When lives of conviction lead to prison: nuns incarcerated for SOA protest share long Christian tradition - Franciscan sisters Gwen and Dorothy Hennessey imprisoned following School of the Americas protest

National Catholic Reporter, Jan 25, 2002

Just got a loud-blast page to go to Receiving and Discharge, where I was met by two officers. They had a letter addressed to the Hennessey sisters. The letter had to be returned to a family member to open and return under only one name. So one must write directly to Dorothy or me.

I felt like I was back in the novitiate again, with all the rules.

From Dorothy

July 22

After dinner today we're going to Russian Orthodox service, followed by a Communion service led by Sr. Pat. Yesterday it was a part of the Torah for Sabbath, directed by Rebecca. The American Indians are happy that a sweat lodge is in the future. And we do have a Catholic Mass on Thursdays (Peoria, Ill., diocese). Don't think I'm in danger of losing my faith; I'm just getting more ecumenical.

If you want to do something to relieve suffering, try to get that cruel minimum sentence law changed. Anybody who touched drugs has to stay here at least 10 years, even though they are soon rehabilitated. And their babies grow up without them. The people here are generally good. The guards and administration have to watch their jobs, which are hard to get in this place. "It's the dirty rotten system that needs to be changed," as Dorothy Day said.

There's a suspicion that some of us SOA 9 might be planning to start some kind of "riot." But after a while, when they get convinced of our nonviolence, we think they'll find us just boring!

From Gwen

July 26

I met several of the seven new prisoners this morning. One woman told us she is pregnant. Her consideration is a sack with cheese sandwich and fruit for the evening, but milk with every meal.

We just got news that one more of the SOA 26, Sr. Miriam Spencer, will start serving her time here Aug. 10. She is from Washington state. We will now become the SOA 10.

Last night at the library I heard a woman's story. Her second husband was out of a job as a mechanic. They have three kids, so they started selling methamphetamine and after four months sold to an undercover federal agent. They both got four years. Their parents took the three kids. She gets out in three and a half years.

From Dorothy

Aug. 8

To answer a few questions first:

Yes, if you really plan to come, ask for a visitor's permit. Send it back to show you are not a felon and to get approval.

No, do not bring anything. You'd only have to carry it back again.

No, don't send stamps. There might be drugs on the back of them.

Yes, we greatly appreciate your love and your prayers slipping heavenward and buoying us up! Josh, one of the younger of the SOA 26, has asked that people write a letter to a congressman or senator instead of to him.

I now have a job, Monday through Friday, lining up napkins for meals. "Eat breakfast here at 6 and then start the napkins." Far better than welding or maintaining the prison cars. Gwen has longer hours in the kitchen and dining room, but it looks as if nobody's killed with work.

The 10-year mandated sentence for first-time drug offenders is intolerable. Women suffer for years from separation from their little ones growing up. The conspiracy law is bringing so many here -- if you know your husband or boyfriend is doing drugs and don't report him. Fear of drugs has replaced fear of communism. The wrong people are punished, not the drug kingpins making the money!