Preface to A Chaplain’s Handbook
by James Cullen, 1967

Welcome, dear reader. Perhaps you are reading this book after many years as a prison chaplain. Or perhaps you are considering a ministry behind bars. Whatever the reason, I hope I can share my experiences with you. Hopefully, I can even give you some insight into what it means to minister to the outcasts of society.

One of the most important things to remember is that we are all born with sin. In this regard, the prisoner is no worse and no better than anyone else. We are all guilty of something and it is our duty as Christians to forgive one another, just as we have been forgiven. The only difference between a freeman and a prisoner is that the prisoner must bear the mark of his guilt, long after he has paid his penance. The prison system is like a furnace and the inmate may be consumed by anger or be purified with faith.

Precious are the few that are reformed, those who exit prison and vow never to return. Usually it is because they feel remorse for their actions and seek forgiveness from society and from God. These men are usually already God-fearing when they enter prison. Perhaps they were the victim of some desperate circumstance that led them to crime, due to poverty, anger, or drugs. They are the men that we see the most often, for they spend many of their hours in repentant prayer, whether in their cell or in the chapel.

And then there are those that do not seek forgiveness for their sins. Rather, they desire revenge for the wrong they feel that has been done unto them. These are the majority, the woeful burden of our civilization, the hardened criminals who, if released, return to prison with greater and heavier sentences. These societal rejects, these untouchables, they are our true ministry.

Christ was himself a prisoner, judged guilty by society and executed by the state. Also, Saint John the Baptist, Saint Peter, the disciples and followers of Jesus, the whole history of the early Church is filled with stories of those who were in trouble with the law and spent much of their time in prison. So, when we minister to the convict, we are following the words of Christ when he said, “I was in prison and you came to Me” (Matthew 25:36).

This book is written as a handbook with instructions and suggestions on how to counsel prisoners, how to understand their attitudes and situations. In this way you can understand how they feel and how to minister to them. Each section of instruction is followed by anecdotes of my own personal experiences. I confess that my approach is not very scientific. But I believe that being a chaplain is a kind of art form; sometimes even similar situations call for completely different approaches, for every person is unique. Every person is special and worthy of God’s grace, even if they act otherwise. It is not our job to judge, rather to deliver the good news that everyone, even the prisoner, can receive that grace.