Prisoners’ Sunday: Hope where it is needed

The Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle is observing Prisoners’ Sunday on 8 November, an annual Australian Church event to pray for incarcerated individuals, their families, crime victims, correctional staff, and prison chaplains.

In the diocese, prison chaplains provide spiritual support, the sacraments, and companionship to those in prison. Deacon Gerard McCarthy, a diocesan prison chaplain, recently facilitated a visit for a relic of St. Carlo Acutis to the Hunter Correctional Centre. McCarthy noted that the visit required overcoming significant security hurdles and stated he prayed for the approval of the prison governor. He described the successful visit as a miracle that aligned with the intentions of Jesus.