On Feb. 16, Moravian College’s Newman Association hosted an unusual speaker, a nun who “stumbled into” prison ministry, work for which she had no preparation. Sister Martha Zammatore’s talk, which was sponsored by the Moravian Catholic Campus Ministry, initiated a new speaker series called “Word on the Street.” The series is intended to spark discussion of faith-related subjects for both practicing Catholics and others who may not normally attend an event of this nature.

During her presentation, “Christ in the Cell: Reflections on Prison Ministry,” Sister Zammatore, a member of the Franciscan Order, exuded joy and positivity. Her messages were simple: We all need forgiveness, “God can reach all of us, if we only let Him in,” and there is goodness in everyone.

Sister Zammatore recalled asking a group of prisoners why they were in jail. One inmate, whose father had abused him, had been in and out of reform school and doesn’t think he can ever change. A fellow prisoner told him not to give up, that he can have a better life. Other prisoners also offered him encouragement. “I didn’t have to say anything,” said Sister Zammatore.

When prisoners leave, she said, they often come back. On the day one inmate was leaving prison, the other inmates tried to be encouraging, telling him to “believe in yourself and you won’t be back.” Said Sister Zammatore, “God knocks at the heart of even people who have committed terrible crimes.”

She introduced the audience to the concept of “restorative justice,” an alternative approach to criminal justice. According to a statement by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2000, the focus of this approach is “on the victim and the community that has been harmed by the crime rather than on the ‘state-against-the-offender model.’” Elements of restorative justice include “offenders taking responsibility for their actions and making restitution to the victim and the community they have harmed.”

In addition, offenders receive the support they need to change patterns of negative behavior. For example, something triggered a reaction in some prisoners, and they blew up and engaged in unlawful behavior. Behavior modification is necessary to enable these offenders to reintegrate into the community.

Another element of restorative justice is victim/offender mediation. “Both victims and offenders have a story to tell,” said Sister Zammatore, “and mediation provides an opportunity for both parties to experience the healing they need.”

Some inmates have discovered that writing poetry can be a powerful way of expressing regret for the crimes they’ve committed and joy in the change they have experienced. Sister Zammatore recounted the experience of one prisoner whose father left the family and whose mother is “broken mentally.” The prisoner’s family situation tore her apart. She never had a sense of her own worth, only sadness and self-hate, and she got into drugs. But, as Sister put it, “God pulled her out of the darkness, and she experienced deliverance.” Now she uses poetry to heal.

Sister Zammatore distributed poems by these budding poets behind bars. She read one, titled “Surrender,” which expresses an inmate’s newfound belief in the saving power of God and her hope for a better future.

Here I am! broken, shattered, but not beyond repair

In Your eyes I am worthy and have much to share

I cannot explain it, it’s amazing to me

That beyond all the darkness, it’s my light that You see!