Here's a letter from my "cloistered brother," Jazzer,
My dear friend,
I hope this will find you and all the family safe and healthy today. I've been thinking of you in my prayers and this week I was able to pray for you all at Mass...it was a bitter-sweet experience as we gathered by block only, in the prison auditorium. I was happy to see an altar and watch the flicker of the Pascal candle...we last had Mass in our chapel on March 11, last year.
It was sad to hear the priest mention our brothers who not long ago were sitting in the very seats I was sitting in, knowing I won't be seeing them again (in this life) but I was thankful to be at the Mass and celebrate the Holy Eucharist. Sadly, we have little or no help with the person in charge of "programs" and once again there was no notice given about the 3 Masses at 1,2,& 3 pm on Thursday, so by the time the Mass was announced many men were at work, in the yard, or doing something else...we had six men from the block I live in and that's only because I was the night before by one of the cleaners. How difficult can it be to let us know the night before with a simple posting on the blocks. The same thing happened last month and out of 3 different blocks only 2 men came to the first Mass, 1 to the second and 0 to the third, nobody was told, nobody knew. So many problems, so much disrespect in so many areas regarding peoples' faith. The good news is, God is watching and holding us close to his heart, without faith there is darkness.
I continue to struggle with depression and anxiety and have to be on my guard then fold in these extremely unsettling times...let us all continue to ask for help and pray for each other...
God's peace and love,
Jazzer
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