have any money or car after I was released and since I knew almost nobody except my immediate family in Ireland, I found it extremely difficult to get a job. I had been corresponding with a friend from another country whom I met in prison and he told me that he was able to get a disability pension from his Government due to some minor psychological problems he had since childhood. He encouraged me to try and get it in Ireland. After waiting several months I was able to get it in Ireland. Although I do not consider myself to be crazy or mentally unstable, when I was resident in the States, I once checked myself into a mental hospital because I felt suicidal after the break up with a girl when I still was in my twenties. This document as well as a few others were enough evidence for the Disability Allowance Department to issue me with a pension. It has really helped very much and this has allowed me to freely travel and experience a better quality of life. I still read many books these days and I prefer to read rather than waste time on the Internet. Many people are really losing their heads now looking at their phones all day. I ask you for your intercession for the forgiveness of my short comings and my sins. Please say a prayer for me. May our names be written in the Book of Life and may we be protected. The essence of the teachings of Jesus are summed up in the Sermon on the Mount. Most people who consider themselves Christians don't even know about these teachings and don't follow them either. However the few who do find that these are words of eternal life and freedom, then the Rose of the heart starts to grow within them. God bless.

Columban Fr Joe Brooder lives and works in Japan.