Bishop Martin Hayes celebrated Mass in the Chapel of Loughan House on Gaudete Sunday, the Third Sunday of Advent, Sunday 14 December last, to coincide with the Jubilee of Prisoners which took place that day throughout the Church worldwide as part of the Jubilee of Hope and in communion with Pope Leo celebrating Mass in Saint Peter’s Basilica.
Bishop Hayes serves as the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Liaison to the Irish Prison Service and to the Northern Ireland Prison Service.
In a statement issued in advance of the Jubilee of Prisoners, he said: “While people who caused harm must take responsibility for their actions, express regret, make compensation and genuinely try to live a better life – at the same time – every person has an indelible dignity, and should always be treated as such. Equally, on 15 September, this Jubilee Year marked the hurt experienced by victims in the Jubilee of Consolation, and it was dedicated to those suffering pain and affliction due to illness, bereavement, violence or abuse, including those who have been victims of crime.”
Bishop Hayes concluded, “The Jubilee for Prisoners helps us find hope in God’s love for us, as both victims, and those convicted of crimes. In celebrating the Jubilee of Prisoners, we find hope in steadfast, faith-filled advocacy to improve prison conditions, support the rights of the victims of crime, and, to ensure rehabilitation of those in prison and reintegrate them into society.”
