It was here at Devoto Prison that then-Archbishop Jorge Bergoglio celebrated the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper with inmates. Years later, it welcomes Pope Leo XIV, who came to reach out to inmates and highlight the work of prison ministry.
After the greetings, three people shared their personal stories. They spoke about finding light in the darkness.
MAXIMILIANO
My arrest marked the beginning of finding my inner freedom. All at once, that frantic pace that seemed impossible to stop came to a standstill. I finally had the clarity and the wake-up call I so desperately needed.
I felt like a beloved child of God again. I rediscovered the good in me and reconnected with the little boy inside, seeing him smile once more. Today, I want to leave all the bad behind.
Pope Leo listened closely. Then he spoke to them warmly, drawing on the testimonies he had just heard.
POPE LEO XIV
Even in the midst of the deepest evil, pain and failure you may have experienced or caused, the situation you are facing today can also become a special opportunity to restart their lives.
This time in prison can be an opportunity for a new beginning: making peace with God and returning to your families and society without fear.
He also spoke about the limitations that define so much of prison life, inviting those present to recognize the possibilities that can emerge from them.
POPE LEO XIV
That is why I particularly want to highlight that prison is also a place of profound change and conversion, of growth, learning, and the discovery of new skills and knowledge. It bears witness to people who, after experiencing human fragility in its most painful form, have managed to transform the desert of their own lives into a fruitful garden.
The pope also addressed relatives, prison staff and volunteers. He encouraged them to speak directly to Jesus, who identified himself with prisoners and knew what it meant to be held captive, despite having committed no sin.
Carolina Bellocq
