Death row inmates don't get much mail - a priest, Patrick Byrd has made his ministry getting people to write to these inmates - Column

National Catholic Reporter, May 23, 1997 by Sharon A. Gray

I "met" Br. Patrick Byrd one day while investigating prison-related Internet sites. I had been doing research for a book on prison ministry I was editing.

Br. Patrick, of the Discalced Carmelite Friars, had posted a message on the Internet recruiting people to write inmates on death row. After prayer and reflection, I responded. Soon I received names of inmates wanting to correspond with people on the outside.

Br. Patrick has made connecting death row inmates and correspondents his ministry. Each year, he sends birthday cards from his monastery in San Antonio to more than 2,000 death row inmates in the United States. In thanking him, they often say the birthday card is the first they have received in prison. Many also express interest in writing to people not in prison.

There are far more inmates interested in writing than there are people on the outside volunteering to correspond with them. I urge you to consider this difficult though rewarding ministry.

Death row inmates are confined in locked rooms smaller than the average bathroom. They are the outcasts of society. Experiences of degradation, isolation and crushing loneliness fill their daily lives. They live in constant fear and witness brutal beatings and deaths.

They are confined to their cells almost 24 hours a day. Therefore, they cannot be employed within the prison and so they have no source of income to buy anything beyond the toilet paper and toothpaste the prisons provide. In many cases, family and friends have abandoned them. On average, they spend eight years going through appeals before execution.

Jesus reached out to society's outcasts. The tax collector, the prostitute and the leper received his mercy and forgiveness. As Christians, we are called to imitate Jesus. Writing death row inmates is one way of doing that.

If you feel called to this ministry, pray about it, reflect on your motivation and discuss it with a spiritual adviser. Most death row inmates were hurt many times and in many ways before entering prison. In prison, they are in an environment that makes it difficult to trust and be open. For many inmates, yours will be the only letter from the outside. If you have many commitments, this may not be the time to undertake this one.

Death row inmates have been convicted of terrible crimes. You should be prepared to have your Christianity tested to its limits. Can you accept and forgive another person no matter what that person has done? If you or a loved one has been the victim of a crime, corresponding with someone who has a criminal history may be too difficult for you.

Expect that friends may not understand or support you. For example, a friend asked me what I could possibly find to write to inmates. At first, I wondered myself. What would I -- a suburban Yankee wife, mother, manager, classical musician -- find in common with a former truck driver born in Texas who likes country music? I have discovered we have much to write about and we are learning much about each other's lives. To write death row inmates, you need a strong faith and you must be emotionally mature. Their spiritual experiences range from a deep faith in God to no experience of God at all. If they believe, they may be open to spiritual guidance and discourse. To do this effectively, you must know your own faith and understand the faith journey of others.

If the inmates do not have faith, you should be prepared to share yours. This requires sensitivity to the inmates' perception of God and faith. I suggest consulting a spiritual adviser, preferably one who has experience with inmates. Br. Patrick may be able to serve this purpose if you do not have a local contact.

You can write about your everyday experience, thoughts and concerns. With discretion, ask the inmate about his life, experiences and interests. Interact with him as you would with a brother or friend. Guard against preaching or being condescending. Avoid being morose or dwelling on negative matters. It does not benefit you or the inmate to criticize the prison system or the death penalty.

As a precaution, write from a post office box. Other inmates who may eventually be released sometimes have access to inmates in the death house.

In most cases, you can expect your efforts to be rewarding. The inmates with whom I correspond are overwhelmingly grateful to have contact with a person on the outside. They thank me again and again. They try to repay me however they can. They pray for me and my family. You will find that they respond immediately, so be prepared to write regularly.

Expect that an inmate may be struggling with difficult issues. For example, your correspondent may be in prison for a crime he did not commit or your correspondent may be informed of a friend's execution date. Think about how you would respond to such issues. Finally, you will need a support system so that you can cope with your own grief when the inmate is executed.

To get the names of death row inmates: Contact Brother Patrick Byrd, OCD, Discalced Carmelite Monastery, P.O. Box 5280, San Antonio TX 78201-2080 or send an E-mail message to brpatric@dcci.com