“I could see beyond their tattoos, beyond their physical appearance, and saw them as men, as human beings, much like anyone would want. It was then that I began to let go of being prejudiced toward people who were in prison and it really changed how I was kind of distant. I went from not wanting to really be there in any way other than a general visit, a prayer, or something to seeing how maybe I could be a person to walk with them and offer some kind of mentoring. It was a transformation for me,” said Rev. James A. Bracke, C.S.C., about his journey in prison ministry.
Sometimes, men have to abandon any societal prejudices and predispositions about people to be true leaders of the faith. This outreach can bring men in religious life to areas they never knew they would be, like prison ministry for Fr. Bracke.
Like many priests in the Congregation, Fr. Bracke spent the first 20 years of his religious life in parish work or working in parochial ministry. Sometimes, parishioners would end up in the local jail and he would visit them and pray with them. He found those visits filled with deep appreciation from the person incarcerated. While working in Cañon City, Colorado, he was asked to assist at the state prison presiding at Mass and hearing confessions once a month. The trips were short but he found little moments where he got to know inmates.
“I found they were human and they made mistakes, obviously, and how important faith seemed to be for them. I just got the sense that like the Lord said in Matthew 25, visit the sick, care for the sick, and the needy, the hungry, clothe the naked, et cetera. But one was also to visit the imprisoned,” noted Fr. Bracke. “I am drawn to want to support them in compassion and mercy of God.”
Upon returning to South Bend, he connected with Rev. Thomas F. McNally, C.S.C., his first spiritual director, and discussed the desire to work in prison ministry. Fr. McNally was working at the state prison in Michigan City along with working for the St. Joseph County Jail, and Fr. Bracke began shadowing Fr. McNally on visits.
“In talking a little bit with the people who came to Mass you found there was a real hunger for God, a hunger for transforming their lives around and developing a new path for themselves, and that Christ would be very much at the center. They were hungering for Christ, and I said to myself, I want to be with these people and offer what I can to keep them on that hunger,” said Bracke who upon provincial and administration approval took a sabbatical to discern if he was called to prison ministry.
During that exploration, he spent time at Westville, a medium-security prison with around 3,200 male inmates. He connected with the drug rehabilitation program to offer a spiritual component to the treatment.
“I went there five days a week and had an office where they could come. Every day I would have people coming by wanting to visit, people of all faiths or no faith, and on their own, they asked me if I would be willing to have a Mass there every week. There were about 35 to 40 people that would come. It was a nice prayer and I always looked forward to that. They were very reverent and very attentive,” recalled Fr. Bracke.
He found that when he connected with men at a parish level he often heard about their desires to be good husbands, and fathers, and to support their families. This same belief was often shared by the inmates cementing Fr. Bracke’s belief that he was in the right place and perfect area of ministry.
“Rev. David Thomas Link kind of mentored me along. He never called any of the men residents or inmates, he called them brothers so I saw them as a man like me, seeking to live their life fully and to be transformed. I never heard anybody say they weren’t guilty of anything, but they were doing their time and they wanted to change their lives. I think that’s what Christ would do, that’s where Christ would be,” said Fr. Bracke.
The biggest challenge in prison ministry work was not having the chance to know the outcomes of a man’s journey, he never got to know how a story ended. Sometimes he has moments of reconnection such as the time when a young man he connected with at Westville was part of a painting crew at a new assignment location for Fr. Bracke. It was inspiring for him to see how the returning citizen was rebuilding his life.
The most gratifying part of prison ministry is the opportunity to see life-altering changes in men. Fr. Bracke is overwhelmed with joy at seeing men overcome addiction living a clean lifestyle and people finding a fulfilling path they always wanted but couldn’t find because of societal obstacles.
Today, Fr. Bracke continues to volunteer at the county jail, visits Dismas House, a local halfway house for citizens returning to the community, and helps out at the Broadway Christian Church with meals for the poor, needy, and homeless.
Fr. Bracke’s journeys have taken him to many different places and in various ministries. He hopes to make an impact on all by humbly walking with people, inspired by Micah 6:8 “He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God.”
“I hope that in my religious life and my ministries, I have done or will continue to do that, for people to hopefully see God and hopefully see God’s love for them especially. I think it’s my mission to try to continually encourage people to see that they are God’s beloved daughters and sons. There are so many people that don’t see themselves in that way. They don’t feel like they’re loved or can be loved. They have a very negative view of themselves. Hopefully, when we can have a positive view of ourselves, we have more of a positive view of others,” shared Fr. Bracke. “I’ve personally struggled with having a positive image, but I believe that as I continue to grow and fully accept God’s unconditional love I will fully accept myself as a beloved son. I hope this will impact my relationships and my ministries that I will be able to do in the future.”
Published October 24, 2024
