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Happening ... in the Local Church
A deacons' story
'Doing prison ministry was my hope ... I feel blessed'
 Deacon
James MacDougall (standing): “I wish there were more deacons, serving
the needs of the parishes and the larger community.” |
By Caroline B. Mooney
The Catholic Moment
Deacon James MacDougall is permanent deacon at St. Lawrence Church, Muncie,
and serves inmates in two state prisons.
“Doing prison ministry was my hope when I applied for the permanent diaconate program,” he said. “Since 1974, I have been going into prisons. I had taught in and directed a program at Ball State University with the Department of Corrections.
“I read about the permanent diaconate program in Bishop Higi’s column in The Catholic Moment,” he said, “but even before he announced that, I read what he wrote about prison ministry.”
Deacon MacDougall, 67, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, is married to Carolyn, and they have two children; son, Ross, and daughter, Rebecca. After entering the Ecclesial Lay Ministry program in anticipation of his retirement in 2001 from Ball State, Deacon MacDougall received a letter encouraging him to consider the permanent diaconate. He spoke to his pastor, Father Dennis Goth, about applying, and decided to enter the program.
After ordination in September 2005, he was assigned to prison ministry for his charitable service work as a permanent deacon.
“I find the work to be really gratifying — I feel blessed,” Deacon MacDougall said. “It’s as great an assignment as I could possibly have. I think reaching out to people who can’t come to us is important.”
He has been running a Bible study since fall 2005 at the Correctional Industrial Prison in Pendleton, a medium security facility for men, and the Pendleton Correctional Facility, a men’s maximum security prison.
When he began visiting the prisons as his internship for the diaconate program, his wife started going with him.
I go with four volunteers at a time to both the prisons for the Bible study,” Deacon MacDougall said. “The majority of volunteers are women from our parish and from St. Ambrose and St. Mary churches in Anderson.
“I conduct the Bible study, but the volunteers participate, too,” he said. “It’s good that other people go to let the men know that there are people who freely chose to come and see them. I also go by myself for a catechesis class. We do spiritual reading each week and talk. The inmates are really serious about their faith; they’re very devout.
“A lot of them support one another in their faith,” Deacon MacDougall said. “We talk about Church and the Bible, but it is a rare opportunity to express opinions freely in a prison setting.”
Deacon MacDougall went through a Department of Corrections training program so he no longer has to have an escort when entering the prison.
“It’s a lot more convenient,” he said. “I have no fear going into the prison. The men understand that we choose to be there, and they always wish us well.
“I consider myself blessed with this work,” he said. “As long as I’ve gone I’ve always learned things about what men can be like. When I was talking about charity with the men, I said, ‘I understand that you can’t afford to give,’ but one fellow immediately said, ‘I do.’ And other men do, too. They don’t make much money in there, and they need it to buy all their snacks and toiletries, but my assumptions of what the men can get by on were all wrong.
“In one group we have Catholics who had fallen away and those who have converted while in prison,” he said. “Three men right now plan to join the Church. When Bishop Higi comes to visit every year, he baptizes and confirms men. One man asked me to be his sponsor.
“The point is change — always change,” Deacon MacDougall said. “Someone might have done something terrible, but it is not his whole life. I don’t make excuses for anyone, but the idea that they should be ignored is not Christian. It’s really impressive at times to hear how much their faith means to them. We should be there for them. No one should be cut off from the world. The fact is most of them are going to be released. If we don’t help them, then what should we expect back when they are released?
“In my parish work, I serve at every Mass in the parish,” he said. “Father Dennis gives me good opportunities to preach as well. I wish there were more deacons, serving the needs of the parishes and the larger community.”
Deacon MacDougall and his wife have conducted the RCIA at their parish for many years. He chairs the stewardship committee, and serves on other committees.
“I tell people I never knew when I retired that I could be working seven days a week instead of five,” he said, “but it’s really pleasurable — it’s really good.”