Scottish Catholic Observer

In a letter to Fr Brian Gowans, president of the International Commission of Prison Pastoral Care and chaplaincy adviser to the Scottish Prison Service, Mgr Peter Wells, Assessor for General Affairs of the Vatican Secretariat of State, said that Pope Francis was ‘pleased to be informed’ that Scottish Prisoners Week was to be launched on Monday evening with an ecumenical prayer service at Dunblane Cathedral.

“He [Pope Francis] greets the prisoners, their families, the prison directors and staff, and the chaplains and those who provide pastoral care in these institutions, assuring them all of his spiritual closeness,” Mgr Wells’ message read. “The Holy Father encourages those present to regard every person as another Christ, worthy of love and a source of love. He hopes that this gathering will lead to a deeper awareness of our heavenly Father’s gifts of mercy and compassion, so that every moment of life will be an occasion for true conversion.”

Prisoners Week Scotland, an initiative of the Scottish churches held annually in the third week of November. This year’s Prisoners Week theme is Time to Change.

During his time as Archbishop of Buenos Aires in his native Argentina, Pope Francis regularly celebrated Mass with prison communities.

One prisoner the Holy Father has struck a cord with is 38-year-old Argentinian Gabriella Caballero at the San Martin Penitentiary outside Buenos Aires, Argentina’s capital city.  Since mid-July, Pope Francis has been using Communion wafers made by Ms Caballero at his daily Mass celebrations at the Vatican’s Santa Marta residence.

The hosts, together with a letter, were presented to the Pope by Bishop Oscar Ojea of San Isidro, who is a regular visitor to Ms Caballero’s prison. Another visitor to the San Martin prison was Fr Gowans, who met Ms Caballero (above) during a recent trip. She gifted the Scottish priest a packet of hosts, which he was planning to use at a Mass at HMP Castle Huntly yesterday.

—This story ran in full in the November 22 edition print of the SCO, available in parishes.