Prodigal Sons and Daughters: Easing the Transition from Incarceration to Home and Community

“This son of mine was dead, and has come to life again;he was lost, and has been found.”
Luke 15: 24

The numbers are staggering: one out of every 100 Americans is currently imprisoned. All but those convicted of the most heinous crimes will eventually return to their communities. In New York State approximately 23,000 men and women are released from prisons every year. Nearly 44 percent return to jail in the first year after their release. That number rises to 67.5 percent in a matter of three years.

The good news is that those numbers can change, if ex-offenders enter a community where they receive assistance, respect, and a fair shot at obtaining housing and employment.

Will our Catholic faith communities be prepared to welcome and assist the increasing number of ex-offenders?

Click here for resources which will help parishes learn more about this issue and how it impacts our communities.

In the Diocese of Rochester, our advocacy efforts are coordinated by the Diocesan Public Policy Committee.

The DPPC advises the Bishop on public policy matters, meets with legislators, and works to encourage parish participation in social justice advocacy. It addresses issues of concern to Catholics at the local, state, national and international levels.

What is Public Policy Sunday?

Public Policy Sunday is honored on the second Sunday of every February. On that day, parishes are asked to make petitions on a pre-selected issue available for parishioners to sign. Most parishes offer educational opportunities and/or resources in the weeks leading up to Public Policy Sunday, so that parishioners are prepared to decide whether or not to sign the petition.

Previous petition issues have included labor rights for farmworkers, access to health care, environmental justice, and stem cell research.

What issues does the DPPC focus on?

This year the Diocese of Rochester Public Policy Agenda focuses on the following three issues: Access to Health Care, Support for Ethical Stem Cell Research, and Easing the Transition from Incarceration to Home and Community.

Click here for resources and updates on previous DPPC issues.